Overload truck enforcement is focus of new project for county sheriff and engineer

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·2 min read

COCHOSCTON − The Coshocton County Sheriff's Office and Coshocton County Engineer's Office are joining forces on a new safety program focused on commercial motor vehicle enforcement.

Ohio Revised Code stipulates in counties with 40 miles or more of improved inter-county or state highways, the sheriff's office shall assign deputies to enforce code sections regarding the weight of commercial motor vehicles traveling through the county. Coshocton County has more than 200 miles of improved roadways, Coshocton County Sheriff Jim Crawford stated in a press release.

Deputy Chris Johnson and Coshocton County Engineer Fred Wachtel with scales and other equipment along with warning signage relating to a new enforcement program related to catching and correcting overloaded commercial vehicles. The focus of the program is increased community safety and minimizing damage to roads and bridges.
Deputy Chris Johnson and Coshocton County Engineer Fred Wachtel with scales and other equipment along with warning signage relating to a new enforcement program related to catching and correcting overloaded commercial vehicles. The focus of the program is increased community safety and minimizing damage to roads and bridges.

Dep. Chris Johnson has been assigned as the code enforcement officer. The position is being paid for by the Coshocton County Engineer's Office along with a vehicle for Johnson and scales for weighing of trucks. The engineer's office paid $155,000 for equipment and will pay $26,000 quarterly for Johnson's salary, including benefits.

"The successful execution of this new program hinges on effective communication and education. Recognizing the implementation of new initiatives requires time, we are currently in a soft start up phase," Crawford said in the release.

He said this beginning portion is allowing the sheriff's office to engage with various groups over the law and its enforcement. They also want to education commercial drivers on recognizing overweight loads and optimal load positioning. Enforcement efforts will not solely be focused on gross overweight violations, Crawford said, but also on axle weight discrepancies. By raising awareness about violations, Crawford hopes for improved outcomes in terms of safety and compliance.

Coshocton County Engineer Fred Wachtel said enforcement will protect the public's investment in roads and bridges. He said overloaded trucks accelerate damage to more vulnerable roads and can damage bridges to the extent they have to be closed.

Wachtel said fines collected for overweight vehicles are significantly lower than costs incurred to repair damages caused. As an example, an 18,000-pound overload would have a fine of $791.

The engineer's office maintains 350 miles of road. Cost to pave a mile of road is about $170,000. A mile of double chip seal is $60,000 with single chip seal at $30,000. The engineer's office is also responsible for 269 bridges with cost to replace a 50-foot span at $500,000.

Wachtel said the currently closed bridge on County Road 106 in Linton Township appears to have been damaged by an overloaded truck. The estimated cost to repair the 143-foot long truss bridge's floor system is $300,000.

"By enforcing weight limits on our roads and bridges, we reduce the amount of money we need to spend repairing damage that may have been avoided if the load limits were obeyed," Wachtel said of enforcement. "The primary objective of the program is to safeguard our infrastructure, not to generate revenue."

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Coshocton County sheriff and engineer crack down on overloaded trucks