Oregon Truck Movements Hogtied by Bridge Problems

Cracks are appearing in several of Oregon’s bridges, many of which are more than a half-century old, leading to varying degrees of weight restrictions on their use and problems for some truckers.

And even though most of the restrictions so far mostly affect heavy-haul carriers, trucking advocates believe any more restrictions or closings could produce cracks in the state’s economy by throttling general cargo movements in standard tractor-trailers.

Two bridges over the West Tualatin and Willamette rivers it the Salem area are the latest spans to be declared off-limits indefinitely to heavy trucks while repairs take place.

The bridges were closed to trucks weighing more than 80,000 pounds or with axle weights above 34,000 pounds for tandem and 20,000 pounds for single axles. The bridges, located not far from Interstate 5, the major north-south commercial route in Oregon, remain off-limits — but not to light trucks or passenger cars — while cracks are repaired.

For the full story, see the Aug. 27 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

(Philip Kightlinger - Transport Topics)