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The restriction is set to last indefinitely as it currently stands
A NEW law is set to limit how fast vehicles can travel on certain roads.
The road rule also restricts how much vehicles can weigh over concerns related to traction capabilities in winter conditions.
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An unusually warm stretch of weather has resulted in seasonal weight and speed restrictions being enacted.
The restrictions went into effect throughout Kent County on Saturday, with orange warning flags being installed along roads to inform drivers of the change.
Under the seasonal local Michigan law, drivers will be forced to comply with certain weight and speed limits due to instability on local secondary and gravel roads in the Kent County area.
Drivers are now restricted to traveling 35 mph at most on these roads until the seasonal law is removed.
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The law also requires truckloads to reduce their weight by 35% of the typical limit when using these roads while the ban is in effect.
Steve Roon, the director of maintenance and local road construction for the Kent County Road Commission, called the timing of this enactment “unusually early” while speaking with local NBC affiliate WOOD.
The warm weather is causing a widespread thaw of frost below these gravel and secondary roads, with the stretches not equipped to stand up to such conditions experiencing a “waterbed-like” effect as trucks go over them.
“If you could slow down and see it, you’d almost see a water board or a washboard effect on that road. This time of year, that’s very problematic to our roads,” Roon explained.
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“It can cause fracture or break it and kind of take roads that are very fragile and really put some undue burden on them” he furthered.
Roon confirmed that the restrictions will remain in effect as the Kent County Road Commission continues its frost analysis underneath the surface of many different county roads.
Even with the right equipment like snow tires, driving in the winter can still be much more dangerous than driving in fair-weather seasons. Thankfully, there are a few key tips to keep in mind that will help make each outing as safe as possible.
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