Why This is Important
Weight enforcement is important to preserve state infrastructure and to comply with the requirements of 23 CFR 657.5 which states in part, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) policy is that each state enforce vehicle size and weight laws to assure that violations are discouraged and that vehicles traversing the highway system do not exceed the limits specified by law. Vehicle weights and dimension laws are enforced by highway agencies to ensure that excessive damage (reduced life) is not imposed on the highway infrastructure. Illegally overweight trucks rob the [highway] system of its life without reimbursing the public and compete unfairly with other carriers. These same overweight trucks pose a safety hazard to the travelling public who share the road and create a substantial economic burden to taxpayers.

Size and weight laws apply to ALL vehicles, not only Commercial motor vehicles. A state’s transportation infrastructure is its lifeline, contributing to its economic prosperity and social well-being. The importance of a healthy, safe and efficient transportation infrastructure cannot be overstressed, and steps must be taken to ensure that Alaska’s highway system remains intact and useable. A comprehensive weight enforcement program is critical to the preservation of our roads and bridges.

In Alaska, Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (MSCVE) is responsible for enforcing laws and rules that regulate the weight, size, safety, traffic, contraband interdiction and registration requirements for USDOT numbers, Unified Carrier Registration (UCR), and temporary truck and trailer registrations of commercial vehicles operating on the highway system. Weight enforcement is not only a matter of economics, but also a matter of public safety. Illegal loads not only damage roads they make our roadways more dangerous for everyone.

What's Being Done
The State of Alaska uses three distinct methods to monitor and enforce vehicle weight regulations.  First is the use of fixed facilities.  Alaska has seven (7) operational weigh stations located in Tok, Ester, Fox, Anchorage (3) and Sterling.  Two additional weigh stations are in design for the Richardson Highway in Fairbanks.  Second, mobile scales are used by CVE Officers on patrol throughout Alaska while on routine patrol to weigh vehicles at locations away from the weigh station locations.  Finally, the State has installed Weigh In Motion (WIM) devices in road ways around Alaska to monitor vehicle weights on a 24/7 basis.  WIMs are located on the Alaska Highway, Seward Highway, Glenn Highway, Steese Highway, Minnesota Avenue and Tudor Road.

How We Measure It
To determine compliance rates, the total number of vehicles weighed are divided into the number of violations determined for a percentage compliance rate.