ND Road Restriction (Hunter: inspector, maintenance, costs)

[scorpio125]

As discussed in another thread rumors of the Spring Road Restrictions are what's slowing things down around here.

So I'd like to discuss what are they? Is it true? How long do they last? When do the go into effect? When do they expire? Is that's really the cause for teh slow down?

I found this map... doesn't really explain much.

North Dakota Travel Information Map

Lets here from you Truckers that have been around awhile

Text Version....

http://www.dot.nd.gov/travel-info-v2/loadrestrictions.txt (broken link)

[ElkHunter]

The simple end of it is that the frost is coming out of the ground and it doesn't come out evenly. Heavy loads tend to damage the road while this is going on. If there was normal truck traffic, it wouldn't effect it as much, but with the traffic being experienced right now, the traffic tends to warm the road more so than normal and damage occurs. One the frost is out of the ground, they'll lift the restrictions.

[ursa22]

Here's NDDOT's explanation:
Why there are Spring Load Restrictions

[itsMeFred]

The simple end of it is that the frost is coming out of the ground and it doesn't come out evenly.

Yep

North Dakota has always had roads with load restrictions (for that matter, so does SD) during this time of year. Heavy traffic or light, particularly on highways that are only asphalt, rather than concrete. And the lighter the asphalt (say, reservation highways), the lower the restrictions go.

If you've ever been on a road with "waves", those are usually the result of frost heaves, either with or without heavy-weight vehicle traffic.

[Naelbis]

Yes the restrictions are true...yes they are difficult for oil companies to work with. So in my experience they tend to just ignore them and do whatever they want anyway since the price of the fines are just factored into their costs of doing business.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Naelbis

Yes the restrictions are true...yes they are difficult for oil companies to work with. So in my experience they tend to just ignore them and do whatever they want anyway since the price of the fines are just factored into their costs of doing business.

There is a major problem with that. The company's factor in the fines, however, the points still go on the drivers record. 1 point per 1000 lbs over is what I have been told.

[Naelbis]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

There is a major problem with that. The company's factor in the fines, however, the points still go on the drivers record. 1 point per 1000 lbs over is what I have been told.

And yet the drivers still risk it...small chance of being caught weighed agaisnt the guarentee of losing your high paying gig makes it a no brainer for most.

[ursa22]

There is communication between drivers about where the portable scales are working and who is working them. It's all part of the dance.
Once the counties are able to hold on to the proceeds from the fines rather than turning them over to the state, County Johnny Law will get real serious about enforcement.

[Naelbis]

Originally Posted by ursa22

There is communication between drivers about where the portable scales are working and who is working them. It's all part of the dance.
Once the counties are able to hold on to the proceeds from the fines rather than turning them over to the state, County Johnny Law will get real serious about enforcement.

The SO has already bought two vehicles and portable scales for them in order to start doing their own weight enforcement. The prevailing theory is county roads=county wieght limits=county fines and the state can go pound sand.

[rickydink63]

I have spent the last two weeks in the yard waiting for the local road inspector to allow us to move our 100,000 lbs pumps a few miles down the road. We are finally back to fracking. Not all companies break the rules. We follow them to the letter.