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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: April 12, 2421 <br />TOPIC: Bridge 89342 Load Rating <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Informational Briefing — No Board Action Required <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />No Board action required. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Bridge Number 89342 requires posting for Special Use Trucks and Emergency <br />Vehicles Class 3. <br />• The wood structure will be posted for 43 Tons. <br />• Posting of the bridge is anticipated to cause concern for local hay pressers and <br />will have adverse impacts for over -weight permits avoiding Interstate 90. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Emergency vehicles in general, and fire apparatus in particular, are often heavier than <br />typical commercial vehicles. Size and weight regulations applicable to emergency <br />vehicles vary widely from one State to the next. Many states exempt emergency vehicles <br />from size and weight regulations. On December 4, 2015, the President signed into law the <br />Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (P.L. 114-94), which includes <br />new truck size and weight provisions that affect bridge load rating and posting <br />requirements. Among those provisions is the exemption of emergency vehicles from <br />meeting the nationwide Interstate truck weight limits set forth in 23 U.S.C. 127(a). An <br />emergency vehicle as defined in the FAST Act is designed to be used under emergency <br />conditions, including equipment for firefighting and equipment used to mitigate other <br />hazardous situations in an emergency. The emergency vehicles exempted from these <br />weight limits by the FAST Act can create greater load effects in certain bridges than the <br />previous legal loads. <br />Public Works (PW) has been evaluating County bridges for compliance with federally <br />mandated load ratings for Special Use and Emergency Vehicles for the past several years. <br />KPFF (PW structural on call task order consultant) is now finalizing its evaluation of the <br />County's bridge inventory. While numerous bridges are anticipated for load posting, the <br />Vantage Highway bridge produces the most concern. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2021 <br />