Emergency declaration increases weight limit for trucks hauling crops

JEFFERSON CITY — Heavy rains could lead to some heavier trucks on Missouri roads.

An unusually wet fall has made it harder for some farmers to get their crops out of the fields. So the Missouri Department of Transportation is making it easier for them to haul their crops to market.

At the request of the state Department of Agriculture, the transportation department has issued an emergency declaration. It allows trucks to be loaded up to 10 percent heavier than their legally licensed weight when taking crops to local grain bins, elevators or processors.

The heavier loads are not allowed on Missouri interstates, nor on any bridge with a weight restriction lower than that of the loaded vehicle.