5. seasonal weight restrictions� L
S'CANDIA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: April 6, 2016
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, City Administrator
Re: Draft of seasonal weight limit ordinance
Background: At the March work session there was a discussion about seasonal weight limits and
the need to adopt an ordinance to have limits that are different than those provided in State
statuts.
Attached is a draft of an ordinance that provides for a S ton / axle limit that was based on
ordinances adopted by other cities. There seem to be 2 main variables: the restriction or
exemption for refuse vehicles and the internal process as to whether a permit is required or
permission requested.
Issue: Should the City adopt a seasonal weight limit ordinance and is so how should refuse
vehicles be treated.
Seasonal weight restrictions.
Section 1— Purpose: The purpose of this article is to preserve the public streets within the
city from damage or destruction by trucks or other heavily laden vehicles and to reduce the
cost and expense to the taxpayers within the city of street maintenance and repair from
damage caused by such traffic. The City of Scandia ordains that axle weight limits are
restricted on the following streets in the City of Scandia to protect these streets from damage
when road and weather conditions warrant in accordance with regulations as provided in
Minnesota State Statutes Chapter 169.87. These weight restrictions are in effect during the
spring thaw season. Streets may be posted for weight restrictions any time that road and
weather conditions warrant weight limits to protect streets from damage.
The following streets are limited to a five ton axle per axle weight limit:
Section 2 — Procedure: The city engineer anal the public works director, or their designees,
may prohibit the operation of vehicles u
weight restrictions on vehicles to be opera
reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other
or destroyed.
street under local jurisdiction or impose
n such streets whenever the street, by
co,itions, could be seriously damaged
Section 3 - Posting of prohibition or restrictions on stl s: The city follows MnDOT
scheduling from imposing and removing spring road weight limit restrictions Dates are
posted at -
http://dotapp7.dot.state.rnn.us/research/seasonal load limits/sllindex.asp or by calling
(651) 366-5400 or toll free at 1-800-723-6543. These dates generally fall between March 1st
and May 15th dependent on weather conditions. This prohibition or restriction shall also be
effective for such other periods as the city engineer, public works director, or designee shall
determine necessary and appropriate. The city shall cause signs to be erected and maintained
which indicate the prohibition or restriction on the streets in the manner required by law.
Section 4 - Restrictions with certain exceptions: No person, firm, or corporation shall
operate, use or drive a motor vehicle or any machinery or instrument, pushed, pulled or
driven by a motor vehicle, upon any posted street in violation of the prohibition or
restriction. Exceptions to the seasonal load limits in Scandia are made for emergency
response vehicles, school buses and emergency utility repair vehicles/equipment.
Refuse Collection
Can exempt all refuse collection vehicles.
An exemption is provided for refuse collection vehicles to exceed the posted limits,
except no refuse collections vehicles shall be operated during restricted times where
the gross weight on any single axle exceeds ? tons.
Can consider going to a single hauler to minimize impact of roads
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Utilities. An exemption is allowed for utility companies providing utility service within
the City when responding to an emergency. An emergency response shall include
power outages, gas leaks, emergency communication, and line down or severed, etc.
Septic. An exemption to posted weight limits is also allowed for septic tank service
companies, well drilling and service companies, and companies delivering fuel for
heating purposes. An emergency response is limited to septic or sewer system failures
posing an imminent threat to public health and safety, well failure resulting in loss of
water supply, or lack of heating fuel.
Section 5 - Special permission: The city may issue a special permit authorizing an individual
to move a vehicle having a gross weight exceeding the posted restriction on designated
streets. Upon obtaining a permit, any vehicle or combination of vehicles may be operated
upon the highways of the city, excepting state trunk highways, in excess of the weight limits
prescribed in Section 1.
(a) The owner will apply to the director of public works for the permit. The application
will set forth the routes and the conditions under which such vehicle, or combination of
vehicles, may be operated. The fee for the permit will be established by city council
resolution. r
(b) The director of public works will issue or deny, or issue in modified form, the permit
and prescribe therein the routes and the conditions for operations under each such
permit, and in determining such routes and such conditions, the director of public works
shall permit maximum use of the particular highways and bridges consistent with the
maximum capacity of such highways and bridges as determined in accordance with
highway engineering practice.
(c) The director of public works may revoke or modify the terms of any existing permit
at any time in the event of operations in violation of any such permit or in the event of
changed conditions requiring such action. The original or a correct copy of the permit
under which operations are being conducted shall be carried at all times in the driver's
cab or any vehicle, or combination of vehicles, while the same is being operated
thereunder.
or
All persons requesting an exemption to the posted weight limits for response to an
emergency situation must notify the City of Scandia Public Works Director. This notification
must include a description and location of the emergency, the number and weight of
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vehicles responding to the emergency, and the route to be used to reach the emergency
site. The City reserves the right to request supporting documentation of the nature and
location of the emergency. All persons responding to emergency situations shall limit travel
on seasonal weight restricted streets to the minimum distance required to reach the site
from the closest road that is not subject to seasonal weight restrictions.
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