After an early thaw, Harpswell Road Commissioner Ron Ponziani is beginning to post weight restrictions on town roads to protect against damage from heavy vehicles.
The postings do not affect Harpswell’s four state roads — Harpswell Islands Road, Harpswell Neck Road, Cundy’s Harbor Road and Mountain Road — or private roads.
Ponziani posted the three town-owned gravel roads — Grassy, Sage and Upland — on Friday, Feb. 18. Restrictions on other roads will take effect Friday, Feb. 25.
The gravel roads “were really falling apart last week,” Ponziani told the Board of Selectmen on Thursday, Feb. 17. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, so I decided to come out a little early this year.” He usually posts roads in March.
The road commissioner may leave the restrictions in place until April 30, but will lift them sooner if conditions warrant.
Springtime weight restrictions are common in Maine. They seek to extend the lifespan of roads and reduce expenses for maintenance and repair.
The restrictions do not apply when a roadway is frozen, which means the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below and there is no water showing in the cracks of the pavement. For a dirt road, frozen means the temperature is 32 or below and there is less than a half-inch of thaw.
For more information, contact Ponziani at 837-7744.
