The DeKalb County Highway Department is reducing the amount of weight a truck can haul on its roads during the spring thaw.

During non-thaw times a truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds depending on the route it is traveling. However, with the spring thaw law in place, trucks are limited to 33,000 pounds on county roads, County Engineer William Lorence said.

“This is a method to protect our investment in our local roads that do not have much support underneath them,” Lorence said.

Most of the damage caused to roads during this time of year occurs because truckers do not obey the weight rules during the springtime, he said.

If a truck driver is found to be in violation of the law, they will receive a moving violation, Lorence said.

Only three such citations were issued last spring, said Sgt. Todd Merritt of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department

Local truckers have a hard time following all the different rules in Illinois, said Jim Gross, vice president of Davidson Trucking.

“I do not agree with all the different rules that are governing the weight of trucks,” Gross said. “My truck can be fine with state laws but violates the law in DeKalb County.”

With the spring thaw rules in place, it can become difficult for trucking companies to make money, Gross said.

“The weight restrictions are so low there is no way we can do business,” Gross said. “My truck weighs 30,000 pounds empty. That doesn’t leave much room for cargo.”

The spring thaw rules are enforced for a maximum of 90 consecutive days and usually end around April 15, Lorence said.

“There are times when it gets cold enough that we suspend the law usually when it is below 20 degrees for over 24 hours,” he said.