Frost law road weight restrictions begin Tuesday - Coldwater Daily Reporter
Both Branch and St. Joseph County Road Commissions will place seasonal weight restrictions on most county roads beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday. The limits are for pothole prevention.
Heavy trucks cannot use restricted roads without a permit from the county road commission.
Effective 6 a.m. Friday, March 4, weight restrictions will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways from the Michigan/Indiana and Michigan/Ohio state lines north to and including M-46 in Muskegon County eastward across the state.
All state trunklines in this area will have weight restrictions imposed and enforced. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.
There are all-season roads in both counties that do not have restrictions. Branch County Road Commission Manager Jay Miller said these are generally primary roads.
Crews will post signs on roads with restrictions to warn of the limits by Tuesday.
For the first time in three years, there is deep frost in the ground around southwest Michigan. Frozen earth extends down only six to 18 inches in areas with some natural cover, while below roads and open spaces, the freeze goes down over two feet.
Deep frost is a primary reason for a large number of potholes on roads this winter. With recent rains and warmer temperatures, the frost does not melt when cold temps return.
MDOT said concrete and asphalt might look indestructible, but they can actually be quite fragile in late winter as some upper-level frost thaws in the ground.
As frost melts just beneath the paved surface, the roadbed turns wet and spongy because water is trapped between the pavement and the still solid frost beneath the water.
The restriction will stay in place until the ground thaws enough to allow water to drain into the soil.
When heavy trucks drive on this, the pavement crumbles. Potholes are the result.
The law reads that the load limit on restricted roads "shall be reduced by 35 percent on paved roads and 25 percent on the concrete road for all 'Non-Exempt' trucks."
Those limits are 11,700 pounds per axle for each axle with nine feet or more between axles. Those with less than nine feet can have only a maximum of 8,450 pounds unless the distance is less than three and a half feet between axles.
"Agricultural Commodity and Public Utility Exemption Permits" are required and will be enforced.
Road commission managers warned truckers they need a permit for each power unit through the road commission to be exempt.
Even public utilities must get permits before using heavy trucks unless it is an emergency.
These permits are issued by the county road commission and must be applied for 24-hours in advance. These permits allow the hauling of loads up to 80,000 pounds during frost laws or enforcement of weight restrictions for trucks hauling agricultural commodities.
In 2021, the County Road Association of Michigan released a seasonal weight restrictions app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. It also has a revamped seasonal weight restrictions webpage.
The app will allow heavy haulers to be more informed about seasonal weight restrictions to track restrictions on most roads.
source: https://www.thedailyreporter.com/story/news/2022/02/25/frost-law-road-weight-restrictions-begin-tuesday-morning/6928139001/
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