March 17, 2009
Western Canada spring road limits seen slowing grain movement
Spring road restrictions in the Western Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are expected to limit producers' ability to move grain for the next couple of months, according to industry officials.
Weight restrictions on select roads in Alberta have already been implemented and others will soon be in place.
An official with Alberta's Transportation Department said the spring road restrictions will likely be kept in place until the end of May or June. Restrictions will be lifted depending on how soon frost is out of the ground.
The limitations range from 75 percent of legal weight to 90 percent depending on the highway.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation has issued an advisory to all drivers carrying heavy loads warning that spring road bans are in place in select areas of the province.
Typically, restrictions are implemented in early March in the southwest of the province and progress in a northeasterly manner, the official said. Road restrictions may be in place for up to six weeks.
The official said the restrictions apply to secondary weight highways only.
The road restrictions will likely be in place until May.
Spring road restrictions in the lower half of Manitoba will be implemented Wednesday, while northern regions will be included on March 25, according to information from Manitoba's Highways and Transportation.
However, some commodities in Manitoba will not require a permit when transported. Those commodities include livestock feed for producers, hay for feed within the province, livestock shipped to market, drinking water, bulk milk, seed between suppliers, fuel and fertilizer.
Commodities that will require a permit from Manitoba Highways and Transportation during the implementation of spring road bans include grain to satisfy grain quotas or contracts as well as potatoes or vegetables from producer to processor.
Depending on the class of highway and the restriction zone the limitations in Manitoba generally range from 65 percent to 90 percent of legal weight.
The restrictions in the lower half of Manitoba were tentatively set to be removed May 26 while in the northern regions removal was anticipated on May 31.
