THUNDER BAY – During the spring thaw period, some roads cannot withstand heavy vehicle loads. Every year, the City monitors thaw progression by using forecast temperature data to calculate the Thaw Index. When the Thaw Index reaches its threshold value, the load restrictions are imposed. Once the pavement strength has been restored, the load restrictions are lifted.
Heavy load restrictions will come into effect for the City of Thunder Bay beginning at 8 am on Friday, March 15.
Commercial vehicles or trailers with a gross vehicle weight in excess of five tonnes or 11,000 pounds per axle are prohibited on all streets within the City of Thunder Bay limits with the exception of the streets or portions of streets listed below, which are exempt:
| Reduced Load Period – Highway Exemptions | ||
| Highway | From | To |
| Algoma Street | River Street | John Street |
| Alloy Drive | Amber Drive | Central Avenue |
| Amber Drive | Alloy Drive | Central Avenue |
| Arthur Street | May Street | West City Limits |
| Arundel Street | Strathcona Avenue | Hodder Avenue |
| Atlantic Avenue | Island Drive | 330 metres west of Island Drive |
| Balmoral Street | Oliver Road | Cameron Street |
| Balsam Street | Highway 11/17 | River Street |
| Bay Street | Algoma Street | Water Street |
| Beaverhall Place | Walsh Street | Mountdale Avenue |
| Broadway Avenue | Highway 61 | Neebing Avenue |
| Burwood Road | Oliver Road | Central Avenue |
| Capital Way | Innovation Drive | Premier Way |
| Carrick Street | Harbour Expressway | Waterford Street |
| Carrick Street | 8th Avenue | Central Avenue |
| Central Avenue | Innovation Drive | Fort William Road |
| Chippewa Road | James Street | Highway 61 |
| City Road | James Street | 1.6km east of Darrell Avenue |
| Clavet Street | North Water Street | North Water Street |
| Cobalt Crescent | Alloy Drive | Tungsten Street |
| Commerce Street | Mountdale Avenue | Walsh Street |
| Copper Crescent | Lithium Drive | Tungsten Street |
| Court Street | Bay Street | Fort William Road |
| Cumberland Street | Grenville Avenue | Elgin Street |
| Darrell Avenue | City Road | North Limit |
| Dawson Road | Highway 11/17 | 170 metres west of Dog Lake Road |
| Dog Lake Road | Dawson Road | 3.9km North to City Limit (Hwy 589) |
| Dunlop Street | Carrick Street | Memorial Avenue |
| Edward Street | Frederica Street | William Street |
| Egan Street | Front Street | Cumberland Street |
| Eira Street | 11th Avenue | South End |
| Field Street | 11th Avenue | South End |
| Flint Street | Central Avenue | 8th Avenue |
| Ford Street | Christina Street | Frederica Street |
| Fort William Road | Northern Avenue | Court Street |
| Frederica Street | Ford Street | James Street |
| Front Street | River Street | Stephens Street |
| Grenville Avenue | Cumberland Street | Shipyard Drive |
| Golf Links Road | William Street | Oliver Road |
| Gorham Street | 10th Avenue | 13th Avenue |
| Hammond Avenue | Maureen Street | Main Street |
| Harbour Expressway | Fort William Road | Highway 11/17 |
| Harold Crescent | Forest Street | Balmoral Street |
| Hewitson Street | Balmoral Street | Carrick Street |
| Hodder Avenue | Highway 11/17 | Grenville Avenue |
| Innovation Drive | Central Avenue | Golf Links Road |
| Isabel Street | Fort William Road | Memorial Avenue |
| Island Drive | Main Street | 106th Street |
| James Street | Frederica Street | City Road |
| John Street | Water Street | Oliver Road |
| John Street Road | Valley Street | Mapleward Road |
| Kingsway | Arthur Street | Christina Street |
| Lithium Drive | Balmoral Street | East End |
| Main Street | Fort William Road | Island Drive |
| Macdonnell Street | Squier Street | Central Avenue |
| Mapleward Road | Oliver Road | John Street Road |
| Mapleward Road | Dawson Road | Kivikoski Road |
| Marina Park Drive | Marina Park Overpass | North Water Street |
| Marina Park Overpass | North Water Street | Marina Park Drive |
| Maureen Street | Fourth Street | Hammond Avenue |
| May Street | Isabel Street | Arthur Street |
| McPherson Street | Pacific Avenue | McNaughton Street |
| McNaughton Street | McDonald Street | Hargrave Street |
| Memorial Avenue | John Street | Isabel Street |
| Montreal Street | Neebing Avenue | James Street |
| Mountdale Avenue | Arthur Street | Walsh Street |
| Neebing Avenue | Highway 61 | South End |
| North Water Street | Red River Road | Elgin Street |
| North Water Street | Marina Park Drive | Macdougall Street |
| Northern Avenue | Fort William Road | Norah Crescent |
| Norah Street | Forest Street | Balmoral Street |
| Oliver Road | John Street | West City Limits |
| Pacific Avenue | May Street | Island Drive |
| Pearl Street | Water Street | Marina Park Drive |
| Premier Way | Harbour Expressway | Central Avenue |
| Red River Road | Water Street | Highway 11/17 |
| River Street | Front Street | Madeline Street |
| Roland Street | William Street | Hewitson Street |
| Rosslyn Road | Neebing Avenue | 320 metres west of 15th Side Road |
| Russell Street | William Street | Hewitson Street |
| Shipyard Drive | 810 metres North of Grenville Avenue | 790 metres South of Grenville Avenue |
| Simpson Street | Northern Avenue | May Street |
| Sixth Avenue Overpass | Fort William Road | Maureen Street |
| South Water Street | John Street | Red River Road |
| Strathcona Avenue | East City Limits | Arundel Street |
| South Syndicate Avenue | Arthur Street | Walsh Street |
| Squier Street | Memorial Avenue | Central Avenue |
| Tungsten Street | Alloy Drive | Lithium Drive |
| Valley Street | Highway 11/17 | John Street Road |
| Vickers Street | Northern Avenue | Forest Street |
| Walsh Street | Neebing Avenue | James Street |
| Water Street | Fort William Road | John Street |
| Waterloo Street | Cameron Street | Walsh Street |
| William Street | Edward Street | Russell Street |
| 8th Avenue | Flint Street | Carrick Street |
| 11th Avenue | Fort William Road | Carrick Street |
| 106th Street | West Limit | 108th Avenue |
| 108th Avenue | 106th Street | South End |
The above date is dependent upon weather conditions and is subject to change. Changes may be made in conjunction with any changes to dates as established by the Ministry of Transportation, which is expected to put its annual heavy load restriction in place for provincial highways this month.
Cooperation in preventing excessive damage to our City streets is appreciated.
For more information and to view the reduced loads exemption restrictions map, visit: thunderbay.ca/heavyloads.
