Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
7/12/99
Contacts:
Mark Hanna, Ag & Biosystems Engineering, (515)
294-0468
Julie Todd, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-2405
Heavy Farm Vehicles Must Comply With Bridge Embargoes
AMES, IOWA -- A new law requiring heavy vehicles used in agricultural operations to comply with the weight restrictions that are posted on Iowa bridges went into effect July 1, 1999. These weight restrictions, known as "embargoes," are placed on bridges that are not able to support heavy loads, according to Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) officials. In the past, farm vehicles that traveled on roadways were exempted from the weight limits that apply to other types of heavy vehicles.
In addition to requiring that farm vehicles observe bridge embargoes, the new law establishes a phase-in schedule for certain large farm vehicles to comply with legal weight limits when traveling on Iowa's public roads. Iowa law allows a vehicle traveling on a public road to carry 20,000 pounds on a single axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle, generally up to a total weight of 80,000 pounds.
After July 1, 2001, certain newly manufactured farm vehicles (fence-line feeders, tank wagons and single-axle grain carts) must comply with Iowa weight laws when operating on public roads. However, these vehicles will have an allowance to exceed the existing weight limits by 20 percent. Equipment manufactured before that date is "grandfathered" in and exempted from restrictions until July 1, 2005.
According to Iowa DOT director Darrel Rensink, "Changes in agricultural operations over the past 30 years are having a dramatic impact on Iowa's road system and are stressing roads and bridges beyond the state's current capabilities to maintain them. The new law will help the state and counties maintain a safe road system that is critical to transporting grain and farm machinery at harvest time."
The new law also requires the DOT to study the effects of floatation tires and rubber tracks on roadways and to report its findings to the legislature by next January. The DOT will be meeting with representatives of the Iowa County Engineers Association, agricultural groups and farm equipment manufacturers this summer to study those issues.
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