As of Friday, winter weights on provincial highways have been removed and normal weight regulations are mandatory province-wide.

Steve Shaheen with the Ministry of Highways said at the beginning of March when the region was still experiencing extreme freezing temperatures that it was estimated that winter weights may not be removed until the end of the month. However, with the onset of spring-like temperatures across the majority of the province, the roadways are no longer frozen enough to withstand the heavier loads.

“Our staff monitor road conditions carefully so the reversion to regulation weight occurs at the correct time, protecting our roads from damage during spring melt,” said Lori Carr, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure.

As winter weights come off, Shaheen said southwest Saskatchewan should keep an eye out for spring road bans over the next couple weeks.

Spring road bans are used to limit damage to the roadways during the thaw-out period that ensues as the temperatures rise. The Ministry stated that the restrictions generally start in March in southwest Saskatchewan, with the rest of the province following close behind.

During this time, allowable weights on RM roads and secondary weight provincial highways will be reduced by 10 to 15 per cent and usually last for about six weeks.