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PROVINCE REMOVES SPRING ROAD RESTRICTIONS ON SEVERAL ROADWAYS

The Manitoba government has removed spring weight restrictions on some roads and reduced others following a comprehensive review, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced today.

“Last fall, we completed a review of weight-restricted roads on the provincial highway network to better focus on local industry and economic needs,” said Schuler. “Removing or reducing weight restrictions from several sections of road will reduce the administrative burden on transportation carriers applying for permits and remove regulatory red tape. These changes are designed to help make Manitoba highways safer and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions since fewer trips will be needed to haul products.”

Spring weight restrictions protect Manitoba’s surfaced roads from excessive damage by reducing the axle weights of heavy commercial vehicles, as the spring thaw can significantly reduce road foundation strength. The province determines spring road restrictions through data collection and analysis from the previous year. Manitoba Infrastructure (MI) can impose new road restrictions based on current conditions, as well as remove or reduce existing restrictions based on road improvements.

In consultation with industry, MI periodically revises its policies and procedures to reflect current transportation trends, industry needs and weather patterns. This year, it considered new criteria for changes on restricted roads, including pavement condition and traffic level, which resulted in more removals and reductions than the past few years.

The province has removed restrictions on:
• Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 21 from the north junction of Provincial Road (PR) 355 to First Avenue in Shoal Lake;
• PR 206 from the south junction of PR 210 to the north junction of PR 210 in Landmark;
• PR 210 from PR 207 to PTH 12;
• PR 247 from PR 334 to PTH 3;
• PR 272 from PTH 20 to Duck Bay;
• PR 285 from PTH 10 to Sinclair Road;
• PR 326 from PR 329 to the east junction River Road in Arborg; and
• Sperring Avenue for 2.9 km south and west of PR 202 in Birds Hill.

The province has reduced spring restriction levels from 65 per cent to 90 per cent of normal loading weight on:
• PTH 34 from PTH 1 to PTH 16;
• PR 244 from PTH 3 to PTH 23;
• PR 248 from PTH 1 to PTH 26;
• PR 305 from 11.3 km north of PTH 2 to the Assiniboine River;
• PR 422 from PTH 23 to PR 205;
• PR 428 from PTH 23 to PTH 14; and
• PR 643 (St. Laurent access) from the south junction of PTH 6 to 2.6 km west.

The province has not added any new restrictions for spring 2020.

Based on thawing in designated climate zones, spring road restrictions are generally in place from early March until early June. Motor carriers, farmers, businesses and other interested parties can learn more about spring road restrictions at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/srr/index.html.

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