9.e staff report and ordinance 171 seasonal weight limits
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: April 19, 2016
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: Seasonal weight limits
Background: Unless action is taken locally, State Statutes provide for seasonal weight limits of 10
tons on paved road and 5 tons on unpaved roads during the times when the State Road
Commissioner declares the restrictions to be in effect. In order for more restrictive limits to be in
effect, the City must approve by resolution or ordinance restrictions and post thos e on signs. The
City of Scandia has previously maintained a 5-ton weight limit policy; however, no action had been
taken by the Council to officially place that restriction into effect.
Issue: Should the City place seasonal weight restrictions that are m ore restrictive than those
provided in State statutes?
Details / Discussion: While the seasonal weigh limits for paved roads by statutes provide for a
10-ton per axle limit, not all of the roads in Scandia have been constructed to withstand that
weight. This is evidenced by the damage that has occurred this spring as the frost left the
ground which has resulted in a much larger than expected road patching program. In a long-
term perspective, as the City’s roads are reconstructed, they are done so to be a ble to
withstand heavier weights. The ordinance as drafted provides for exemptions for emergency
response vehicles, school buses, emergency utility (including water and sewer) repair vehicles
and provides the City Engineer or Public Works Director to place the restriction in effect when
deemed necessary and appropriate.
Options:
1. Approve the ordinance as presented
2. Amend the ordinance
3. Take no action and continue to follow state statutes.
Recommendation: Option 1
CITY OF SCANDIA
ORDINANCE NO. 171
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING SEASON WEIGHT LIMIT RESTRICTIONS ON
SCANDIA PUBLIC CITY STREETS
The City Council of the City of Scandia does hereby ordain as follows:
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 public City 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 restri ctions any
time that road and weather conditions warrant weight limits to protect streets from
damage.
All public City streets are limited to a five ton axle per axle weight limit unless otherwise
posted.
Section 2 – Procedure: The City Engineer and the Public Works Director, or their designees,
may prohibit the operation of vehicles upon any street under local jurisdiction or impose
weight restrictions on vehicles to be operated on such streets whenever the street, by
reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other climatic conditions, could be seriously damaged
or destroyed.
Section 3 - Posting of prohibition or restrictions on streets: The City follows MnDOT
scheduling for 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.
· 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: All persons requesting an exemption to the posted weight
limits for response to a 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 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.
Section 6 – Effective Date: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after
its passage and publication according to law.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Scandia this 19th day of April, 2016.
Randall Simonson, Mayor
ATTEST:
Neil Soltis, Clerk/Administrator