It's that time of year, as the sun's rays begin to have a more pronounced effect on the earth, that the soil begins to thaw. This also means that roadbeds will become softer and more sensitive. Because of that, the removal of winter weight allowances was in effect as of March 15th.

"The winter weights allow trucks to haul heavier loads on secondary highways during the cold season. This actually maximizes the economic movement of goods while minimizing damage to the roads," explained Brandy Leippi with the Ministry of Highways.

"When these get removed, truckers have to go back to following the restrictions on those highways."

She added that haulers should keep in mind that spring road bans will be coming into effect soon as well.

Heavy fines await those who exceed the limitations. Leippi says that the value is dependent on how far overweight the load was, however, it's not uncommon to reach into the thousands of dollars.

"The intention of the weight limits and bans is to preserve the road's infrastructure. It can benefit the tax-paying motorists in that it reduces the costs of maintenance on Saskatchewan highways, because when you put too much on they start to crumble."

The Ministry of Highways recommends checking the Highway Hotline to learn the limits for your area. 

A diagram of the structure of the roadbeds. (Photo courtesy Brandy Leippi-Ministry of Highways)