Protecting our province's secondary highways becomes all the more important as the we begin to thaw out for spring. That's why, as the annual warm-up approaches, the Ministry of Highways is reminding residents and motorists that spring weight restrictions will come into effect on Friday.
The restrictions begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, March 21, in southwest Saskatchewan and will be phased in throughout the province as temperatures climb. The restrictions will remain in place for up to six weeks.
The restrictions are necessary to protect the surface and ground beneath those roads, which become saturated and easily damaged with the spring thaw. As such, allowable vehicle weights for rural municipal and secondary-weight highways will be reduced by 10 to 15 per cent.
"This annual measure keeps key transportation infrastructure ship shape for the long run so that our highways can move goods to support our export-based economy, which helps sustain our quality of life," said Highways Minister David Marit in a release announcing the restrictions.
The latest information about where the Spring Weight Restrictions are in place, as well as the newest order, can be found under the Spring Road Bans heading on the Government of Saskatchewan website. Truckers and shippers are reminded to check the list regularly.
Regulatory and technical information can also be found through the Trucking Inquiry Line at 1-866-933-5290, or outside of Saskatchewan at 306-933-5290.