Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

News releases

May 5, 2023

Latest news releases

Spring load restrictions ending in south, central, north-central and north seasonal load limit zones

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation will end spring load restrictions starting on May 8. The restrictions will end:

  • in the SOUTH zone on Monday, May 8, at 12:01 a.m.
  • in the CENTRAL zone on Wednesday, May 17, at 12:01 a.m.
  • in the NORTH-CENTRAL and NORTH zones on Wednesday, May 24, at 12:01 a.m.

Please check with local agencies prior to increasing any weights on their routes. The sign erected on the roadway governs the load limit in effect.
Seasonal load limit zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDOT load limits map.
Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown at mndot.gov/loadlimits.
Overweight permits for more than 80,000 pound gross vehicle weight continue during spring load restrictions and new permits will be issued if all axle and group weights are legal (axle weight limits).

Full-summer overweight permits can be issued, during the spring load restriction period, for travel on the interstate system only.

Middle-range overweight permits become available within each zone when spring load restrictions are lifted. Full-summer overweight permits become available two to three weeks after spring load restrictions are lifted. 

Ending dates for spring load restrictions are variable and based on how weather is affecting roadway strength. 

For questions about legal axle weight during SLR; Gross Vehicle Weight Schedule, call:
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Patrol – Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
651-350-2000

For questions about oversize/overweight loads/permitting, contact:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations – Oversize/Overweight Permits
651-296-6000
ofcvopermits.dot@state.mn.us

All changes are made with a minimum three calendar-day notice.

For the most current information, go to MnDOT’s automated 24-hour message center at 1-800-723-6543 for the U.S. and Canada, or 651-366-5400 for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. This information is also published on the MnDOT seasonal load limits website..

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