Evaluation of Wisconsin Bridges for Truck Loads
The State DOT recently examined load limits for highway bridges in Wisconsin to allow heavier trucks, particular if truckers had additional axles attached to their trucks to spread loads. Most of the companies involved in transporting timber in northern Wisconsin added the required extra axle at substantial cost. Though the truckers added the extra axles, many of counties still placed load restrictions on the essential bridges on local roads. The State is now in the final stages of completing a second study on truck size and weight limits for Wisconsin. This project will focus on developing guidelines to aid county officials in deciding whether load ratings are needed and investigate the impact of load ratings and possible new truck configurations on local road bridges. Removal of non-essential load ratings will save the Wisconsin trucking industry many thousands of dollars, particularly with high fuel prices, and reduce truck emissions by shortening haul routes. The overall objective of ongoing work is to develop guidelines for decision makers in evaluating whether highway bridges need to have truck load limits and what limits are appropriate. The immediate objective of the work proposed to the Center for Freight and Infrastructure and Research and Education (CFIRE) is to evaluate the impact that existing regulations and possible new size and weight limits will have on freight transportation, particularly in the timber industry, over local and state trunk roads in Wisconsin.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
- Funding: $36976.00
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Contract Numbers:
CFIRE 03-05
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Sponsor Organizations:
National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE)
University of Wisconsin, Madison
1415 Engineering Drive, 2205 Engineering Hall
Madison, WI United States 53706 -
Project Managers:
Waidley, Greg
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Performing Organizations:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI United States 53706 -
Principal Investigators:
Oliva, Michael
- Start Date: 20090101
- Expected Completion Date: 0
- Actual Completion Date: 20090831
- Source Data: RiP Project 21468
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Freight traffic; Highway bridges; Overweight loads; Research projects; Trucking
- Uncontrolled Terms: Lane restrictions; Load carrying capacity; Truck loads
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01468354
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE)
- Contract Numbers: CFIRE 03-05
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Jan 3 2013 3:49PM