12 December 2014 | NZ Transport Agency - Southern Region

New weigh-in-motion site at Rakaia installed

Work is expected to be completed today (Friday 12 December) installing the South Island’s second weigh-in-motion site, on State Highway 1 north of the Rakaia Bridge.

The weigh-in-motion site is expected to be operational from early next week to support the introduction of High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV) on this key South Island freight route.

The NZ Transport Agency’s Southern Regional Director Jim Harland says as the Transport Agency works towards moving more freight on fewer vehicles, it is important to monitor the impact of heavier loads on roads and bridges to protect the assets from any damage.

Two of the key assets on the critical transport link from Christchurch to Dunedin are the Rakaia and Rangitata No. 1 bridges, both of which were built in 1939.

“By installing the weigh-in-motion site we can monitor loads over the bridges to ensure we minimise any damage.”

While monitoring to date had not identified any risks to the key assets from the operation of heavier freight vehicles on this route, Mr Harland says overloading had the potential to damage bridges and roads.

The $500,000 weigh-in-motion site will also enable the Transport Agency to collect data for all vehicles travelling over the Rakaia Bridge and enable the Agency to identify freight operators who are in breach of their permit.

In the new year, the site will also have a camera for Automated Number Plate Recognition, enabling the Agency to follow-up with freight companies whose trucks are overloaded, as well as checking on operational speeds and unpaid Road User Charges to assist with highway maintenance costs.

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