ST. PAUL, Minn. — Allowable winter load limits on highways in the Twin Cities metro area, south and southeast frost zones will increase up to 10 percent at 12:01 a.m., Monday, Jan. 23, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The frost zone in the Twin Cities metro area includes Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties. This zone does not include Highway 19 along the southern borders of Scott and Dakota counties.
The southern frost zone’s boundaries extend south from the southern limit of the central zone (Highway 12 to the Hennepin County line) to the Iowa state line, east to the Metro zone and then a line following and including Interstate 35. This zone includes Highway 19 along the southern border of Scott County.
The southeast frost zone’s boundaries extend south from the southern limit of the Twin Cities metro zone along, but not including, Interstate 35 to the Iowa state line and east to the Wisconsin state line. This zone includes Highway 19 along the southern border of Dakota County.
Winter truck weight load increases were previously announced on the following dates for these frost zones:
• North — Dec. 12
• North-central — Dec. 26
• Central — Jan. 21
Vehicles will be allowed to carry up to 10 percent more weight than the standard legal maximum loads on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. However, trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight limits.
MnDOT advises that haulers check with local agencies (cities, counties and townships) prior to increasing any weights on their routes. Signs erected on a roadway govern the load limit in effect.
A winter weight increase permit is required to take advantage of the up to 10 percent weight increase on interstate highways.
For information about legal weight/size trucking, call the Minnesota Department of Public Safety at 651-405-6171 (select Option 3, Option 3). For information about over legal weight/size heavy haul trucking, call MnDOT at 651-296-6000.
Load increases are permitted because pavements achieve increased strength to carry heavier loads when their sub-grades freeze.
For the most current information, call MnDOT’s automated 24-hour message center at 800-723-6543 for the U. S. and Canada or 651-366-5400 in the Twin Cities metro area. For more information on MnDOT’s seasonal load limits, visit www.mrr.dot.state.mn.us/research/seasonal_load_limits/sllindex.asp.
