MnDOT Staff Report

Legal truck weight limits that were increased during the winter months in Minnesota end this week.

Spring weight restrictions will begin at the same time, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced.

Spring truck weight restrictions began in the south, southeast and Twin Cities Metro frost zones at 12:01 a.m. Monday. Spring weight restrictions in the central, north-central and north frost zones began at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

No overweight truck permits are issued during the spring load restriction period.

Frost zone boundaries are:

South: Iowa border north to Highway 12 and from the Dakota County border east to the Hennepin County line, along the Carver and Scott county lines to Interstate 35, south to the Iowa border. (This zone includes Highway 19 along the Scott County border.)

Southeast: Iowa border north along I-35 (does not include I-35) to the Scott County line, east along the Dakota County line, including Highway 19 to the Wisconsin border.

Twin Cities Metropolitan area: Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties. (This zone does not include Highway 19 along the southern border of Scott County.)

Central: Southern limit of the north-central zone (Highway 10, Highway 210, Highway 18, I-35, Highway 48) to a line following and including Highway 12 from the South Dakota border to the Hennepin County line.

North-Central: Southern limit of the north zone to a line following U.S. Highway 10 from the North Dakota border east to Motley, Highway 210 east to Brainerd, Highway 18 east to I-35, I-35 south to Highway 48 and then Highway 48 east to the Wisconsin border.

North: South from the Canadian border to a line following Highway 1, Highway 89, Highway 2 and Highway 33 and I-35 at the Carlton-St. Louis county line and then south to the Wisconsin border.

“Truck weight restrictions are used in the spring to help preserve pavements that lose strength due to partial thaw conditions and trapped water,” said Keith Shannon, director of Mn/DOT’s Office of Materials. “The ending dates for spring load restrictions are variable and dependent on weather condition changes.”

For more information about the department’s seasonal load limits, locations of weight-restricted routes and state highways open to maximum 10-ton axle weights go to www.mrr.dot.state.mn.us/research/seasonal_load_limits/sllindex.asp.

Information is also available toll-free by calling 1-800-723-6543 in the United States and Canada, or 651-366-5400 in the Twin Cities metro area.

For questions about legal weight/size trucking call the Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Patrol, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, 651-405-6171 (select Option 3, Option 3).

For questions about over legal weight/size “heavy haul” trucking, call the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations, Oversize/Weight Permits, 651-296-6000.

Travelers in Minnesota can get up-to-date information on road conditions, construction and weather reports from MnDOT’s 511 traveler information service. Dial 5-1-1 or go to the Internet at www.511mn.org.