Section 4: Changing Load Zones on County Roads and Bridges
Anchor: #i10055224.1 Law Ruling
Texas Transportation Code §621.301 requires counties to obtain TxDOT concurrence for proposed changes to county road and bridge load limits. Counties will petition TxDOT for concurrence with a load limit by submitting a request to the district engineer. The county’s request must include an engineer’s evaluation of the proposed change along with supporting documentation.
The procedure outlined in this section will help expedite review of county requests that involve emergency or other temporary situations that pose a risk to the public or potential damage to a road or bridge. The department is not responsible for monitoring county compliance with this amendment of the Transportation Code. Also, a change in a county road limit does not require an approved Executive Order.
Anchor: #i10055484.2 Coordination Between County and District
Each district will be responsible for communicating the requirements of the statute and providing information to the counties. The following table lists the steps that the district shall take when a county submits a proposed change in load limits to the district engineer.
Step |
Required Action |
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1 |
Determine if TxDOT concurrence is necessary.
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2 |
Check the completeness of the request.
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3 |
Evaluate the request.
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4 |
Provide written concurrence to the county.
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5 |
Provide the district pavement engineer with copies of concurrence correspondence.
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6 |
Provide written notification withdrawing concurrence.
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7 |
Review request for appeal.
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Anchor: #i1005806
4.3 Required Information and Supporting Documentation
The following table lists the required information and documentation that must be included in the request for changing load limits on county roads and bridges.
Roads |
Bridges |
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|
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Engineering Analysis
An engineering analysis is required for load posting roadways. The analysis and recommendations are required to be signed and sealed by a professional engineer. The analysis must demonstrate that the recommended gross vehicle weight or limiting axle load group is expected to preserve the pavement structure. TxDOT recommends a remaining life of approximately 10 years; however, the analysis may result in less when accompanied by supporting justification.
At a minimum, an engineering analysis must include the following information and analysis supporting the load zoning recommendation:
- Anchor: #XUIEJNCK
- Location map Anchor: #VSWRNLJR
- Pavement visual distress and condition
evaluation
- Anchor: #YLINJVLM
- Extent (location and severity) Anchor: #VPVLHIIP
- Distress analysis (identification and causes)
Anchor: #TCQPFMAT - Traffic load study data supporting a 10-year
analysis including:
- Anchor: #YDWIXKCU
- Average Annual Daily Traffic Anchor: #XMMHAFEJ
- Percent Trucks Anchor: #LELYYOVQ
- Equivalent Single Axle Loads
Anchor: #OEGNXPMK - Characterization of pavement layers
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Anchor: #CWWHSQRJ
- Manual field tests using the dynamic cone penetrometer or similar device; Anchor: #IISRVCOT
- Laboratory test results; Anchor: #KFJNYBDE
- Deflection analysis based on the falling
weight deflectometer or similar device;
or
Anchor: #WLRFWYED - Other test methods appropriate for pavement analyses.
Anchor: #PSLWPUVY - Analysis of pavement structure and proposed
load limit determination using one or more of the following methods:
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Anchor: #JTVKRKLM
- Mechanistic analyses (determination of maximum allowable load using stress and strain calculations) Anchor: #NMBMFWGP
- Analyses of deflection data using a Falling Weight Deflectometer or other similar measurement equipment Anchor: #LULENUYP
- The Texas triaxial method by classification of soil presented in “Determining Allowable Pavement Load Limit Using the Texas Triaxial Classification Procedure” at http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/county_load_zone.pdf. Anchor: #YLBUWRUO
- Other appropriate analytical methods based on accepted engineering practice