35650.  The Department of Transportation, whenever it determines
after an engineering investigation that any highway under its
jurisdiction will with safety to itself sustain vehicles and loads
weighing more than the maximum weight limits set forth in this code,
shall have authority to declare and to fix a weight limit for the
highway greater than the maximum weight limit set forth in this code.
  Thereafter it shall be lawful to operate or move vehicles and loads
of a gross weight upon the highways designated, equal to but not in
excess of the maximum weight limit fixed by the department.



35651.  Whenever in the judgment of the Department of Transportation
any state highway will not with safety to itself sustain the maximum
weights permitted under this code for the highway, the department
shall determine, after a public hearing, the maximum weight which the
highway will sustain.


35652.  The Department of Transportation shall give notice of the
time and place of the hearing by posting a notice in the county seat
of each county in which any affected portion of the highway is
located and shall also post copies of the notice at intervals of not
more than one mile along said highway and a notice at each end of the
affected portion thereof.  Notice of the hearing shall be given for
not less than 10 days and the hearing shall be had at the county seat
of the county in which the affected highway is situated or at some
other place convenient to the portion of the highway affected.



35653.  The hearing shall be conducted by one or more engineers
appointed by the Director of Transportation.  The engineers shall
hear all evidence presented at the time and place mentioned in the
notice and shall report findings made in writing to the Director of
Transportation.  Upon the basis of the findings, the Director of
Transportation shall declare in writing the maximum weight which can
be maintained with safety upon the state highway.  In no event shall
the weight be less than 16,000 pounds.



35654.  Following the declaration of maximum weight as provided in
this article, the Department of Transportation shall erect suitable
signs at each end of the affected portion of the highway and at such
other points as the department deems necessary to give adequate
notice of the weight limits.



35655.  (a) No person shall drive a vehicle on any state highway
when the weight of the vehicle and load is greater than the maximum
weight which the highway will sustain.  Violations of this
subdivision shall be punished in accordance with the schedule of
fines set forth in Section 42030.
   (b) Upon the trial of any person charged with a violation with
respect to signs erected under Section 35654, proof of the
determination and the maximum weight by the Department of
Transportation and the existence of the signs constitutes prima facie
evidence of the maximum weight which the state highway will sustain.



35655.5.  (a) Notwithstanding this article or any other provision of
law, no vehicle, as described in Sections 410 and 655, with a gross
weight of 9,000 pounds or more, shall be operated on the segment of
Interstate Route 580 (I-580) that is located between Grand Avenue in
the City of Oakland and the city limits of the City of San Leandro.
This subdivision does not apply to passenger buses or paratransit
vehicles.
   (b) The Department of Transportation shall erect suitable signs at
each end of the portion of highway described in subdivision (a) and
at any other points that the department deems necessary to give
adequate notice of the weight limit imposed under this section.