(a) To comply with safety and operational requirements of federal law, the commission by order may set the maximum width of a vehicle, including the load on the vehicle, at eight feet for a designated highway or segment of a highway if the results of an engineering and traffic study, conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation, that includes an analysis of structural capacity of bridges and pavements, traffic volume, unique climatic conditions, and width of traffic lanes support the change.
(b) An order under this section becomes effective on the designated highway or segment when appropriate signs giving notice of the limitations are erected by the Texas Department of Transportation.

(c) This section is intended to comply with the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (23 U.S.C.A. Section 101 et seq.) and is conditioned on that Act and federal regulations implementing that Act.