Ocean State Today

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has started sharing data from its weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology on the eastbound Washington Bridge. This new system provides real-time information about overweight trucks crossing the bridge.

Alongside the WIM system, RIDOT is installing structural health monitoring (SHM) technology. This will use sensors to inform RIDOT how the bridge structure responds to overweight trucks, allowing them to assess any impact these vehicles may have.

"Safety is RIDOT's highest priority," said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. "As part of our comprehensive efforts for maintenance and inspection of the eastbound bridge, we installed this state-of-the-art system which will allow RIDOT to have its finger on the pulse of the bridge in real time, every day, around the clock."

The WIM technology alerts RIDOT when overweight trucks cross the bridge. The weight limit for trucks is 80,000 pounds; however, trucks up to 96,000 pounds can cross with a permit. If a truck weighing 140,000 pounds or more crosses, RIDOT conducts a visual inspection to ensure no damage occurred.

Data shows that only 0.05 percent of the 133,000 vehicles using the bridge daily weigh over 96,000 pounds. Full inspections are now conducted every six months as an additional precaution.

The oversized permit limit is set conservatively based on independent engineering evaluations to ensure safety under current traffic conditions. Trucks under 96,000 pounds are not considered a safety concern.

WIM data is available on www.washington-bridge.com and updated weekly.

Information from this article can be found here.