This time of year, when ice melts beneath pavement and leaves water that seeps deeper into the ground or evaporates, the puddles and gaps created under road surfaces makes the streets fragile and susceptible to cracks and potholes. For this reason, some places enact so-called “frost laws,” requiring heavy vehicles to haul reduced loads.

Most everyday drivers don’t need to be concerned about the regulations — so long as they don’t carry weight at the maximum limits — but for loggers, farmers and truckers carrying many types of goods, “one of the most common business interactions with a county road agency concerns seasonal weight restrictions,” states the County Road Association of Michigan.

During restrictions in Delta County, most roads under the jurisdiction of the Delta County Road Commission not designated “all-season” are subject to a limit reduced by 35% per axle. The maximum axle load allowable on concrete pavements or pavements with a concrete base is reduced by 25% from the maximum axle load, according to Michigan law.

Lists of roads to which the rules do not apply may be found on county websites. In Delta, that url is deltacountymi.gov/road-commission.

Seasonal weight restrictions are in effect on applicable roads as shown in the various Michigan counties as of March 4. (Image courtesy of County Road Association of Michigan)

Drivers can apply for permits for oversized vehicles at oxcartpermits.com. “Permits cannot exceed 10 feet in width when using the bypass truck route,” writes the Delta County Road Commission, whose mission is “to utilize the available resources to maintain and improve the county road and bridge system in a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, community-sensitive way that is reasonably safe and convenient for the traveling public.”

In Baraga, Keweenaw, Houghton, and Ontonagon Counties, seasonal restrictions started today, March 4. Gogebic’s will take effect on Friday the 6th.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) also implements restrictions on roadways they manage. MDOT announced seasonal load limits for the lower half of the Lower Peninsula on Feb. 17.

Most of the Lower Peninsula’s county road commissions set their restrictions in place in February as well.

Once the spring thaw has passes, the limits will be removed. The date varies each year based on weather, so affected drivers should check with agencies as the season progresses.

Last year, MDOT lifted their restrictions on May 9.