Dual purpose for new weigh-in-motion site

A new weigh-in-motion weighbridge is being installed on State Highway 1 at the Rakaia Bridge to support the introduction of high productivity motor vehicles (HPMV) on this key South Island, New Zealand, freight route. The HPMV system allows vehicles carrying a divisible load of essential goods to weigh more than the official 44 metric tonnes without a permit, but only on specified routes.
October 13, 2014 Read time: 3 mins

A new weigh-in-motion weighbridge is being installed on State Highway 1 at the Rakaia Bridge to support the introduction of high productivity motor vehicles (HPMV) on this key South Island, New Zealand, freight route.

The HPMV system allows vehicles carrying a divisible load of essential goods to weigh more than the official 44 metric tonnes without a permit, but only on specified routes.

The NZ Transport Agency’s Southern regional director Jim Harland says as the Transport Agency works towards moving more freight on fewer vehicles throughout New Zealand, it is important to monitor the impact of heavier loads on roads and bridges to protect the assets from damage.

Two of the key assets on this critical transport link from Christchurch to Dunedin are the Rakaia and Rangitata No. 1 bridges, both of which were built in 1939 and are earmarked for US$8.3 million of strengthening work in the future.

“By installing the weigh-in-motion site we can monitor loads over the bridges to ensure we minimise any damage while we plan this work to achieve greater value from our assets,” said Harland.

He says monitoring to date had not identified any risks to the key assets from the operation of heavier freight vehicles on this route; however overloading had the potential to damage the assets.

“The US$392,000 weigh-in-motion site will also enable the Transport Agency to collect data for all vehicles travelling over the Rakaia Bridge and enable us to identify freight operators who are in breach of their permit. The site will have a camera for automated number plate recognition; we will follow-up with freight companies, whose trucks are overloaded, as well as checking on operational speeds and unpaid Road User Charges to assist with highway maintenance costs.”

It is expected the introduction of seven weigh-in-motion sites throughout New Zealand will assist with the recovery annually of US$2.3 million in unpaid road user charges.

He says the Transport Agency encourages willing compliance by freight operators because of the safety risk from overloading and disproportional wear and tear on the road network. “By operating a weigh-in-motion site we can collect the data and then target those operators who are in breach of their permit. This way we minimise the impact on the 90 per cent of truck drivers who comply with the regulations.”

A full compliance check can take 20 minutes to an hour, resulting in considerable lost time and added costs for freight operators.

Classification & Data Collection

Related Content

  • Florida’s Altamonte Springs uses Uber pilot program with Uber to expand transportation coverage
    April 5, 2017
    To Uber or Not to Uber, that is the question cities must answer as they consider the pros and cons of inviting private transportation service providers to fill transportation gaps. Back in 1999, Frank Martz, city manager of Altamonte Springs, Florida, had an idea to expand transportation services to areas not covered by the local bus company.
    Read More
  • The path to safer roads: America can learn from Europe’s example, says Verra Mobility
    May 1, 2024
    Many US states are establishing road safety programmes that will inspire others. TJ Tiedje, vice president commercial at Verra Mobility, explains why this is important
    Read More
  • Keeping a close watch on ‘too-dangerous-to-drive’ highway
    June 21, 2016
    Like many others, the authorities in Argentina implemented ITS to improve road safety – but this case was a little different to most as Mauro Nogarin explains. The 70km of highway that separate Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires from the city of La Plata had long been considered too dangerous for anyone to make the trip with a private car. Figures on criminal attacks and vandalism with stones, nails, logs, spark plugs or any other element that can damage a car’s tyres and cause them to stop in order rob th
    Read More
  • Carbon finance delivers critical support to mass transit schemes
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford investigates carbon finance in transport. World Bank carbon finance grants are delivering critical support to major mass transit deployments in emerging and developing economies. Only recently operative in the transport sector, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM, see panel) is designed to generate additional income streams and improve internal rates of return on projects funded from public- and private-sector sources.
    Read More

Highlighted Content