Law affects log haulers and transporters of salt or abrasives for
roads.

Wisconsin’s frozen road law will go into effect statewide on Monday,
Dec. 22 at 12:01 a.m. The frozen road law, which permits trucks
carrying peeled or unpeeled forest products cut crosswise, not
including woodchips, or salt and sand for winter maintenance to carry
heavier loads, will be in effect on all state and U.S.-marked
highways, and a section of I-39, until approximately early March,
unless thawing necessitates an earlier cancellation of the provision
or continued cold weather allows for an extension of the declaration
period.

The declaration is issued once the ground under highway pavement is
frozen to a significant depth. That allows the maximum gross weight
for trucks hauling logs or salt and sand for maintaining roads in
winter to go up to 98,000 pounds from the normal 80,000 pounds.

The declaration applies only to those roads marked with state or U.S.
numbers, but does not include the Interstate highway system, with the
exception of I-39 from Portage to Wausau.

Special permits for hauling the increased weights are not required.
However, the vehicles must be legally licensed to handle the increased
weights.

The higher weight limits are not in effect on county or local roads
unless authorized by the local agency having maintenance authority.
The higher weights may not be transported on any highways or bridges
that are posted for lower limits.

Further information on the Frozen Road declaration is available on the
Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Web site at
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/truck/weightrestrictions.htm or by
contacting the Bureau of Highway Operations, 4802 Sheboygan Avenue,
P.O. Box 7986, Madison, Wisconsin, 53707-7986, or by calling (608)
266-3745.

NOTE: View this document on the Web at:
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/news/index.htm.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs, P.O. Box 7910, Madison, WI 53707-7910
608/266-3581 FAX: 608/266-7186 www.dot.wisconsin.gov