Harvest proclamation raises truck weight limits

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Monday raising the weight limits on transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure.

The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through Oct. 11. It allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.

“Strict compliance with the permit and fee requirements of Iowa Administrative Code … will prevent or hinder efforts to cope with time-sensitive harvest activities in all counties of our state,” the proclamation said.

This rule suspension applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (a) and (b) by more than 12.5%, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.