text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Highways and Infrastructure 
  Preservation Act of 1997''.
  
  SEC. 2. LENGTH LIMITATIONS ON FEDERALLY ASSISTED HIGHWAYS.
  
      (a) Prohibition on Operation of Certain Cargo-Carrying Units.--
  Section 411 of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (49 
  U.S.C. App. 2311) is amended--
              (1) by striking the section heading and all that follows 
          through ``(a) Except'' and inserting the following:
  
  ``SEC. 411. LENGTH LIMITATIONS ON FEDERALLY ASSISTED HIGHWAYS.
  
      ``(a) State Requirements.--
              ``(1) In general.--Except'';
              (2) by moving the remaining portion of paragraph (1) of 
          subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1) of this 
          subsection, 2 ems to the right; and
              (3) by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following:
              ``(2) Prohibition on operation of certain cargo-carrying 
          units.--
                      ``(A) General rule.--No State shall register for 
                  operation on any segment of the Interstate System and 
                  those classes of qualifying National Highway System 
                  highways as designated by the Secretary any trailer, 
                  semi-trailer, container, or other cargo-carrying unit 
                  that is longer than 53 feet, except as provided by 
                  subparagraph (B).
                      ``(B) Exceptions.--The following shall not be 
                  subject to the requirement of subparagraph (A):
                              ``(i) Any trailer, semi-trailer, container, 
                          or other cargo carrying unit that is 
                          manufactured before the expiration of the 1-
                          year period beginning on the date of the 
                          enactment of this paragraph.
                              ``(ii) Any trailer, semi-trailer, 
                          container, or other cargo-carrying unit that is 
                          used exclusively for fire-fighting.
              ``(C) Limitation on statutory construction.--Nothing in 
          this paragraph shall be construed to affect the laws of any 
          State applicable to any trailer, semi-trailer, container, or 
          other cargo-carrying unit that is less than 53 feet in 
          length.''.
      (b) Repeal.--The 3d sentence of section 411(b) of such Act is 
  repealed.
      (c) Conforming Amendments.--Section 411 of such Act is amended--
              (1) by striking ``subsection (a) of this section'' each 
          place it appears and inserting ``subsection (a)(1) of this 
          section''; and
              (2) in subsection (d) by striking ``subsections (a)'' and 
          inserting ``subsections (a)(1)''.
      (d) Enforcement.--The 2d sentence of section 141(b) of title 23, 
  United States Code, is amended--
              (1) by striking ``section 411(j)'' and inserting 
          ``subsections (a)(2) and (j) of section 411''; and
              (2) by striking ``2311(j)'' and inserting ``2311''.
  
  SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF DETERMINATIONS OF GRANDFATHER RIGHTS.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is 
  amended by adding at the end the following:
      ``(h) Grandfather Rights.--
              ``(1) General rule.--No State shall allow the operation of 
          any vehicle or combination (other than longer combination 
          vehicles) not in conformance with the Interstate weight limits, 
          unless such operation is on the list published pursuant to 
          paragraph (2).
              ``(2) List of vehicles or combinations.--
                      ``(A) Proceeding.--Not later than 60 days after the 
                  date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary 
                  shall initiate a proceeding to determine and publish a 
                  list of vehicles or combinations (other than longer 
                  combination vehicles), otherwise not in conformance 
                  with the Interstate weight limits, that the Department 
                  of Transportation or any other Federal agency or a 
                  State has determined before January 1, 1997, could be 
                  lawfully operated within such State on July 1, 1956 
                  (except in the case of the overall gross weight of any 
                  group of 2 or more consecutive axles, on the date of 
                  the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Amendments of 
                  1974).
                      ``(B) Limitation.--No operation of any vehicle or 
                  combination (other than a longer combination vehicle) 
                  shall be included on the list published pursuant to 
                  subparagraph (A) on the basis that a State law or 
                  regulation could have authorized such operation at some 
                  prior date by permit or otherwise.
                      ``(C) Publication of final list.--Not later than 
                  270 days after the date of the enactment of this 
                  subsection, the Secretary shall publish a final list of 
                  vehicles or combinations described in subparagraph (A).
              ``(3) Limitation on statutory construction.--Nothing in 
          this subsection shall be construed to prevent a State from 
          reducing the State's gross vehicle weight limitation or the 
          State's single or tandem axle weight limitations on the 
          Interstate System for operations on the list published pursuant 
          to paragraph (2) but in no event shall any such reduction fall 
          below weight limits referred to in subsection (a).
              ``(4) Applicability of existing requirements.--All vehicles 
          or combinations included on the list published pursuant to 
          paragraph (2) shall be subject to all routing-specific, 
          commodity-specific, and weight-specific designations in force 
          in a State before January 1, 1997.''.
      (b) Conforming Amendment.--The 4th sentence of section 127(a) of 
  such title is amended by striking ``the State determines''.
  
  SEC. 4. NONDIVISIBLE LOAD PROCEEDING.
  
      Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is further amended by 
  adding at the end the following:
      ``(i) Nondivisible Loads.--
              ``(1) Proceeding.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall initiate 
          a proceeding to determine the meaning of the term `vehicles and 
          loads which cannot be easily dismantled or divided' as used in 
          subsection (a), including a commodity-specific definition of 
          such term.
              ``(2) Regulations.--Not later than 270 days after the date 
          of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall issue 
          final regulations setting forth the determination of the 
          Secretary made pursuant to subparagraph (A). Such regulations 
          shall apply to all loads operating on the National Highway 
          System. A State may establish other requirements not 
          inconsistent with such regulations.
      ``(j) Statement of Policy.--The policy of this title is to promote 
  conformity with the Interstate weight limits for the benefit and safety 
  of all motorists.
      ``(k) Interstate Weight Limits Defined.--For purposes of 
  subsections (h), (i), and (j), the term `Interstate weight limits' 
  means the 80,000 pound gross vehicle weight limitation, the 20,000 
  pound single axle weight limitation (including enforcement tolerances), 
  the 34,000 pound tandem axle weight limitation (including enforcement 
  tolerances), and the overall maximum gross weight (including 
  enforcement tolerances) on a group of 2 or more consecutive axles 
  produced by application of the Bridge Formula B in subsection (a).''.
  
  SEC. 5. WEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
  
      (a) In General.--Title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
  inserting after section 127 the following:
  ``Sec. 127a. Gross vehicle weight and axle loading limitations on non-
                Interstate highways on the National Highway System
      ``(a) Non-Interstate Highways on NHS.--The gross vehicle weight 
  limitations and axle loading limitations applicable to all vehicles and 
  combinations on any non-Interstate highway on the National Highway 
  System in existence on the date of the enactment of this section, shall 
  be the gross vehicle weight and axle loading limitations (including 
  enforcement tolerances) set by State statute as of January 1, 1997, on 
  the non-Interstate highway on the National Highway System in the State 
  in which such non-Interstate highway is located, except as provided by 
  subsection (c). The gross vehicle weight limitations and axle loading 
  limitations applicable to all vehicles and combinations on any segment 
  of any non-Interstate highway on the National Highway System not in 
  existence on the date of the enactment of this section, shall be the 
  Interstate weight limits.
      ``(b) Proceeding To Publish List of State Limitations.--The 
  Secretary shall initiate a proceeding to determine and publish a list 
  of the States' gross vehicle weight limitations and axle loading 
  limitations as of January 1, 1997, applicable to non-Interstate 
  highways on the National Highway System. The Secretary shall publish a 
  final list not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
  this section.
      ``(c) Proceeding To Publish List of Nonconforming Operations.--The 
  Secretary shall initiate a proceeding to determine and publish a list 
  of operations not in conformance with State gross vehicle weight 
  limitations and axle loading limitations applicable to all vehicles and 
  combinations on any non-Interstate highways on the National Highway 
  System in existence on the date of the enactment of this section, of 
  such State before January 1, 1997, and which were in actual and lawful 
  operation on a regular or periodic basis (including seasonal 
  operations) before January 1, 1997. The Secretary shall publish a final 
  list of such operations not later than 180 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this section. No operation of any vehicle or combination 
  shall be on the Secretary's list on the basis that a State law or 
  regulation could have authorized such operations at some prior date, by 
  permit or otherwise.
      ``(d) Applicability of Existing Requirements.--All vehicles or 
  combinations included on the Secretary's list provided for in 
  subsection (c) shall be subject to all routing-specific, commodity-
  specific, and weight-specific designations in force in a State on 
  December 31, 1996.
      ``(e) Applicability.--The limitations established by subsection (a) 
  shall apply to any new designations made to the National Highway System 
  and remain in effect on those non-Interstate highways that cease to be 
  designated as part of the National Highway System.
      ``(f) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this 
  section shall be construed to prevent any State from reducing the 
  State's gross vehicle weight limitation or the State's single or tandem 
  axle weight limitations on any existing non-Interstate highway on the 
  National Highway System.
      ``(g) Interstate Weight Limits Defined.--For purposes of this 
  section, the term `Interstate weight limits' means the 80,000 pound 
  gross vehicle weight limitation, the 20,000 pound single axle weight 
  limitation (including enforcement tolerances), and the 34,000 pound 
  tandem axle weight limitation (including enforcement tolerances).''.
      (b) Enforcement of Requirements.--Section 141(a) of such title is 
  amended by striking ``section 127(d)'' and inserting ``sections 127 and 
  127a''.
      (c) Conforming Chapter Analysis Amendment.--The analysis for 
  chapter 1 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating 
  to section 127 the following:
  
  ``127a. Gross vehicle weight and axle loading limitations on non-
                              Interstate highways on the National Highway 
                              System.''.
target: Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 1997 - Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to revise length limitations on federally-assisted highways to prohibit States from allowing the operation on highways of the Interstate System and the National Highway System of any trailer, semi-trailer, container, or other cargo-carrying unit that is longer than 53 feet, with specified exceptions. 
  Amends Federal highway law to terminate all current State (grandfathered) exceptions to Interstate vehicle weight limits, unless the vehicle or combination involved is on a list of vehicles and combinations which could be lawfully operated in the State on July 1, 1956. 
  Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations, in order to promote conformity with Interstate weight limits for the safety of all motorists, defining the term "vehicles and loads which cannot be easily dismantled or divided" (nondivisible loads), which shall apply to all loads operating on the National Highway System. Sets forth gross vehicle weight and axle loading limits on non-Interstate highways on the National Highway System.
feat_title: Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 1997