Investigation of Cost Effective Truck Weight Enforcement (FHWA-OK-10-01 2203)

Abstract

This research investigates the best way to enforce the truck size and weight limits and by doing so decrease the damage that is being done to Oklahoma's roads and bridges. In the process a survey of all state DOT's was conducted to help determine the state of the art for cost effective and the most efficiente mix of fixed weigh stations, mobile enforcement, weight in motion (WIM), virtual enforcement, and possible other technology to provide optimum monitoring of Oversize/Overweight vehicles to reduce damage to Oklahoma's roads and bridges. Recommendations are offered concerning the construction of Point of Entry (POE) Facilities, mobile enforcement and virtual enforcement within the state of Oklahoma. A novel data collection system , the OU-BWIM is proposed to help determine the location of intrastate virtual and mobile enforcement locations. The proposed development of the OU-BWIM would help convert existing infrastructure assets, bridges, into weight in motion, real time, data collection points.