Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Load Posting of Richardson Highway MP 346

In order to protect state infrastructure, the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is load posting the Richardson Highway MP 346 bridges (North and South bound) for 80 tons. This equates to 160,000 pounds with an allowance for variations due to snow and ice accumulation. 

Load posting signs will be installed at the bridges for northbound and southbound traffic, and the load limitation will be shared with industry and DOT&PF’s Commercial Vehicle Compliance officers. Trucks will be weighed (Tok and Fox) and stopped if found to be over the 80-ton limit.

Permitted overweight loads will continue to use the Chena River Flood Control bypass, as required by the terms of their permit.

Protecting the bridges is of utmost importance to Alaska DOT&PF. These substandard bridges were built by a federal agency in 1977 and do not meet current Alaska seismic standards or hydraulic standards. They cannot be upgraded in place and are an unusual weak link in Alaska’s National Highway System.

DOT&PF is taking steps to replace the bridges, which would eliminate the need to load post, and could allow permitted, overweight loads to remain on the highway without having to bypass the structure. Project plans are at 100% design and the project team is working through final funding and permitting steps.

The Richardson MP 346 bridges are critical Interstate highway bridges. Load posting the bridges will protect them from deterioration that could lead to additional load restrictions, and our long-term plans for replacement will ensure resiliency for future weather and loading conditions to protect the cost of living and transportation efficiency in the Fairbanks area.

Issued by: Leslie Daugherty, Chief Bridge Engineer, Email: leslie.daugherty@alaska.gov

23 CFR 650.313(l)(1):