Feasibility Study of Portable Weigh-in-Motion Systems for Highway Speed

Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) needs improved traffic monitoring tools to optimally allocate road maintenance and improvement resources. In particular, the department needs a method of including vehicle and axle weights with portable traffic logging equipment. The cost of existing Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) equipment prevents widespread use in locations where only temporary monitoring is needed. This project was a survey of the suppliers of portable WIM systems, allowing a few systems to be moved between locations of interest. There were four candidate systems found and studied, of which two are recommended for further evaluation. Both systems appear to meet the needs Mn/DOT established and local testing will allow a final decision on their suitability.