prohibited tunnels "propane"

mgirardo wrote:
The statute claims no bottled propane gas in excess of 10lbs. Propane on our Motorhome is in a mounted tank, like a gasoline tank, not a propane bottle.

I bet a lot that the tank in a MH is "bottled" propane as far as the statutes are concerned. The pressure vessels that trailers use are called propane cylinders (not bottles). BOTH are "bottled" propane.

Mike and Trish wrote:
NO PROPANE IN THE TWO BALTIMORE TUNNELS, PERIOD.

The law CLEARLY states that you can have "bottled" propane as long as it is less than 10 lbs in size and no more than 10 containers. I don't know any RVs that use containers that small, but it is possible. Regardless, propane is allowed in the tunnels. You can have up to 100 lbs in "small" containers.

Gee, no hazmats in tunnels? What about the 100 gallons of UN 1203 (that would be gasoline/diesel) in that thin walled container called a fuel tank? How many thousands of gallons of fuel are in these tunnels at any one time?

Much safer are the 10/20 gallons or so of propane in DOT approve pressure vessels. A fine example of politicians making rules when they haven't a clue of the HMT regs.

Kudos to AL as there has never been a restriction on I-10 under Mobile Bay and nary a problem.

Is the Eisenhower tunnel on I-70 hazmat restricted? Bet not.

They don't want happen as what happened in one of the tunnels on I77 near the VA WVA line a few years back an RV burned up in the tunnel no explosion but it closed the tunnel for months. The tiles fell off the roof & sides of the tunnel do to the extreme heat & had to be replaced & other repairs made. Do you want to try to get away from a fire ball in a confined tube???????

mgirardo wrote:

I've been through the I-95 tunnel with our Motorhome about 1/2 dozen times and haven't had an issue. The statute claims no bottled propane gas in excess of 10lbs. Propane on our Motorhome is in a mounted tank, like a gasoline tank, not a propane bottle. We don't have EZ Pass. The toll taker took our money without question or concern.

It's not the toll taker that you need to worry about, it's the MdTA Police Officer that sits at the other end of the tunnel. LOL.

Another place that you can't go with propane is the lower level of the Geo Washington Bridge in NYC.

fpresto wrote:

mgirardo wrote:

I've been through the I-95 tunnel with our Motorhome about 1/2 dozen times and haven't had an issue. The statute claims no bottled propane gas in excess of 10lbs. Propane on our Motorhome is in a mounted tank, like a gasoline tank, not a propane bottle. We don't have EZ Pass. The toll taker took our money without question or concern.

As others have said you have been very lucky. It is not the toll attendant who issues the ticket it is the LEO parked just down the road. I hope your luck doesn't run out. One ticket will trump all of the time you have gained by not using using the bridge. And as I said it is a "must appear" ticket which means you have to come back to Baltimore to appear in court. You can certainly argue the wording of the law and the sign that says no propane with the judge but you will probably lose just as many others have. I suggest that you tell him you didn't see the sign and there was no place to turn around. That may work depending on his/her mood.

My first trip SOUTH after the 95 construction was done and the exit for the Key Bridge was moved to the other side of the road went bad...By the time I realized that I could not make it , I tried to exit before but did not feel comfortable. I went to the toll and went in a lane that had an attendant ( I have ez pass) I explained the situation to them and they told me to just go threw.. no problems..?? OK I did.. Now every trip after that I make sure I am on the right side of the highway for my proper exit !!

mgirardo wrote:

I've been through the I-95 tunnel with our Motorhome about 1/2 dozen times and haven't had an issue. The statute claims no bottled propane gas in excess of 10lbs. Propane on our Motorhome is in a mounted tank, like a gasoline tank, not a propane bottle. We don't have EZ Pass. The toll taker took our money without question or concern.

As others have said you have been very lucky. It is not the toll attendant who issues the ticket it is the LEO parked just down the road. I hope your luck doesn't run out. One ticket will trump all of the time you have gained by not using using the bridge. And as I said it is a "must appear" ticket which means you have to come back to Baltimore to appear in court. You can certainly argue the wording of the law and the sign that says no propane with the judge but you will probably lose just as many others have. I suggest that you tell him you didn't see the sign and there was no place to turn around. That may work depending on his/her mood.

There are no set rules. Each tunnel (or restricted road) has its own rules for particular hazardous loads, not just LPG. If you are a commercial driver the dispatcher gives you a route legal for your load. As a RV operator it is your job to find the rules for each restriction and plan your route accordingly.

It is not just tunnels. There are sections of urban freeways and tollways with hazardous load restrictions, and areas of cities with similar restrictions, more since OKC than before, and even more since 9/11.

ScottG wrote:
In our area we spent hundreds of millions of dollars extra for the "Rainier Tunnels" to be able to handle flammable loads including things like fuel tanker trucks. But every time I drive through them the reader boards proudly exclaim "Flammable loads not allowed".
Great then can we have our tax dollars back Washington state???

Every time? Really? You don't get out too often then do you? If the tunnels are closed to flammable it is because there is service being done to the fire suppression system.

Mike and Trish wrote:

mgirardo wrote:

fpresto wrote:
2chiefsRus is correct about the Baltimore tunnels. If you go through towing or in a RV they will stop you on the assumption that you have propane onboard. Turned off doesn't matter. It is a large fine and to make matters worse it is a "must appear" ticket. No paying by mail.

I've been through the I-95 tunnel with our Motorhome about 1/2 dozen times and haven't had an issue. The statute claims no bottled propane gas in excess of 10lbs. Propane on our Motorhome is in a mounted tank, like a gasoline tank, not a propane bottle. We don't have EZ Pass. The toll taker took our money without question or concern.

-Michael

You got lucky, it sounds like the tollbooth attendant wasn't paying attention. As the law (and lots of signage, for those who read it, says), NO PROPANE IN THE TWO BALTIMORE TUNNELS, PERIOD. Every time this discussion comes up, there is someone who dissects the regulation and claims it doesn't apply to RVs, and someone who says "they didn't stop me." So I guess the answer is, go ahead, do it if you want, and if you get caught and ticketed, tell them that some guy on an RV forum told you it was OK.

Agreed. Getting away with it and not being allowed are 2 different things. No propane is allowed in the Baltimore tunnels.

http://www.learntorv.com/2013/11/road-tunnel-restrictions-near-maryland.html