Columbus Hazmat Attorney (Transporting Hazardous Materials Inside I-270)

Attorney Douglas Riddell is a Columbus hazmat attorney defending drivers facing violations of the local Columbus City Code governing transport of hazmat inside I-270 (on I-70/71) and related traffic control device charges.

The Columbus City Code prohibits transportation of defined hazardous materials inside I-270.

Although the statute has been in effect for several years, the penalties were increased in 2011 following a hazmat accident along I-270.

Given the ongoing construction and changing traffic patterns in and around Columbus, many of our clients find themselves inadvertently carrying hazmat in prohibited areas. Regardless, enforcement by Columbus police for hazmat violations has recently increased, particularly along I-70/71 interchange.

Columbus Hazmat Attorney
Elements of the Columbus Hazmat Law

Columbus City Code Section 2551.06 is titled “Restrictions on the the Use of City Streets for the Transportation of Hazardous Materials.” This law regulates the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) in and around the City of Columbus. The statute provides that unless a driver has a permit issued by the fire chief:

Vehicles traveling through Columbus must transport hazardous materials (hazmat) around the city along I-270.
Hazardous materials (hazmat) are prohibited along certain portions of major thoroughfares inside Interstate 270 (the outerbelt) where there is neither a point of origin nor destination (delivery point) for the hazmatwithin the city.
See here for a discussion of a recent case where the Franklin County Court of Appeals found that a driver violates the statute even if they had a non-hazmat destination / origin inside I-270.

Whether there is an origin or destination (delivery point) within the city, the use of Columbus city streets for the transportation of the hazardous materials is prohibited.
Transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) on city streets in the downtown area is prohibited Monday through Friday during the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily except holidays.
The “downtown area” is defined as the area bounded by: “the Innerbelt on the North, East, and South, and State Route 315 on the West; . . . by Interstate 71 on the East, by Interstate 70 on the South, by State Route 315 on the West, and by Interstate 670 on the North.”

Potential Penalties for Hazmat Violations in Columbus

Under the Columbus hazmat statute, transporting hazardous material in violation of the statute is a first degree misdemeanor under Ohio law. Maximum potential penalties include:

Up to 180 days in jail
Maximum $1000 fine.

Hazmat violations are heard in the Franklin County Environmental Court, presided over by Judge Dan Hawkins.

Should I Hire a Lawyer for My Hazmat Citation in Columbus?

Given the stakes at issue in a transporting hazmat in Columbus citation, speaking to a Columbus hazmat attorney is strongly recommended.Our attorneys represent CDL holders regularly in the Franklin County Environmental Court charged with hazmat citations.

Our hazmat attorneys can handle the case in court for you so that you do not have to travel back to Columbus, missing critical hours on the job.

If you have been charged with a hazmat violation, talk to one of our trucking attorneys about your options toward minimizing the fine, avoiding jail and keeping your traffic record clean.