All Michigan state highways will have weight limits Friday

We may have another winter blast on the way, but the Michigan Department of Transportation is about to do something that reminds us that spring is near.

Weight restrictions will be imposed on all state trunkline highways in Michigan at 8 a.m. Friday. In Michigan, state routes usually have ‘M’, ‘I’, or ‘US’ designations. All of the county road commissions in the U.P. already have seasonal weight limits on their roads.

“Seasonal road restrictions were in place for the entire Lower Peninsula as of Monday,” MDOT communications representative Dan Weingarten said. “This latest round is actually the last set of road restrictions for state highways.”

Chippewa County was the last U.P. road commission to impose seasonal restrictions. Their limits took effect Thursday morning. MDOT is not giving out single-trip permits for overweight loads.

“That means that vehicles that we would normally permit under special conditions can’t go on the roads, just to protect them from the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle and the deterioration that can happen this time of year,” Weingarten said.

MDOT has a toll-free number and a website with all of the agency’s information on road restrictions. The phone number is 1-800-787-8960, and the website is www.michigan.gov/truckers, under “Restrictions.”