Spring road restrictions begin Tuesday in Kandiyohi County, Willmar

WILLMAR -- Spring road restrictions begin Tuesday in Kandiyohi County and the city of Willmar.

The Willmar city engineer's office said the restrictions in the city limits will likely remain in effect until early May.

The seasonal road restrictions protect roads during the spring thaw, when road strength is at its lowest point of the year.

By state law, all non-posted county paved roads are open to a normal, 10-ton per axle loads and all non-posted township roads and county gravel roads are restricted to a 5-ton per axle load limitation.

However, most county gravel roads are posted to a higher, 7-ton per axle load limit and will be posted accordingly. Weight limits may change during the thaw period depending on the condition of a roadway. If they do, postings will be changed and the new posted weight will govern the legal weight on the roadway.

The county encourages heavy-vehicle operators to check for a posted limit.

For further information, including a map showing the axle load restrictions on county roads, go to the Kandiyohi County Web Site: www.co.kandiyohi.mn.us, click on Department; then Public Works; then Spring Axle Load Limits; and then Info or Map.

For questions on county road restrictions, call the Public Works Department at 320-235-3266, extension 4103.

Information with maps showing the axle load restrictions in the Willmar city limits can be obtained by calling the city engineer's office at 320-235-4204 or viewing it on the city's website: www.ci.willmar.mn. us and search road restrictions.

State road restrictions also begin next week for the metro area and southern part of the state. For information regarding state highway restrictions, call 1-800-723-6543, or go to www.mrr.dot. state.mn.us.

-- Staff reports