Agenda Item #
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
12/08/2009
Agenda Report #
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: ?Weight Limit 3 Tons? Section to be added to City Code for
Brown Avenue
INITIATED BY: Engineering Department
Recommendation: Approval is hereby requested to establish a ?Weight
Limit 3 Tons? section to the existing codification Section 20-9.48 for the
length of Brown Avenue from Cusseta Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
Background: As a part of their biennial inspection procedure, Georgia
Department of Transportation (G DOT) has informed the Columbus Consolidated
Government in a letter of November 13, 2009, that the load carrying capacity of
the subject bridge has been reduced to 3 Tons. The G DOT letter further stated
that the "continued loading by vehicles over the posted weight limit will
result in accelerated deterioration of the concrete caps and any further
deterioration will result in the closure of the bridge" to all traffic. The G
DOT letter noted that "school buses should also be re-routed off of this
structure" until such time as the needed repairs can be made. The purpose of
this ?Weight Limit 3 Tons? amendment to the City Code is in response to this
request of Georgia DOT. This amendment would add a schedule to include all
vehicles, not just trucks.
Analysis: The proposed weight limit restriction will affect the pedestrians
and motorists on Brown Ave. The bridge previously has a 10 Ton weight limit and
overweight vehicles have been forced to find alternative routes for several
years. Alternative routes are available. The City is working with G DOT to
expedite the bridge replacement project and is looking for temporary repairs to
increase the allowable load limit.
Financial Considerations: The cost of the ?Weight Limit 3 Tons? signs would be
approximately $ 125.00 each and will be charged to the Traffic Engineering
Division Operating Budget.
Legal Considerations: All Weight Limit ordinances require approval by Council.
Recommendations/ Actions: Approve a ?Weight Limit 3 Tons? ordinance along the
above-described segment of Brown Avenue
Attachments