What is an R-posted Bridge?

a.) A bridge that cannot be crossed by anyone under the age of 17 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian, or

b.) A bridge that is posted to restrict travel by vehicles holding overweight permits.

If you chose the second answer, you are correct. An R-posted bridge cannot safely carry a total vehicle load exceeding 40 tons. This is the maximum weight of a vehicle that can travel on NYS roads and bridges (per Section 385 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law) without a special permit.

If R-posted bridges are along routes taken by trucks to your site, they may affect how goods get to and from your site. Developers of industrial and commercial property need to know where these bridges are and how trucks can be routed around them when selecting a site.

The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to grant a limited number of permits to allow trucks to carry loads in excess of this 40-ton limit, so it is important that restricted bridges be posted. Depending on the type of overload permit issued, vehicle loads of up to 53.5 tons can be driven on the state highway system. Not all bridges, however, are structurally capable of carrying these heavier loads. Posting bridges, and giving truckers access to this information via a NYSDOT database, allows truck drivers to plot their routes so they can avoid traveling on bridges that could be damaged by overloaded vehicles. The posting also provides information to enforcement officers, who can issue tickets for overweight vehicles that could otherwise cause infrastructure damage and impact public safety.

How are R-posted bridges identified?

Every two years, publicly owned, operated, or maintained bridges that are open to vehicular traffic must undergo a thorough condition inspection and a review of the current load rating. The process is used to determine the susceptibility of the bridge to damage or failure, identify needed repairs, and implement measures to protect the structural integrity of the bridge until repairs can be performed.

The inspection could result in repairs, maintenance activities, closure, or posting of the structure to reduce the potential for damage and fatigue caused by vehicular traffic. The posting could restrict the use of the bridge by overload vehicles (over 40 tons) or by lower weight vehicles that would otherwise be legally allowed to cross the structure.

What are overload permits?

Overload permits are needed to operate a vehicle having weights or dimensions that exceed the statutory limits listed in the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. A variety of overload permits are issued, depending on what is being hauled (buildings, oversize farm equipment, cranes, bulk milk, etc); the hauling distance; and the duration of the needed permit (single trip versus multiple trips). The most common overload permit issued is called a Divisible Load Permit. This is for vehicles with a gross weight of more than 40 tons whose weight can be reduced by the removal of a portion of its load. Only vehicles registered in New York State qualify for permits.

Who issues the permits?

The NYS Department of Transportation issues overweight, divisible load permits for trucks traveling on state highways. These permits are generally not valid on local highways. Each local municipality must be contacted separately to obtain permission for overweight vehicles to travel on their roads. Permission for overweight vehicles to travel on the NYS Thruway must also be obtained as this agency may impose restrictions over and above those required by the NYSDOT. A uniform permit system under consideration may soon change this.

All You Need is a Dollar and a Dream

New York State is allowed to issue up to 17,000 Divisible Load weight permits per year. When demand exceeds availability, which it has since 2001, the state allocates permits by lottery.

Legislation has been proposed, but not enacted, that would gradually increase the number of annual permits to 25,000 by 2008. This legislation, according to its backers, would enhance industry in New York State, improve cross-border trade, address modern demand, and improve the state’s competitiveness.

Divisible Load Permit Tidbits

Turnabout is Fair Play? Only vehicles registered in New York State can qualify for divisible load permits. New York State is now the only northeast state to deny divisible load permits to non-New York State trucks.

This has resulted in numerous complaints from Canadian provinces, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, all of whom issue overload permits to New York truckers. Some of these states are considering retaliatory action to prevent New York based truckers from receiving permits in their states. If these states follow through, New York’s logging, agriculture, construction, and shipping industries could be affected.