Bridge Weight Limits

[phorner]

I hope that everyone realizes that bridge design considers several elements, one of which is impact, which is based on the speed of the approach.

The real bad news is.....faster is worse, not better, for the loading on the bridge members.

On the plus side, in most cases, it's not he initial overload condition that results in a collapse, as it merely stresses the structure and prepares it for failure....... it's the next, perhaps smaller load (think school bus) that ends up at the bottom of the creek.

Actually..... not much of a plus after all....

[Just Plain Jeff]

I never said that going across a marginal bridge would necessarily leave it particularly good condition for the next guy.

[win42]

According to all the Roadrunner - Coyote cartoons, I have learned faster is better when it comes to bridges and cliffs. There are some bridges in the midwest to be concerened about weight on. There are some bridges west of Tulsa you need to take turns crossing on. You do not want to smack mirrors with another rig , it tends to take your ear off with your mirror. Heads up!!

[Denny]

We have to be careful when crossing bridges with the weight of our busses. A friend of mine, who drives truck, was just fines $17,000 in Virginia because he crossed a bridge that had a reduced weight limit on it. It was in a construction zone, he did not see the detour signs nor the weight warning signs (or he ignored them) and the cop was waiting for him when he reached the other side.

[rfoster]

JPJ: I would consider that decision to be an award winning turn around.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have never seen a bus being scaled, although we like the rest of you, have those one or two little towns close by that have figured out an additional revenue source by having a weight patrol and while traveling you may encounter one by accident, lost, complete with Barny Fife.

I think the cop would have to be a real jerk to fine a motor home/bus for overweight but if he was and if he did, in Illinois it would be 75 bucks for every thousand pounds over the limit.

So on a 5 ton limit, like the street I live on, I'd be 16 ton over w/o the toad, at 75 a thousand, that would be a 2400 dollar fine.

As far as bridges I would not cross one that was marked anything under 20 ton because of both safety and a potential fine.

There is a law for commercial vehicles that legally allows them 5 miles off any exit ramp from any interstate system for 5 reasons no matter what the local restrictions.

To sleep
To eat
To fuel
To load or unload
To make repairs

When pulled over and approached you had better be using one of these reasons cause, I'm lost or I'm going around a back-up will earn you a trip to the scale and then the cash station.

[Doc Miller]

Last Fall we got into a detour in Mississippi that directed big trucks down a Black road,(narrow no shoulder) and after cresting a hill 50 yards below was the worst looking bridge I have ever seen. On my tail was a gravel hauler trying to run us over. No use trying to stop and as we flew over the bridge I got a side glance at a load limit sign that said Two,(2), ton limit-oh sh_t, we going swimming and be covered with gravel too. Well,some how the bridge held and whoo--!!! No more wonderful Mississippi back roads to see the country sights for us!!