Each spring, rising temperatures and thawing frost destabilize the soil under Cranbrook streets leading to unsafe road conditions, and the city has a proactive plan to help lessen the damage.
Starting Monday March 20, the city is altering its legal axle loading limit to 70 per cent and possibly 50 per cent, depending on the street. This change applies to most residential streets and signage will be added to notify road users.
Theatre Road, Victoria Ave. North, Cobham Ave. West, 2 St. North, 2 St. South, 7 Ave. South, 3 Ave. South, 11 St. South and 14 Ave. are among the roads that will remain at 100 per cent loading limit.
For exceptionally large loads, applications can be made for an overload or oversize permit through the city on a single-load basis.
All road restrictions align with guidelines from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, which issues regional load restrictions based on road weather information system stations that monitor frost depth and road strength.
Road users who want updates from the ministry can sign up for e-mail notifications at gov.bc.ca.