We are heading home and are wondering if Hwy 101 is a doable venture pulling a 38RL. We would be cutting over from Redding CA and hope to go as far as Astoria WA. Is there a website giving length restrictions on USA highways?
Thanks
Don and Judith
Well, we live in Oregon and I don't think I would like to pull the Redwood along the length of 101. I'm sure it can be done, but the sometimes narrow and windy road will test your patience. I think Oriana has done it, but it wouldn't be my first choice. That being said, the Oregon coast is a very beautiful, special place and you would enjoy the scenery, so it would be a tough choice.
We have towed our Redwood from San Diego to Washington state on 101. Yes there are so slow spots. In the past, we’ve taken I5 north and come back southbound to get the better views on the ocean side of 101. Every September, we take 101 from Santa Rosa, Ca to Winchester Bay, Oregon. Awesome drive..
Ken
A must have for all RVer's:
Rand McNally released its updated Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas, which features information on truck-navigable roads, trucking regulations and low bridge clearances. In addition, there is a lot of information about legal lengths.
The new edition is available in several formats at travel centers, bookstores and online, including paperback and a laminated, spiral-bound version, the company says.
Here is an article about Federal Highway requirements...I don't know that I would trust this totally...Many bridges are need of replacement for a variety of reasons. One of those might be due to the existing bridge heights. I've traveled in Indiana. Many of the bridges are not even marked. I don't know how anyone could confirm bridge heights there.
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/geometric/pubs/mitigationstrategies/chapter3/3_verticalclearance.cfm
Some use the GPS finders...I don't trust them either. How many times has yours taken you exactly where you wanted in the straightest path ever? With all of the road construction and detours, many are not right.
Here are Bridge clearances in California and Washington:
State by State of Maximum lengths...A couple of websites:
(This will not give you a specific road. It is the State Laws in general)
Done it a dozen times with the Redwood in both directions. Absolutely no challenge. You'll be more challenged travelling from Redding to Eureka but not much;)
Don,
I returned from Indio, CA last week and all I-5 passes had heavy snow. Joined 101 south of Petaluma, just outside San Francisco and drove up to Aberdeen, then across to I-5 at Olympia.
From Indio it was over 1200 miles to Cannon Beach, where I stopped for a night and then another 350 back home. Therefore, it is a couple hundred miles longer than using I-5 and much slower going. The grades are easier than I-5, but many miles are twisty & windy, but not overly challenging.
While 101 is OK with the Redwood, don't attempt the Pacific Coast Hwy in N/Cal, it definitely isn't RW friendly.
Give me a ring when you get home and we can meet for lunch again. We are home for the summer.
Don,
Rather than heading up to Redding and driving over the mountains to Eureka, you may want to consider joining 101 south of Napa.
I filled up with diesel at the Lodi truck stop (CA 12 & I-5). They also have an RV park. I then headed West on CA-12, to I-80, then CA 37 to Hwy 101.
Oriiana,
That’s my preferred route home (north of Santa Rosa)...no bridge toll either!
Ken
GipC. One thing to consider with length requirements is that the atlas lists commercial truck lengths.
For instance, in Maryland where I am tagged, commercial trucks other than doubles are restricted to 65'. In my case, pulling double with the car as a private RV, there is no restriction on either length or doubles. It is required to have a non-commercial Clas A license (I do ) but other wise there isn't a restriction. This was verified to me by two State Troopers, a DOT Enforcement officer and a MVA officer.
My overall length is about 74'. I haven't measured it exactly so that I can say honestly " I don't know, officer" if I'm ever stopped. So far, from New York all the way down the coast to Florida and across to Louisiana, no LEO has shown the slightest interest in us other than the SC Trooper who gave me a thumbs up. We are now headed to Montana and will update later. So far no interest from PA, WV, or Ohio.
Oh crap Vaughn, Montana, how cool is that.....
SOOOO jealous, missing those natural hot springs for a while now!!!
How far north are you heading?
Ken & Gizzi
Ford 2015 F350 DRW
--
"My Redwood; Go anywhere and always be at home."
"The trouble with trouble is it starts as fun"
"I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been" - Wayne Gretzky
GipC. One thing to consider with length requirements is that the atlas lists commercial truck lengths.
For instance, in Maryland where I am tagged, commercial trucks other than doubles are restricted to 65'. In my case, pulling double with the car as a private RV, there is no restriction on either length or doubles. It is required to have a non-commercial Clas A license (I do ) but other wise there isn't a restriction. This was verified to me by two State Troopers, a DOT Enforcement officer and a MVA officer.
My overall length is about 74'. I haven't measured it exactly so that I can say honestly " I don't know, officer" if I'm ever stopped. So far, from New York all the way down the coast to Florida and across to Louisiana, no LEO has shown the slightest interest in us other than the SC Trooper who gave me a thumbs up. We are now headed to Montana and will update later. So far no interest from PA, WV, or Ohio.
So far, it's hard to find anything specific to non-commercial length requirements except this...I don't know where they obtained their information:
https://www.rvtripwizard.com/rv-info/state-road-laws.php
There is language such as this in Ohio that imply lengths of all vehicles are discussed:
https://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D11/Documents/Permit%20Related%20Documents
"Length of all other vehicles - 40'"
or
"Length of any other combination - 65'"
The problem is that one would have to search State by State unless the above is actually accurate.
There is apparently a good article on www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm but I can't get the page to open. The server may be down for that one.
Keep in mind that laws change and information can get mixed up in translation. The only way to get completely accurate information about triple towing is to contact the Department of Transportation or Highway Patrol offices for your state and any states you plan on traveling through./permitlegaladmin.PDF
Don’t wanna get too far off topic from OP but if you’re looking for a comprehensive list of state RV towing laws take a look here: http://www.rvsafely.com/rvroadlaws.htm
Edit: the above link is copyrighted 2005-2006 so I don’t know how current the laws actually are.
