vehicle size and weight for highway use and on trafficability of soils for vehicles for off-road use, the following ‘General specifications and limitations in design” reflect the highway design requirements:
(a) General-purpose vehicles
- Height: 132 inches.
- Width: 96 inches.
- Length:
- a. Single vehicle: 35 feet.
- b. Truck tractor and semitrailer: 50 feet.
- c. Other combination: 65 feet.
- Axle load: No axle spaced between 3% to 7% feet of nearest adjacent axle will carry more than 16,000 pounds. No axle spaced more than 714 feet from the nearest adjacent axle will exceed 18,000 pounds.
- Gross vehicle weight: The gross vehicle weight of any general-purpose vehicle will not exceed 78,000 pounds. The gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles will not exceed 36,000 pounds if the distance from extreme front axle to the extreme rear axle is 10 feet or less and will not exceed 850 pounds for each additional foot of this dimension.
(b) Tracked combat vehicles
- Height: 150 inches.
- Width: 144 inches.
- Gross vehicle weight: 160,000 pounds.
- Ground pressure: 12.5 pounds per square inch.
- For vehicles less than 60,000 pounds: Weight per linear foot, in pounds, equals 3,000.plus 0.06 times (gross weight, in pounds, minus 8,000).
- For vehicles 60,000 pounds or over: Weight per linear foot, in pounds, equals 20,000 times gross weight in pounds; divided by (160,000 plus gross weight in pounds).
(2) Movement of vehicles of the general-purpose type would be frequent and similar to normal civilian traffic movements.
(3) Movement of vehicles of the tracked combat-type or wheeled combat vehicles which develop similar critical loads would be infrequent and controlled.
(4) Highway facilities which will accommodate the above-described vehicles and types of movement would potentially be of greatest direct benefit to the national defense. Minimum uniform design standards should be established for all highways of the “connecting system of highways interstate in character” and these standards should provide for the efficient and frequent movement of vehicles within the design limitations of the above-described general-purpose military vehicles and the infrequent movement of combat-type military vehicles.
(5) During the early part of World War II highway traffic regulation varied among the several States and thus impeded the free movement and efficient utilization of available equipment transporting material essential to the war effort. Later, nearly uniform but in many instances temporary uniform regulations were adopted. Since the end of the war the more restrictive prewar regulations have been liberalized in some States. However, there remain many variations in State laws governing the use of principal Federal-aid highways.
(6) The accomplishment, during peacetime, of uniform traffic regulations would be of material assistance to the National Military Establishment in the event of any future emergency. Of particular importance is the accomplishment, during peacetime, of uniform highway traffic regulations which will make possible the efficient and effective movement of the general-purpose-type military vehicles on the “connected system of highways interstate in character.”
