Rhode Island's truck toll program to resume in 2027 with changes to satisfy federal appeals court ruling
Rhode Island is set to reinstate its truck-only tolls in July 2027, after a federal appeals court reversed a lower court's decision that the program was unconstitutional. The state will lower tolls by 25% for all trucks, but the Rhode Island Trucking Association opposes the move, saying it will disproportionately burden local businesses. The tolls will be reactivated once upgrades to the toll gantries and billing systems are complete.
This change may affect oversize operators who frequently travel through Rhode Island, as they will need to factor in the toll costs.
Source: Land Line Media
What Rhode Island actually requires
The story above is the enforcement. This is the rule it is enforcing — so you
do not have to go looking for it.
Legal without a permit
- Legal width (Above this you need a permit)
- 8'6"
- Legal height (Above this you need a permit)
- 13'6"
- Legal gross weight (Above this you need a permit)
- 80,000 lbs
When escorts kick in
- Front escort required over (width)
- 12'
- Rear escort required over (width)
- 12'
- Escorts both ends over (width)
- 14'6"
- Height escort / pole car over (height)
- 14'
When you may run — base envelope only, conditions below
- Night travel
- Not allowed
- Weekend travel
- Not allowed
- Sunday travel
- Not allowed
Superload threshold
- Superload over (width)
- 14'
- Superload over (length)
- 100'
- Superload over (weight)
- 100,000 lbs
- Per RIDOT Manual for Overweight and Oversize Vehicle Permits (Sec 5.4): NO escort if width < 12'0"; ONE escort for width 12'0"-14'6"; TWO escorts for over 14'6". Overlength: none under 80'0"; one escort 80'0"-90'0"; two escorts over 90'0". Overhang: one escort if overhang is 15'0"+ (a second may be required, e.g., rear overhang 15'0"+ on a two-lane undivided highway where width is 12'0"+). A single required escort PRECEDES the load on undivided highways and FOLLOWS on divided highways. Buildings: two escorts PLUS police escort from each city/town traversed. Cranes: two escorts for intrastate moves 12'0" wide and over. Jamestown Bridge: vehicles over 9' wide must arrange police to halt traffic before crossing.
- RIDOT manual Sec 5.7-5.8 / 4.15: daylight only, 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset (except overweight-only 'envelope' vehicles that travel with traffic flow). No permit travel Saturday or Sunday; no moves from sunset Friday to sunrise Monday. Vehicles over 12'0" wide must travel in the right lane. Special windows for mobile/modular homes over 12' wide, construction equipment over 13' wide, and cranes on I-195 and I-95: travel only sunrise-7:00 am and 9:00 am-3:30 pm. No travel in inclement weather.
- New Year's Day; MLK Jr. Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Victory Day (2nd Mon of August); Labor Day; Columbus Day; Election Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Day. If a holiday falls midweek, travel allowed only up to 12:00 noon the day before; if holiday on Sat/Sun the adjacent Fri/Mon is also restricted.
Permit desk:
401-277-3175 · Apply online
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Official source · Checked 2026-07-16 · Confidence: high
Only limits we have confirmed are listed. A limit that is not shown is one
we have not verified — never read a gap here as "no limit". Always confirm on the permit before you roll.
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