New Weight Limits On Some County Roads Cause Concern For Contractors

LEE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – A move by Lee County Supervisors that lowers the maximum weight on some roads is causing friction between the county and some contractors.

Before construction can start on a house, dirt has to be brought in for  foundation work.  But under new weight restrictions on some Lee County roads, contractors may have to make extra trips to haul the dirt which would mean a higher price for the homebuyer.

As a home builder, Dan Gale has to have materials hauled to his job sites. He says the new weight limits will make it tough for his business.

“It could be very detrimental, I have some jobs going on, on one of those county roads and if we can’t get supplies, rock trucks, concrete trucks, dump trucks, I can’t build a house,” Gale said.

Lee County Supervisors recently voted to reduce maximum weight limits on six county roads, from 80,000, to 36,000. Tim Allred is the county road manager and says the intent is not to harm businesses, but to better maintain the roadways.

“The purpose of it was for preservation of the roads. One pretty good sized area you tear up could cost anywhere from 8,0000 to 125,000 dollars to put it back,” Allred said.

The roads are in Supervisor Phil Morgan’s district. He says certain types of trucks are exempt from the new weight limits.

“Concrete trucks are exempt, log trucks, they do permits with us, garbage trucks, fire trucks, mobile homes, motor homes, people have those things are just in and out occasionally,” Morgan said.

Gale says his clients will feel the impact of the new weight limits.

“There’s other routes we could take , but it takes more time out of the day, could reduce weight limits but that , more trips cost more money and that transfers to the homeowner,” Gale said.

Those new lower weight limits take effect next month.