Executive Summary
You have seen them on the roads. Ahead of you, or in an oncoming lane, a large truck carrying what looks to be a very large and heavy load. You recognize a familiar black and yellow banner on the truck: “OVERSIZE LOAD”
With just a glance, you can see that these trucks are much larger than the already imposing big rigs on the highway. And that’s because they are. A typical 18-wheeler is almost 9 feet wide, 14 feet tall, and 70 feet long. Over-dimension loads can be dramatically larger. Widths of 12 to 16 feet are common, heights often reach 18 feet or more, and “Superloads” often exceed 150 feet in length, with weights upwards of 250,000 pounds or more (2.5 times greater than the maximum weight of a regular big rig).
We call them “over dimension” because they exceed legal limits for size and weight and you can probably imagine what could go wrong as these loads travel through Oregon. Can the road accommodate their size, and in the case of a bridge, can it support their weight? Are there curves on the route that the truck won’t be able to negotiate? Will it fit under overpasses and other structures? And with a little imagination, you can see how everyday safety concerns like weather hazards and construction zones are magnified.
The movement of freight is essential to commerce in Oregon and mobility is a key priority for ODOT. In fact, the amount of over-dimension (OD) traffic on our roadways increases every year, and peak volume seasons are getting longer. This signals a healthy economy, but ensuring these loads can travel through the state without incident is critical to the safety of the traveling public, commercial operators, and the preservation of valuable transportation infrastructure. And this is where OD permitting comes into play.
The previous permitting system in Oregon ran on a mainframe and was coded in common business-oriented language (COBOL), elements of which were 30 years old. It presented all the challenges one would expect with such an architecture and outdated underpinning technologies. Opportunities to expand functionality, including automated routing capability established as a priority and best practice by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), were not feasible. In alignment with agency and divisional goals, the implementation of a modern, more flexible and stable size and weight-permitting system was selected as an ODOT strategic initiative. This project is a shining example of modernization because it enhances services to Oregonians, replaces an aging legacy platform, improves business processes and operations, and provides clear and tangible customer benefits.
