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This winter’s unusually warm weather has brought about an early start to the annual spring road weight restrictions.
Limitations take effect today (February 11th) at 6:00 p.m. on local roads in Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon Counties.
Local roads are those without state or federal highway designations.
Load limits are typically instituted in early to mid-March, when thawing frozen ground softens the base underneath roadways. This year, the ground hasn’t frozen down as far as usual, putting road stability at risk earlier.
In most cases, maximum legal axle loads are reduced to 65 percent of normal loads, as prescribed by the Michigan Vehicle Code.
Although signs are not posted on roads in the area, road commission officials say weight restrictions will be posted to the fullest extent of the law. Restrictions could be temporarily lifted if cold weather restabilizes the road base.
You can see this year’s notice here.
The State of Michigan recently imposed restrictions on state and federal highways in the southern Lower Peninsula, but has not imposed limits on highways in the Northern Lower Peninsula, or the Upper Peninsula.
