Class II and Posted Road Restrictions end in Zone 1 Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 12:01 AM CDT. Class II and Posted Road Restrictions previously ended in Zones 2 through 5.
The public invests tax dollars every year for safe, reliable infrastructure. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is charged with maximizing and protecting this investment. Seasonal weight restrictions are one way to prolong the life of Wisconsin highways. They allow industry trucking partners to carry heavier loads during winter and help protect the roads during spring thaws.
From December to May every year, state highways in Wisconsin must withstand an extreme range of moisture and temperature conditions from -30 degrees Fahrenheit to +70 degrees Fahrenheit. These varying conditions affect the structural strength of the pavements and the base materials under the roadway.
Three distinct programs take advantage of the frozen pavement and sub-base conditions during the winter months and also protect pavement's weak conditions during the springtime freezing and thawing period.
These three programs include:
- The
frozen road declaration that is normally in effect from mid-December to late February or early March.
- The
Class II roads - typically lasts from early March until the first or second week in May.
- The
seasonal posted roads program normally from the second week in March until late April or early May.
Seasonal weights zone boundaries
All three of these programs apply only to the state highway system. Local county or township road maintenance authorities are responsible for determining when their roads are either frozen or thawing and whether sections should be posted for weight limitations. Questions related to weight restrictions on local or county roads should be referred to the maintaining authority for those roads. Regional transportation offices can be contacted to answer specific questions related to the state highway system in their region.
Permit types affected by one or more weight restrictions programs
-
Divisible load permits AC, AG, AgCMV, FF, FMP, GR, IoH, IPD, MI, PB, PS, RF or RS.
-
Non-divisible load permits AA, BM, CM, CS, GG, HM, HRCQ, II, MH, SB, SM, or SS.
Call (608) 266-8417 for a recorded message of the current status of the roads weight restrictions.
Related information
Other states' weight restriction programs