Committee advances bill raising maximum rig height to 14 feet

Senator Mark Johnson (Senate District 15) and Representative Rick Beck (House District 65) presented House Bill 1418 to the Senate Transportation Committee, saying the bill raises the maximum allowable vehicle height on state roads from 13 feet 6 inches to 14 feet. "We're going to 14 feet," Beck said, arguing the change aligns Arkansas with roughly 61% of other states and eases interstate transport logistics.

Gil Rogers of the Arkansas Department of Transportation said RDOT supports the change and that only nine overpasses in the state fall below 14 feet; those structures are already marked as low clearance. Rogers told the committee the department publishes clearance information and would handle any fines by administrative rule rather than embedding fines in statute.

Senators asked whether the change would jeopardize federal funding or require structural changes. Rogers replied repeatedly that the department had concluded federal funds would not be affected and that markings and published routes mitigate impacts for oversize loads.

The committee voted by voice to advance the measure after a short question-and-answer period. Sponsors said there is no immediate cost to taxpayers because existing low-clearance structures are already signed and mapped for haulers.

The bill now moves to the full Senate for further consideration.