During the M.D. of Bonnyville council meeting a second and third reading was given to Bylaw No. 1840, the Weight Restriction and Road Ban Bylaw.
This bylaw includes several changes for road bans in the M.D. like the removal of the need for a Road Ban Committee and allowing Administration to determine road use and timing, removal of the exemption of agricultural activities.
Farming implements like tractors and combines will continue to be able to use M.D. roads without a Road Use Agreement. Questions were raised during the deliberation about if a farmer hauling their own produce would be exempt.
The Bylaw’s meaning was clarified at council saying a loaded semi-tractor trailer unit could do just as much damage as an industry truck.
After some opposition, Reeve Barry Kalinski said the farms are already more modern than they used to be. “I watch guys who have scales on all their stuff and they only put so much on that the truck can haul and they let her go from the field. If you load up you can do some serious damage on a road.”
The Reeve said it would not be fair if the farmers got an exemption and everyone else who pays taxes had to follow the rules. The penalty for operating an overweight commercial vehicle on a banned highway is $500.
The full bylaw is available on the M.D.’s website.