Alaska DOT restricts truck weights on Central Region roads starting June 1

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will impose seasonal weight restrictions on state-maintained roads across its Central Region starting June 1 at 8:00 a.m. The restrictions limit commercial truck loads to as low as 50 percent of legal axle weight on some routes during spring thaw.

The restrictions affect roads from Homer and Seward north to Mile 118 on the Glenn Highway and Mile 163 on the Parks Highway, plus the Dillingham and Bethel road systems. Seasonal restrictions protect roads during thaw weakening, when melting ice compromises the roadbed.

Most state-maintained paved roads in the Anchorage, Eagle River, Girdwood, Mat-Su, and Kenai Peninsula areas will be restricted to 75 percent of legal axle load. All state-maintained gravel roads in the Mat-Su and Kenai Peninsula areas will be restricted to 50 percent.

Major commercial corridors including the Glenn Highway from milepost 0 to 118, the Parks Highway from the Glenn-Parks interchange to milepost 163, and most of the Sterling and Seward highways will be restricted to 100 percent of legal axle load with no overloads permitted.

Six roads face the most severe restriction at 50 percent of legal axle load with no overloads. These are Big Lake Road, Hollywood Road, Vine Road, Pittman Road, and Church Road in Wasilla, plus Old Seward Spur in Anchorage.

Burrell Nickeson, Central Region maintenance and operations manager, issued the notice on May 26. Questions about permits can be directed to the DOT&PF MSCVC Customer Service Center at 1-800-478-7636 within Alaska or 1-907-365-1200 out of state.