Information

Type: Deliberation

Department: PW - Public Works

Directors' Update: April 13, 2022

Business Meeting: April 19, 2022

Summary:

The establishment of a gross tonnage limit for the Shorey Road Bridge, bridge number 069.

Publications:

Cover Letter To:

Additional Copies To: Tina Hemphill, Sadie Rockey, Shayla Landon, Geoff Soderquist, Tim Fife

Resolution

WHEREAS, on December 4, 2015, the President signed into law the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (P.L. 114-94), which includes new truck size and weight provisions that affect bridge load rating and posting requirements. Among those provisions is the exemption of emergency vehicles from meeting the nationwide Interstate truck weight limits set forth in 23 U.S.C. 127(a). The emergency vehicles exempted from these weight limits by the FAST Act can create greater load effects in certain bridges than the previous legal loads. If not appropriately rated and posted (or restricted), bridge safety, serviceability, and durability might be compromised by these vehicles. Load rating and posting for all legal vehicles is mandated by the National Bridge and Tunnel Inspection Standards (NBIS and NTIS), pursuant to 23 CFR 650 subparts C and E, respectively. These legal loads now include the emergency vehicles provisions enacted by FAST Act; and

WHEREAS, RCW 46.61.450 establishes that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), as the governing body of the county roads under the BOCC's jurisdiction, may restrict the gross weight of a vehicle or any combination of vehicles which may be operated upon or over a bridge; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with the FAST act and current NBIS standards, and at the direction of the County Engineer, a load rating analysis was completed by TranTech Engineering, LLC, for the Shorey Road Bridge, bridge number 069, and the load rating analysis determined that said bridge should be restricted for category 3 emergency vehicles (EV3); and

WHEREAS, the County Engineer has reviewed said load rating analysis, agrees with the findings, and recommends the BOCC restricts EV3's, with a gross tonnage exceeding 33 tons, from operating on or over the Shorey Road Bridge, bridge number 069.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED in accordance with RCW 46.61.450, the BOCC establishes a gross tonnage limit of 33 tons for EV3's on or over the Shorey Road Bridge, bridge number 069 ; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the BOCC directs the County Engineer to erect and maintain all necessary signs on or near the Shorey Road Bridge, bridge number 069, in accordance with RCW 46.61.450, and to erect and maintain additional signing at such other locations as to provide adequate advance notice of such restrictions.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 19th day of April, 2022.