1342                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                       CH. 669

posted as above without authority from the chief engineer of the
State Roads Commission having first been had and obtained; and
it is hereby made the duty of said chief engineer of the State Roads
Commission, upon receiving a request for such authority, to cause
an investigation of the carrying capacity of such bridge or culvert
and to furnish to the applicant his authority in writing to erect and
maintain signboards as aforesaid except that such authority need
not be had by, nor the State Roads Commission be required to make

such investigation in, any county of the State which in the judg-

ment of its county commissioners or county council has adequate

facilities for carrying on any design, construction, reconstruction

or maintenance of county owned bridges. Any individual, firm, co-

SUCH INVESTIGATION IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, BALTI-
MORE, HARFORD, MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S
COUNTIES PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT WHENEVER POST-
INGS ARE ACCOMPLISHED BY THESE COUNTIES COPIES OF
THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WHICH FORMED THE BASIS
OF THE POSTING DETERMINATIONS ARE FURNISHED
THE STATE ROADS COMMISSION AT THE TIME OF THE POST-
ING. ANY INDIVIDUAL, FIRM, CO-partnership, corporation or
other person, whether the owner of such vehicle, the person in charge
and control over the same, or employee or agent of any such, who
shall draw, drive, propel or in any other manner take or cause to
be taken, drawn, driven or propelled over any such bridge or culvert
posted as aforesaid any wagon, truck, road engine, road roller, trac-
tion engine, threshing machine or other vehicle of any kind, weighing,
with or without any load which may be in or upon the same, more than
the number of pounds specified on the signboard so erected at the en-
trances or approaches to such bridge or culvert, or at a greater rate of
speed than that specified on said signboard, without a permit in writ-
ing from the owner or authorities in control of said bridge or culvert,
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hun-
dred dollars for each offense, such fine to be paid to the owner of or
public body having control over said bridge or culvert; in addition to
which the owner or person in control of such vehicle shall be liable to
the owner or authorities in control of said bridge or culvert for all
damages which may be done the same by the violation of the regula-
tion so prescribed, and shall have no redress against the owner or
authorities having control over said bridge or culvert in the event of
the breaking down or giving away of the same and consequent injury
to such vehicle. Any owner of any such bridge or culvert, or public
officer or board, or member of such board, or employee or agent
thereof, EXCEPT AS HEREIN ABOVE PROVIDED, who shall
cause any such signboard to be posted without the authority in writing
from the chief engineer of the State Roads Commission as aforesaid
shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction be fined
not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.
In any trial of any person charged with a violation of any of the pro-
visions of this section oral proof of the existence of such signboard
posted as herein provided, and its contents, shall be accepted as prima
facie evidence of the validity of the regulation thereon prescribed.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect:
July 1, 1968.

Approved May 7, 1968.