LANSING — Spring weight restrictions on Michigan state highways will shift beginning Monday morning as the Michigan Department of Transportation adjusts seasonal road protections.
MDOT says the changes take effect at 6 a.m. March 9. Restrictions will be lifted on trunkline highways across southern Michigan up to a boundary line that runs through South Haven, Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Livingston, and Macomb counties.
North of that route, including the Upper Peninsula and Mackinac Island, seasonal weight restrictions will remain in place and enforced on state highways marked with M, I, or U.S. route designations.
On designated seasonal routes, axle weights are reduced by 25 percent on concrete roads and 35 percent on asphalt roads. Some vehicles must also follow a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit.
MDOT says the spring weight restrictions help prevent road damage during the seasonal thaw, when melting snow and ice weaken the ground beneath pavement.
Truckers can check restriction updates on the MDOT website or by calling the department’s road information line.