Commercial Vehicle Services - Weigh station upgrades

2022

WSDOT finishes construction on new Virtual Weigh-in-Motion on US 2

WSDOT finished construction of a fourth VWIM site near Gold Bar on US 2 in September 2022. The first electronic screening record from the site was September 26, 2022. The site was transferred to the Washington State Patrol in March 2023 after testing and equipment optimization was completed.

The VWIM site replaces an existing westbound weigh station on US 2 in Sultan. The new site includes cameras to identify and electronically screen commercial vehicles.

WSDOT has four VWIM sites—on SR 221, SR 730, US 2 and SR 9—and 11 upgraded weigh stations, for a total of 15 locations with electronic screening capabilities.

WSDOT developing new VWIM/weigh station on I-90 near Cle Elum

WSDOT is working to develop a new weigh station on I-90 near Cle Elum. Washington currently does not have an eastbound I-90 weigh station with electronic screening and also lacks an inspection facility to check commercial vehicles leaving the Port of Seattle.

The project, in partnership with the Washington State Patrol, will provide a safe location for WSP to screen commercial vehicles while checking for out-of-service carriers heading east on I-90. WSDOT now plans to advertise for the project in spring 2024 and complete work by October 2026.

WSDOT to rebuild Plymouth weigh station

In 2020, WSDOT and WSP identified the Plymouth Port of Entry, where I-82 crosses the Columbia River, as a location where improvements are needed to ensure safe inspection and enforcement of commercial carrier operations.

WSDOT and WSP collaboratively obtained funding to design and rebuild the station through the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Systems Station Strategic Plan. The project is now scheduled to be advertised in May 2023 and tentatively expected to be operational in late 2024. The rebuild will include:

• A new scale and operations building
• Two new scale pits and associated approaches on both sides of the building
• A new inspection building with two bays and one inspection pit
• Electronic screening enhancements to include the I-82 and SR 14 interchange
• An upgraded parking area for commercial vehicles with new illumination, two vault toilet rest rooms, and an ADA accessibility pathway
• On-site fire suppression tank and equipment

2021

WSDOT completes electronic screening software upgrades

WSDOT has been working on upgrading its older, out-of-date legacy sites with new weigh-in-motion equipment for several years with state funding and has completed this work by finishing the last two legacy sites in 2021. The 11 existing weigh stations with electronic screening capabilities have all been upgraded with more reliable software and hardware that requires less maintenance and includes the ability for enforcement to monitor remotely.

WSDOT begins construction on new VWIM on US 2

WSDOT started construction on a fourth VWIM site near Gold Bar on US 2 in April 2022. Work is planned for completion in June 2022.

The VWIM site will replace an existing westbound weigh station on US 2 in Sultan that does not have electronic screening capabilities. The new site will include cameras to identify and electronically screen commercial vehicles.

WSDOT has VWIM sites on SR 221, SR 730 and SR 9. When complete, WSDOT will have four VWIM sites and 11 upgraded weigh stations, for a total of 15 locations with electronic screening capabilities.

New I-90 weigh station near Cle Elum in development

WSDOT is working to develop a new weigh station on I-90 near Cle Elum.

Washington does not have an eastbound I-90 weigh station with electronic screening and also lacks an inspection facility to check commercial vehicles leaving the Port of Seattle.

The project, in partnership with the Washington State Patrol, will provide a safe location for WSP to screen commercial vehicles while checking for out-of-service carriers heading east on I-90.

WSDOT plans to advertise for the project in December 2023 and complete work by October 2025.

WSDOT to rebuild Plymouth weigh station

WSDOT and WSP in 2020 identified the Plymouth Port of Entry, where I-82 crosses the Columbia River, as a location where improvements are needed to ensure safe inspection and enforcement of commercial carrier operations.

The agencies obtained funding to design and rebuild the station through the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Systems Station Strategic Plan. The project is scheduled to be advertised in October 2022 and tentatively expected to be operational in late 2023. The rebuild will include:

• A new operations building
• Approaches with scales on both sides of the building
• An inspection building with two bays and one inspection pit
• Enhancements to include the I-82 and SR 14 interchange
• An upgraded parking area for commercial vehicles with new illumination and two, vault toilet rest rooms

WSDOT completes I-5 Fort Lewis weigh station study in 2021

The I-5 Fort Lewis weigh station is the second busiest in the state; only the I-5 Ridgefield Port of Entry weigh station sees more truck traffic. WSDOT completed the I-5 Fort Lewis Weigh Station Study in 2021, identifying congestion factors, freight traffic needs, and existingweigh station issues. The study also identified weigh station issues and recommended:

• Adding restroom facilities
• Expand truck parking using existing undeveloped state right of way
• Add vehicle inspection building
• Clearer signage
• Add hazardous materials containment area
• Larger administrative building
• Southbound I-5 virtual weigh-inmotion
• Lengthen weigh station off-ramp

WSDOT will work with partners to communicate the study results and identify various funding opportunities.

2020

WSDOT upgrades electronic screening technology at four weigh stations, adds three virtual weigh stations in 2020

WSDOT upgraded the electronic screening system software and hardware at four of its 11 existing weigh stations with electronic screening capabilities in 2020, bringing the total number of weigh stations with upgraded software to nine. WSDOT's legacy weigh station software was developed by WSDOT staff in 1999. Following a successful test of new, vendor-supported software at the Everett weigh station in 2016, the agency began the process of upgrading all of its existing weigh stations. As of December 31, 2020, eight additional locations had been upgraded. WSDOT had completed upgrades at the remaining two locations as of May 31, 2021.

WSDOT also created its first three Virtual-Weigh-in-Motion sites in 2020. The new VWIM sites, which supplement WSDOT's existing weigh stations, are located on State Route 221 near Prosser, on SR 730 at Wallula Junction, and on SR 9 near Deming. As of March 2021, WSDOT was finalizing the design for a fourth VWIM site on US 2 near Gold Bar. This VWIM site will replace an existing westbound weigh station on US 2 in Sultan that does not have electronic screening capabilities. After this VWIM site is complete, WSDOT will have four VWIM sites and 11 upgraded weigh stations, for a total of 15 weigh stations with electronic screening capabilities.

New VWIM sites help WSP identify 45,000 commercial vehicle violations in 2020

In 2020, 30% (45,000) of the 150,000 commercial vehicles detected at WSDOT's three new VWIM sites were either overweight or operated by carriers that were out of service (not in compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations). The remaining 70% of detected commercial vehicles were traveling lawfully. Washington State Patrol troopers and other enforcement officers can view the data collected at VWIM sites in real time from their vehicles, allowing them to pull over vehicles for closer inspection if the screening system finds a violation. As part of its ongoing collaboration with WSP, WSDOT placed its first VWIM sites on routes which were known to be commonly used by commercial vehicles attempting to avoid weigh stations.

2019

Weigh station strategic plan emphasizes partnership with WSP and guides commercial vehicle operations

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Systems Strategic Plan—created in partnership with the Washington State Patrol—presents Washington's approach for continuing effective and efficient commercial vehicle enforcement. The plan provides for safe highway operations, protects basic highway infrastructure and promotes the economic vitality of freight movement in the state.

WSDOT works with WSP in developing and maintaining a commercial vehicle enforcement system that helps the ever-increasing commercial vehicle operations by:

• Identifying high risk commercial carriers;
• Protecting basic highway infrastructure by screening for overweight commercial vehicles; and
• Maintaining a system that allows safe and legal carriers the opportunity to bypass a weigh station after successfully passing an electronic screening.

2018

No weigh station upgrade information was reported in the GNB for 2018