Weight limit in effect on Antelope County roads

Signs noting a seven-ton weight limit were posted along Antelope County oil roads, following discussion by county commissioners at the board's March 9 meeting, in Neligh.

Discussion on the potential dominated nearly one hour after county road superintendent Aaron Boggs referenced restrictions in neighboring counties.

Knox and Holt counties have restrictions currently in place.

According to Boggs, Holt County implements a speed limit restriction, with trucks allowed to go up to 40 miles per hour on asphalt roads.

"I think it's more beneficial to put a weight limit instead of a speed limit," Boggs said. He anticipated a speed limit reduction would require a resolution.

Commissioner Dean Smith asked if Holt County signs roads differently when the resolution is in place.

Yes, according to Boggs.

"Underneath the 50 mile per hour sign there's a truck, 40 miles per hour sign."

Boggs said he would like to see a weight restriction on the roads.

"That's more or less what damages the roads," he said, noting a speed limitation may work on bridges. "The load and unload shock rating is big there."

According to the road boss, Nebraska state statute gives permission to county road officials and commissioners to put weight limitations on wheel and axle loads, as defined in Section 60-6,294.

The statute allows for a restriction to be in effect up to 120 days.

Boggs said he would like to have a study completed on weight restrictions on all asphalt roads.

Henery asked if all roads need to be looked at.

Boggs reinforced all asphalt roads.

Henery said he has been against implementing a limit because farmers use roadways to haul commodities.

Commissioner Eli Jacob asked how legal out-of-state trucks would reach sites in the country along an asphalt road.

"It's kind of a case-by-case thing," Boggs said. "We've got to do something."

Commission Regina Krebs said the weight limit is pointless.

"You could do both," Boggs said, suggesting a seven-ton load per axle.

"Henery countered, "Like I've said, I've always been somewhat against it because people need to haul their commodities. That's how our county is funded."

Henery asked commissioners for input, suggesting a resolution for a set number of days each spring.

"It's not like we're the only county doing it," Boggs said.

County clerk Lisa Payne suggested a resolution for either type of limit.

Boggs reiterated his understanding of the statute is a resolution is necessary only if a limit is in effect for an extended period of time, more than a reasonable period - three months - or if you want to do a speed limit reduction."

Violating the weight reduction would result in a Class V misdemeanor.

"That gives authority to the sheriff's department or state patrol, highway DOT," Boggs said.

Jacob expressed displeasure with the idea.

"You just as well go back to the old law, 72,280 was all you could gross. I think we're going backwards there. I don't like it at all."

Boggs said he isn't trying to "stir the pot."

"It's the fact that a lot of the reason why these roads deteriorate is because of overweight. We've talked to you about it before. It takes 250,000 cars to do the same damage as what it does for an 11 to 16-ton axle load," Boggs said.

Henery said he does not see it applying to all roads.

"Maybe certain miles," he said.

Boggs reminded commissioners that drivers would need to be able to locate a different route before coming upon a sign designating certain miles are affected.

"If you're cutting back by 10,000 pounds per load, then you end up putting how many more loads over that same road. Yeah, you're lighter, but you're still going to hammer that road," Henery said.

Boggs countered, "You're 10,000 pounds per load and that road gets destroyed, then what do we know?"

"If the road's that bad it's going to get destroyed, it needs to be replaced anyway," Jacob said.

Boggs said, "I'm not trying to do anything against the farmers. I don't want it to come off like that. I'm trying to save our roads, as much as possible."

Smith said the only way to enforce weight is to involve the DOT.

"A speed limit would be easier to enforce," he said.

"You could still be hauling 95,000 pounds at 40 miles per hour as compared to 55 miles per hour," Boggs said.

Henery said the county has been injecting funds into oil roads.

"It sure would be nice to keep them as good as we could for a period of time," he said.

Krebs said it comes back to how the roads are being fixed.

"How many of these roads are we seriously looking at that needs to be, heavy truck traffic on a regular basis, that seriously need to be concrete in order to hold up," she said.

Boggs estimated $500,000 per mile to place roads with concrete.

"We need to keep property taxes in check for the farmers, but at the same time, those are the trucks that are going over these roads. All of a sudden, do you take our oil roads down to a seven-year life span? It's something we need to look at from a long-term standpoint," Krebs said.

Boggs said his view is equipment - no matter what industry - will never get lighter.

"Our roads should be rated to what our bridges are rated. If the bridge is only a 10-ton bridge, then the road should only be rated for a 10-ton limit on the entire road," Boggs said.

Pedersen said she agreed with Krebs.

"Why put all this money into these roads and fix them up to let them get beat to pieces?" Pedersen said.

According to Krebs, road upgrades to handle truck traffic could require a $5 million bond.

"That's just the shear reality of the situation we're in. I think it's going to take public input," she said. "I don't even know how you're going to enforce it."

Boggs said local DOT personnel "know the area" and will be aware of posted signs.

Smith asked if signs would be placed along old highway, which serves as a shortcut from U.S. Highway 275 to Nebraska Highway 14, north of Neligh.

Boggs said he would like to see that stretch go to no truck traffic.

Smith concurred.

"I suggested that a couple years ago," he said.

Henery said that stretch would be a good candidate for a weight limit.

According to Boggs, discussion about that stretch of road would need to take place with the city of Neligh.

"They technically own the southern part of that road," Boggs noted.

Smith asked how weight limits have been applied to county roadways in the past.

"It was up to the supervisor," Jacobs said.

Henery said in the past, if a commissioner wanted a sign erected, he had one installed.

"I don't remember it ever coming to the board because we knew it was state statute and you could do it that way, but since we're a different form of government where we're one county and we don't have separate barns anymore and Aaron runs the whole thing, it's a little different," Henery said.

Krebs said the statute, which states "a person who the county board has delegated authority," gives Boggs the capability to apply a weight or speed limit.

"I figured we would make this decision as a whole," Boggs said. "I feel it's necessary, but in the same sense, I don't want to negate business or contracts farmers may have to fill."

The road superintendent told commissioners he would like to see all of them favor imposing a limit for a reasonable time period.

"I don't want to do it unless all of you are in agreement," he said. "I want you all to be on board with this so it's not he said or she said."

Pedersen said, "I can't see fixing up the roads if we know they're going to get beat to pieces and, in five or 10 years, we're in the same boat."

According to Henery, the county has invested money, in the past two to three years, to upgrade roads.

"We're starting to get them put into place where they should last a lot longer than they did with the original oil," he said.

Smith asked if road studies conducted track traffic by speed or weight.

Results were recorded by weight. Boggs noted that 250,000 passenger cars do the same damage as 11 16-ton axles.

"I'm not trying to make it harder on people," Boggs said.

Smith asked where signs would be posted.

"I would put it at any intersecting road you can turn on," Boggs said.

Pedersen said the county needs to save its roads and the money put into them.

"I dont want to make anyone upset, but you want a decent road, have some responsibility in taking care of it. We've seen how much it is to fix up a mile of road," she said.

Henery said he favors restrictions "only on roads that have water problems and are soft."

"That's hard to determine," Boggs said.

Signs will be posted at Boggs' discretion and be posted until weather conditions remain dry and warm.