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Weigh-in-Motion

The Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) program provides the truck weight monitoring portion of the State's travel monitoring program. Of all the traffic monitoring activities, WIM requires the most sophisticated data collection sensors; the most controlled operating environment (strong, smooth, and level pavement in good condition), and the most effort to set up and calibrate.

WIM systems are designed to measure the vertical forces applied by the truck axles to sensors in the roadway, thereby providing an estimate of the axle weights. The data are collected at each site as a vehicle passes over the WIM site. Vehicles can drive through at mainline speeds and do not have to stop like they do at most traditional weigh stations.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers inspect a truck, near Fairbanks
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers inspect a truck, near Fairbanks. by Meadow Bailey, Alaska DOT&PF
A WIM Station provides the following data:
  • Vehicle gross weight*
  • Vehicle weight by axle*
  • Vehicle speed by lane and direction
  • Vehicle length*
  • Vehicle classification*
  • Vehicle volume
  • Vehicle speed
  • Time stamp
  • Overweight by vehicle classification or axle
  • Location by lane and direction
    * data also collected at traditional weigh stations
WIM data provides information for the following:
  • For secondary weight enforcement by the DOT&PF Division of Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (MS&CVC)  
  • To calculate Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) and generate vehicle classification reports
  • To meet federal reporting requirements
  • To upload data into Federal Highway Administration Travel Monitoring Analysis Software (TMAS)
  • To report gross vehicle weight by lane and direction
  • To report vehicle classification by lane and direction
  • To upload data into the State’s Traffic Monitoring System called Alaska Traffic Server
WIM Locations

Anchorage Area

  • Minnesota Drive
  • Tudor Road
  • Ocean Dock Road (Port of Anchorage)
  • Glenn Highway, Milepost 9 (co-located with weigh station)

Other Areas

  • Glenn Highway, Milepost 53 (Palmer)
  • Steese Highway, Milepost 10 (Fox)
  • Alaska Highway, Milepost 1310 (Tok)
  • Sterling Highway (Soldotna)

For questions about weigh stations, oversize/overweight permits, please contact the Division of Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance.