Question of the Month
March 2008
What
size and weight limits do Midwestern states have
for trucks?
After the difficult winter that much
of the region has faced, the poor condition of many roads is a
subject of concern, and finding the money to fix them is an issue
for many states.
Policymakers are taking a look at many of the
factors, in addition to the weather, that may have an impact on road
conditions. One of these is truck weight limits.
More than half the states in the region have an
80,000-pound limit (see table below), although three of those states have higher limits
for trucks that stay on the toll roads while passing through the
states. Four other states have higher weight limits. While these
heavy loads have an impact on pavement conditions, so do
automobiles.
Any move to reduce truck weight is likely to put
more trucks on the road and increase congestion.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE), the use of large trucks improves the productivity of the
trucking industry and reduces the costs of commodities and other
products for consumers. These savings, and their positive impact on
American competitiveness, is balanced by the wear and tear on roads
and bridges and the potential impact on highway safety.
In a recent policy recommendation, ASCE supported a
program of integrated truck and highway design. The group encourages
federal and state officials and the trucking industry to conduct
joint research activities. Their research, ASCE believes, should
focus on ensuring that new and rebuilt roadways are "structurally,
geometrically and environmentally designed to support modern truck
sizes and weights."
The society’s policy also encourages truck designers to consider
the configuration and suspension of trucks and the impact of their
designs on roads, bridges and safety.
Weight, length limits for trucks*
|
State |
Truck weight (pounds) |
Trailer length (feet) |
| Illinois |
80,000 |
65 |
| Indiana |
80,000 |
None |
| Iowa |
80,000 |
None |
| Kansas |
80,000 |
None |
| Michigan |
164,000 |
58 |
| Minnesota |
80,000 |
75 |
| Nebraska |
95,000 |
65 |
| North Dakota |
105,000 |
75 |
| Ohio |
80,000 |
None |
| South Dakota |
129,000 |
None |
| Wisconsin |
80,000 |
65 |
* Indiana (127,000 tons), Kansas (120,000) and
Ohio (127,000) have different weight limits for turnpikes.
Sources:
American Trucking Association and Rand McNally 2007 "Motor Carrier
Road Atlas"
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