Bridge capacities

That's the worst thing you can do. You go extra slow. The shock load of hitting it fast multiplies the force on the bridge!!!

 

I-40 bridge in Memphis is another

 

I feel your pain @Bdog.

Running to the oil field it is common to have to cross bridges with weight limits even below 10 tons or weight restricted roads. There's no other way to the rigs or fracking sites. Often we are given specific turn by turn directions to location, with strict instructions to avoid certain routes, but even those specified routes require crossing weight restricted bridges and roads.

Often local municipalities will post signs with speed limits for "Oil Field Traffic" as low as 5 mph. I don't blame them. The "paved" roads end up with more craters, potholes, and patches than original road surface. Often I am on narrow two lane roads with 65 mph speed limits that I wouldn't dream of running more than 25-30 mph.

Take it slow over the bridge and hold your breath.

 

this is very false information, a bridge will hold far more weight moving over it slowly than it will going fast. the speed causes far more forces to be applied to the bridge

 

Maybe no one has called the city/county on it.Could be old signs?????
Give em a phone call,get the skinny on it-then if possible,get permission/escorted.Otherwise they could say you didnt read the sign n your truck will be in the classified section next week.If your gonna rebel it-dont cowboy leadfoot it over n dont do it in broad daylight.Just sayin,good luck driver.

 

Ok listen up ANY bridge that goes away with you on it your fault unless it's on fire. That said here's my experiences lot of roads with low weight rates here in Fl. Some of them with 8-10 bridges one with a max of 20 tons the rest less. Bridge ratings are for longevity most will hold 80 some not but if you gotta you gotta most stick wagons gross 80 plus so there you are. And yes i ignore bridge rates except as a challenge have had 90 plus on and run 30s so good luck. kittypower

 

I saw this but if it is posted at 20t, then it is 20t, and he gets caught, they will inspect the bridge for damage and he will pay for it beside the fine you will get for crossing it loaded.

When my house was built, the basement company came out with an excavator and digger, they ignored the posted weight limit at the bridge of 15t and went over it truck, trailer and machinery. The guy who lives at that bridge is a county inspector, called the sheriff and his co-workers in to inspect the bridge for damage - I am five houses that depend on that bridge. The sheriff came out, stopped at this guy's house then to my property, gave the driver a ticket, and did an inspection on top of that because the driver was a smart***, then left. A couple days later the county inspected the bridge and a week later, they made some repairs to it and sent the company a $11,000 bill for the inspection and repairs. The basement company tried to get me to pay for part of it but I reminded them they were out here three times before and the bridge was mentioned to them not to haul heavy equipment over it.

 

That is why I said to unload and take each piece across the reload. He hauls a pickup and f I remember correctly a rubber tracked machine

 

A lot of false information in this post.

Although, as pointed out by @cnsper, this isn't a situation involving a company driver, it is important to highlight the wrong information. If a driver encounters a situation like this and proceeds across a weight-restricted bridge, it is the driver that is going to be in a world of hurt. It doesn't matter who at the carrier signs what piece of paper telling the driver what to do. The carrier may also get cited, but you can be assured the driver will, regardless of whatever the carrier told them to do.

As previously mentioned, if you can't get permission from the county, then unload, cross bridge and reload. The county may very well issue a permit for one-time or occasional use though. Engineers typically work with a 3:1 ratio when designing bridges.