Specific Hazmat Routes

I am trying to research specific routes taken for hazmat transportation by highway. I can find the
FMCSA interactive map that shows all the HM routes but I need a few samples of actual, real life examples of these routes that are used, which has proven to be difficult to find. My boss worded it like this:

Highway – A set of sample routes that a truck may take during an average HM shipment (e.g. pick up some hazardous material at a manufacturer and make deliveries to distributors). Three to four typical routes with a variety of urban/rural routes would be great.

I've searched high and low and sent out a ton of emails to no avail. I read a couple forums on here and everyone seems helpful so I thought I'd see if any of y'all could possibly help!

 

Depends on traffic, locality specific rules, time of day, scales being open, and driver preference. If you go to a facility the drivers there might have preferred routes that differ from each other because of any combo of the above. Nothing set in stone unless there's only one possibility.

 

Pretty much what speedyk said....

Also, hazmat carriers are generally required to take the so-called "loop", "beltway", or "bypass" routes around a city. For example:

I-275 around Cincinnati,OH
I-270 around Columbus, OH
I-465 around Indianapolis, IN

and so on.

Most hazmat carriers are restricted from using tunnels. Some restrict ALL placarded loads, some just flammable/explosive/poisonous gas loads.

NYC has a bunch of hazmat rules that apply only to that particular place.

If you need info on specific cities, look on the city's website. There may be trucker's maps available, or local hazmat regs you can print out.

I'm not sure that's what you're looking for, but good luck.

 

Actually in Cinci you can't go thru I-71 tunnel. Dont need to go around town.

 

Thanks. You're right.

I had an x1 moment.....sorry!

 

@bbisenius if it can't go on a road it goes by rail. Explosives are an exception, there are designated parking areas. Went to meet a company man for one of those outfits and we couldn't meet near a restaurant, had to be out away from occupied buildings because he was loaded.

 

I don't know the answer, @MACK E-6

Hauled lots of stuff on rails, none yet on roads.

 

Hazmat would ban you from the tunnels in Baltimore downtown, but put you across the Key Bridge to the south on I-695 in Maryland as a legal bypass. You will run into signage that will assert this long before you reach the city.

You do not take hazmat of any kind into the tunnels under the navy base waters in Norfolk, not even a propane tank in the bed of your pickup. they will turn you around.

We had a fast food joint just burn up in a town a day or two ago when a propane tanker was leaking and static electricity caught it on fire. It bleve'd into the fast food drive through wall burn that up and exploded the vehicle. That was the end of that one. (Pickup truck bed with one loose portable propane tank)

Little Rock will have you on 440 instead of 40 and 30 downtown or 630. Those three routes are verboten. You can however stay on 40 to Oklahoma or use 430 to the west of that city.

I can go on. But most cities will instruct you particular on where you cannot take a hazmat. You have to be very alert and careful never to commit a violation when under a hazmat load. Thats one of two reasons i gave up that hazmat endorsement years ago. It was not making me any better money than basic mileage for more trouble, stress and detail work. For the most part all of my HM loads were perfect. I don't want that hassle, especially today. There is nothing in it for me. Enough was enough in my experience. You could offer me a million dollars and I wont do it. Even though I know very well I can do it all over again easily without trouble. It's just not worth it.