§ 1006b. Smugglers’ notch; winter closure of Vermont Route 108; vehicle operation prohibited

(a) Winter closure. The Agency of Transportation may close the Smugglers’ Notch segment of Vermont Route 108 during periods of winter weather.

(b) Vehicle operation prohibition.

(1) Single-frame motor vehicles over 40 feet in length and tractor units with one or more attached trailers over 45 feet in total length are prohibited from operating on the Smugglers’ Notch segment of Vermont Route 108.

(2) The employer of an operator who is operating a vehicle in the scope of employment and violates this subsection or the operator of a vehicle who is operating a vehicle for personal purposes and violates this subsection shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000.00 or, if the violation results in substantially impeding the flow of traffic on Vermont Route 108, a civil penalty of $2,000.00. For a second or subsequent conviction within a three-year period, the applicable penalty shall be doubled.

(3) The prohibition in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not apply to law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and search and rescue vehicles involved in training or responding to real-world incidents.

(c) Required signage. The Agency shall erect signs conforming to the standards established by section 1025 of this title to indicate the closures and restrictions authorized under this section. (Added 2007, No. 75, § 37; amended 2007, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 52; 2015, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), § 68; 2021, No. 184 (Adj. Sess.), § 40, eff. July 1, 2022; 2023, No. 6, § 253, eff. July 1, 2023.)