Canadian and U.S. Spring Thaw Weight Restrictions Information All in One Place

Ahhhh! Spring!

It’s less than a month away from the first day of spring! That wonderful time of year, when the trees start to bud, the sun gets warmer, and the snow starts to melt. With spring around the corner, that means that spring thaw weight restrictions are coming into effect around the country.

Spring thaw is a result of the ground thawing, and the ice below the grounds surface melting. When the ground becomes soft, driving over the roads with heavy vehicles can damage the roadbed. This results in potholes and large cracks. Canada has created restrictions to try and preserve roads as much as possible.

Vehicles are at risk of being damaged.

Though trucks and cars are the cause of some of the damage to roads, they can also be damaged themselves by potholes and spring thaw. Vehicles can receive damage to

•  wheel rims and hubcaps
•  tires
•  suspension and shock absorbers
•  wheel alignment

How can you prevent damage to your vehicle?

It is important for all drivers, regardless of the size of their vehicle to

•  keep their tires properly inflated (an improperly inflated tire is more likely to burst when it hits a pothole)
•  maintain a safe speed
•  avoid potholes safely
•  beware of other cars or trucks swerving to avoid potholes
•  be extra careful at night if there is a possibility of potholes

Each province and state has its own spring thaw weight restriction dates.

Each province and state monitors its roads beds for thawing and places restrictions in effect as temperatures change. To make checking out roads restrictions easy, we have compiled access to each province and states seasonal load restriction web page. As dates can be subject to change be sure to look just before you hit the road.

Here are the government websites for each province and state for quick reference on road restrictions. We have also provided links to any live updated maps that contain weight restriction information.

Canada

Organized west to east.

United States

Organized west to east.