Wisconsin Allows Heavier Trucks Under Frozen Road Law
Logging and Winter Materials Eligible for Increased Weights
Key Takeaways:
- Wisconsin activated its frozen road law Dec. 14 for the northern half of the state, allowing heavier trucks hauling forest products and winter materials.
- Trucks with at least five axles may haul up to 98,000 pounds on designated state and federal highways without special permits, up from 80,000 pounds.
- The higher limits exclude local roads without authorization, remain subject to posted restrictions and will expand south when frost reaches 18 inches, WisDOT said.
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Truckers hauling forest products and winter road materials in Wisconsin were allowed to carry heavier loads starting Dec. 14, as the state for the northern half of the state.
The seasonal change allows higher weight limits for trucks hauling certain forestry loads and winter road maintenance materials on state and federal highways in certain areas designated by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Those areas include U.S. Route 10 near Stevens Point and all numbered highways north of that corridor.
The designation allows heavier trucks to operate once the ground beneath roadways is frozen, reducing the risk of pavement damage. The law is designed to balance the needs of logging operations and winter road maintenance crews with the protection of Wisconsin’s transportation infrastructure. It primarily affects trucks hauling logs as well as salt and abrasives used to keep highways safe during winter storms, while limiting wear on roads during freeze-thaw cycles.
Under the declaration, trucks with a minimum of five axles may haul up to 98,000 pounds, an increase from the standard 80,000-pound gross vehicle weight limit. Special permits are not required to operate at the higher weight, though vehicles must still be legally licensed at 80,000 pounds.
The higher weight limits apply only to state and federal highways. They do not extend to county or local roads unless the local agency responsible for maintenance on those roads provides authorization. Trucks also remain subject to lower limits on any highways or bridges that are specifically posted for reduced weight.
WisDOT officials determine when to activate the frozen road law by monitoring temperature forecasts and data from frost tubes, which are liquid-filled devices installed beneath pavement to measure frost depth. The department issues a frozen road declaration once the ground beneath highways is frozen to a depth of at least 18 inches.
Transportation officials say the seasonal weight restriction program is one of the primary tools used to protect the state’s long-term investment in roads, particularly during periods when pavement is most vulnerable to damage.
WisDOT officials said determinations for other areas of the state will be made when conditions warrant. Frozen road conditions have not yet been declared for the southern half of Wisconsin.
The department maintains an interactive online map that shows frozen road boundaries and highways with posted weight restrictions. Additional information about overweight regulations is available through WisDOT’s Oversize/Overweight Permits Unit at 608-266-7320. A recorded message with general updates on road restrictions is available at 608-266-8417.
Generative AI assisted in the creation of this article.
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