Winter
Load Increases will begin on unrestricted highways in the NORTH-CENTRAL FROST
ZONE at 12:01 AM on Sunday, January 10, 2016. Winter
Load Increases are already in effect for the NORTH FROST ZONE.
Vehicles
will be allowed to operate up to 10 percent over 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 tolerances. Please check with local
agencies (cities, counties and townships) prior to increasing any weights on
their routes. The sign erected on the roadway governs the load limit in
effect. A Winter Weight Increase Permit is required to take
advantage of the 10 percent weight increase on Interstate Highways only; a
permit is not required for state trunk highways.
For
questions about legal weight/size trucking, call: Minnesota Department of
Public Safety - State Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (651) 405-6196
(select Option 3, Option 3)
For
questions about over legal weight/size "heavy haul" trucking, call:
Minnesota
Department of Transportation, Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations -
Oversize/Weight Permits (651) 296-6000 or email: ofcvopermits.dot@state.mn.us
Winter
Load Increases starting and ending dates are based on how weather is affecting
roadway strength. These dates are established by monitoring roadway
strength as weather conditions change. Therefore, the ending date for
Winter Load Increases is variable and drivers MUST check for updates throughout
the year. Vehicle operators are required to check with the Minnesota Department
of Transportation (MnDOT) for the exact start and end dates.
All
changes are made with a minimum three calendar-day notice.
For
the most current information, please go to MnDOT’s automated 24-hour message
center at (800) 723-6543 for the USA and Canada, or locally at (651) 366-5400
for the Minneapolis/St Paul area. This information is also published on
the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website at www.dot.state.mn.us/materials/
