Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Eddy County load restrictions to remain in place
Gov. Doug Burgum announced today (March 24) that by executive order he has removed all "frost laws" or load restrictions on N.D. state highways, effective immediately. He said the intent was to "minimize disruption to the supply chain" and impact on those delivering essential goods throughout the state.
This action was taken as the number of positive cases for COVID-19 increased to 36 statewide, with seven individuals hospitalized with the virus. According to the N.D. Department of Health, only two tests for COVID-19 have been completed for Eddy County residents, and only one test in Foster County. Now a total of nine counties have at least one positive case, adding Dunn County to the list.
Local haulers should note, however, that this does NOT apply to county roads. According to Eddy County Road Superintendent Todd Weber, load restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. This is due to the current condition of many county roads. He said that as of 5:30 p.m. neighboring counties Wells and Foster also have decided to keep load restrictions in place on their county roads.
“This order temporarily lifts weight restrictions on our state’s highways to ensure our citizens are able to get the resources they need in a timely manner as we see an increase in demand for goods and services,” Burgum said.
During this time, the NDDOT director still has the authority to implement load and weight restrictions as deemed appropriate under current law if it is determined that removal of this restriction is negatively impacting the roadway or creating a safety risk.
“These changes are designed to improve the movement of goods within our state. NDDOT has developed a daily inspection process to ensure our roadways are not damaged as a result of lifting seasonal load restrictions. Many other statewide programs to protect roads and manage the size and weight of trucks on the highways, remain in effect throughout North Dakota,” NDDOT Director Bill Panos said.
We will provide updates if and when this changes.
