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Earlier editions: 2026-09

Title 11 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

San Jose Municipal Code Ch. 11.96 Large Vehicle Routes

San Jose Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · San Jose

Cite as: San Jose Municipal Code Chapter 11.96 · Text as of 2026-10-04

11.96.010 - General.

The definitions set forth in this Chapter 11.96 shall govern the application and interpretation of this chapter.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.020 - Commercial vehicle.

"Commercial vehicle" shall mean a vehicle that is required to be registered under the California Vehicle Code and that is used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation or profit or designated, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.030 - Emergency vehicle.

"Emergency vehicle" shall mean:

A. Any ambulance or other vehicle containing life saving equipment and designed to operate in response to emergency calls;

B. Any police or fire department vehicle used, equipped and designed to operate in response to emergency fire, rescue or communication calls; and

C. Any other vehicle described in California Vehicle Code Section 165, as it may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.040 - Maximum gross vehicle weight.

"Maximum gross vehicle weight" shall mean the unladen weight of a vehicle or vehicles in combination, plus the weight of any load thereon.

A. "Unladen weight" shall mean the weight of a vehicle without any load thereon. The vehicle weight stated on a vehicle's registration shall be prima facie evidence of the unladen weight.

B. The term "vehicles in combination," as used herein, shall mean vehicles coupled together including, but not limited to, a truck tractor coupled to a semitrailer or to one or more trailers.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.050 - Restricted streets.

"Restricted streets" shall mean those streets or portions of streets within the city upon which commercial vehicles exceeding a specified maximum gross vehicle weight are prohibited.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.060 - Waste material.

"Waste material" shall include all garbage, rubbish, refuse, solid and semisolid waste substances and liquid waste substances associated with human habitation or with producing, manufacturing or processing operations of whatever nature.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.070 - Restricted streets - Five tons.

No person shall operate a commercial vehicle exceeding a maximum gross vehicle weight of five (5) tons during the posted time restrictions on any of the following restricted streets:

  1. Archer Street between State Street and Grand Avenue.

  2. Atlas Avenue between The Alameda and San Fernando Street.

  3. Bird Avenue between Coe Avenue and Minnesota Avenue.

  4. Blewett Avenue between Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street.

  5. Brooklyn Avenue between Hadley Avenue and Dana Avenue.

  6. Buena Vista Avenue between San Carlos Street and Martin Avenue.

  7. Calaveras Avenue between Dana Avenue and Park Avenue.

  8. Cape Buffalo Drive between Berryessa Road and Commodore Drive.

  9. Chapman Street between Naglee Avenue and Singletary Street.

  10. Cleaves Avenue between The Alameda and Park Avenue.

  11. Colton Place along its entire length.

  12. Curci Drive between St. Elizabeth Drive and Meridian Avenue.

  13. Curtiss Avenue between Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street.

  14. Dana Avenue between San Carlos Street and Naglee Avenue.

  15. De Rose Way between Southwest Expressway and McKinley Avenue.

  16. Eighth Street between Martha Street and Humboldt Street.

  17. Eighth Street between Taylor Street and Empire Street.

  18. Empire Street between Second Street and Sixth Street.

  19. Essex Avenue between State Street and Grand Boulevard.

  20. Fifth Street between Hedding Street and Taylor Street.

  21. Fifth Street between Taylor Street and Sixth Street.

  22. Fourth Street between Taylor Street and Saint James Street.

  23. Fremont Street between Park Avenue and The Alameda.

  24. Garland Street between Race Street and Keeble Avenue.

  25. Grand Boulevard between First Street and Spreckles Avenue.

  26. Hanchett Avenue between Martin Avenue and The Alameda.

  27. Hensley Street between Second Street and Fourth Street.

  28. Hester Avenue between San Carlos Street and The Alameda.

  29. Hicks Avenue between Minnesota Avenue and Curtner Avenue.

  30. Humboldt Street between Eleventh Street and Twelfth Street.

  31. Humboldt Street between Fifth Street and Tenth Street.

  32. Jackson Street between Second Street and Sixth Street.

  33. Julian Street between Sixth Street and Twenty-First Street.

  34. Keeble Avenue between The Alameda and San Fernando Street.

  35. Kotenberg Avenue between Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street.

  36. La Barbera Drive between McKinley Avenue and Southwest Expressway.

  37. Luther Avenue between Race Street and Rainier Avenue.

  38. Magnolia Avenue between Park Avenue and The Alameda.

  39. Mariposa Avenue between Park Avenue and Race Street.

  40. Martha Street between Fifth Street and its easterly terminus.

  41. Martin Avenue between Shasta Avenue and The Alameda.

  42. McKay Drive between Ringwood Avenue and Oakland Road.

  43. Michigan Avenue between First Street and Spreckles Avenue.

  44. Mission Street between Fourth Street and Seventh Street.

  45. Morrison Avenue between The Alameda and Park Avenue.

  46. Morse Street between Naglee Avenue and Singletary Street.

  47. Nineteenth Street between Santa Clara Street and William Street.

  48. Ninth Street between Empire Street and Taylor Street.

  49. Ninth Street between Martha Street and Humboldt Street.

  50. Norton Avenue between Yosemite Avenue and Meridian Avenue.

  51. Olive Street between Wabash Avenue and Hester Avenue.

  52. Pacific Avenue between State Street and Grand Boulevard.

  53. Park Avenue between Naglee Avenue and Meridian Avenue.

  54. Pine Avenue between Hicks Avenue and Bird Avenue.

  55. Rainier Avenue between Park Avenue and San Fernando Street.

  56. Randol Street between Park Avenue and The Alameda.

  57. Saint Elizabeth Drive between Fruitdale Avenue and McKinley Drive.

  58. Saint John Street between Second Street and Sixth Street.

  59. Saint James Street between Sixth Street and Nineteenth Street.

  60. San Fernando Street between Race Street and Sunol Street.

  61. Santa Clara Street between Sixth Street and Seventeenth Street.

  62. School Street between First Street and Wilson Way.

  63. Second Street between Taylor Street and Saint James Street.

  64. Settle Avenue between Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street.

  65. Sequoia Avenue between Shasta Avenue and Sierra Avenue.

  66. Seventh Street between Empire Street and Taylor Street.

  67. Seventh Street between Virginia Street and Keyes Street.

  68. Shasta Avenue between San Carlos Street and The Alameda.

  69. Sierra Avenue between Buena Vista Avenue and Race Street.

  70. Singletary Street between Park Avenue and The Alameda.

  71. Sixth Street between Empire Street and Taylor Street.

  72. Sixth Street between Hedding Street and Taylor Street.

  73. Sixth Street between Virginia Street and Humboldt Street.

  74. Stokes Street between Southwest Expressway and McKinley Avenue.

  75. Third Street between Taylor Street and Saint James Street.

  76. Tillman Avenue between Hester Avenue and Park Avenue.

  77. Twelfth Street between Martha Street and Humboldt Street.

  78. Twentieth Street between Santa Clara Street and William Street.

  79. Twenty-First Street between Santa Clara Street and William Street.

  80. Twenty-Second Street between Santa Clara Street and William Street.

  81. Twenty-Third Street between Santa Clara Street and William Street.

  82. Vistapark Drive between Capitol Expressway and Branham Lane.

  83. Wabash Street between its westerly terminus and Spreckles Avenue.

  84. Washington Street between Fourth Street and Sixth Street.

  85. Wayne Avenue between Ringwood Avenue and Oakland Road.

  86. Willard Avenue between Sierra Avenue and San Carlos Street.

  87. Wilson Way between School Street and Grand Boulevard.

  88. Yosemite Avenue between its southernmost terminus and Race Street.

(Ords. 24295, 24481, 24853, 26444, 26626, 26675, 26919, 27633.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.080 - Restricted streets - Seven tons.

No person shall operate a commercial vehicle exceeding a maximum gross vehicle weight of seven tons on any of the following restricted streets:

  1. Eighth Street between Empire Street and Santa Clara Street.

  2. Eighteenth Street between Taylor Street and Saint John Street.

  3. Eleventh Street between Taylor Street and Santa Clara Street.

  4. Empire Street between Ninth Street and Twenty-Second Street.

  5. Fifteenth Street between Taylor Street and Saint John Street.

  6. Fourteenth Street between Taylor Street and Santa Clara Street.

  7. Hillsdale Avenue between Snell Avenue and Old Almaden Road.

  8. Jackson Street between Ninth Street and Monferino Drive.

  9. Monferino Drive between Taylor Street and Jackson Street.

  10. Nineteenth Street between Taylor Street and Julian Street.

  11. Ninth Street between Empire Street and Santa Clara Street.

  12. Roosevelt Street between Nineteenth Street and Twentieth Street.

  13. Saint John Street between Sixth Street and Nineteenth Street.

  14. Seventeenth Street between Taylor Street and Saint John Street.

  15. Seventh Street between Empire Street and Santa Clara Street.

  16. Sixteenth Street between Taylor Street and Santa Clara Street.

  17. Sixth Street between Empire Street and Santa Clara Street.

  18. Tenth Street between Taylor Street and Santa Clara Street.

  19. Twelfth Street between Taylor Street and Santa Clara Street.

  20. Twentieth Street between Taylor Street and Roosevelt Street.

  21. Twenty-First Street between Taylor Street and Julian Street.

  22. Twenty-Second Street between Jackson Street and Empire Street.

  23. Washington Street between Sixth Street and Terrace Drive.

(Ords. 24295, 24395.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.090 - Posting of restricted streets.

A. The director of streets and traffic shall erect or cause to be erected upon each restricted street appropriate signs giving notice of the restriction. The signs shall identify:

  1. The portion or portions of the street restricted pursuant to this chapter; and

  2. The maximum gross vehicle weight beyond which commercial vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the restricted street.

B. This chapter shall be effective and enforceable only upon those restricted streets where such signs have been erected.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

11.96.100 - Exceptions.

The prohibitions in this chapter shall not apply to:

A. Any commercial vehicle making a pickup or delivery of goods, wares or merchandise from or to any building or structure located on a restricted street;

B. Any commercial vehicle delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure that is located upon a restricted street and for which a building permit has previously been obtained;

C. Any vehicle owned by a public utility or a licensed contractor while necessarily in use in the construction, installation or repair of any public utility located on a restricted street;

D. Any vehicle owned and operated by a government entity while engaged in government business or by a licensed contractor while being operated pursuant to government business;

E. Any commercial vehicle licensed to collect, transport or dispose of waste materials, including recyclable waste materials, from any building or structure located on a restricted street;

F. Any emergency vehicle being operated in response to an emergency; and

G. Any passenger stage vehicle subject to Sections 1031 through 1036, inclusive, of the California Public Utilities Code, as may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. 24295.)

Exceptions & meaning →

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