Ports of entry

[CL]

Utah has ports of entry - inspection stations for commercial vehicles - at several border crossings. Why would Utah want to do this? Do other states have equivalents to ports of entry? One thing that comes to mind is Yermo, but that's for all vehicles. At first glance, these seem unnecessary; I cannot picture eastern states having such things at every crossing.

Here's a picture. One can see in the background of this photo the scale where trucks are weighed. The left side of the VMS reads "approach scale at 5 mph," while the right side reads "vehicle weight is -20" (presumably since no vehicle is on the scale).

[newyorker478]

Many eastern states have weigh stations on Interstate bordering crossings, especially Interstates in Connecticut, however in urban areas there is no such equivalent whatsoever.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky has weigh stations on most of its interstates, but often they are several miles inside the state line.

[roadman65]

Florida has Agricultural Inspections Stations at all GA Border entries east of the Suwannee River.  Then all crossings over the Suwannee in Florida have them.  The River and Border at these points is the limits of a controlled area by the Florida State Agricultural Department for vehicles transporting citrus items.  Considering that there are no citrus farms and packing plants in the Florida Panhandle, has no reason to have stations at the rest of border crossings of the state and not all roads cross the river, so why not control it by these two boundaries.

[allniter89]

Utah has ports of entry - inspection stations for commercial vehicles - at several border crossings. Why would Utah want to do this? Do other states have equivalents to ports of entry? One thing that comes to mind is Yermo, but that's for all vehicles. At first glance, these seem unnecessary; I cannot picture eastern states having such things at every crossing.

Here's a picture. One can see in the background of this photo the scale where trucks are weighed. The left side of the VMS reads "approach scale at 5 mph," while the right side reads "vehicle weight is -20" (presumably since no vehicle is on the scale).

Many western states do have Port of Entry stations for commercial vehicles, I think it's a term western state DOT uses in place of "weigh station".
IIRC AZ, CO, ID, NM, UT, WA and WY use Port of Entry stations, there may be others.
Also, there IS a truck on the scale in the photo, the scale platform is just past the stop sign. Most scales require a full stop before pulling onto the scale. I dont know why the VMS would read -20 unless they were calibrating the scale.

[realjd]

The agriculture checks in Florida are both ways, and incoming trucks also have to stop at a weigh station just past the border. CBP also usually is hanging out at the ag checks and weigh stations at the border.

California has ag checks at all their borders and everyone, not just commercial vehicles, have to stop.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Ontario has a scale not too far after the border on Hwy 401 WB, but not on Hwy 417. Québec seems to have scales on its most important points of entry; notably A-15 NB and A-20 EB. Manitoba has a scale on TCH 1 WB after entering from Ontario, too.

[roadman65]

The agriculture checks in Florida are both ways, and incoming trucks also have to stop at a weigh station just past the border. CBP also usually is hanging out at the ag checks and weigh stations at the border.

California has ag checks at all their borders and everyone, not just commercial vehicles, have to stop.

The one in Brantford, FL is three ways.  The ag station is located on the NW corner of US 27 & 129.  It checks SB on US 129, SB on US 27, and NB US 27 from one station.  SB US 27 has the officer cross the street to greet the vehicles.

http://www.coopsareopen.com/sitemap-florida.html
http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/profiles/4123/print.asp

[sp_redelectric]

Port of Entry stations for commercial vehicles, I think it's a term western state DOT uses in place of "weigh station".
IIRC AZ, CO, ID, NM, UT, WA and WY use Port of Entry stations

Oregon uses simply "Weigh Station" for signage but ODOT's website does refer to port of entries.  Washington uses "weigh station" in the western part of the state...I can't remember if the I-90 Port of Entry is a "Port of Entry" or a "Weigh Station" as I haven't been out there in awhile.

[ftballfan]

California has ag checks at all their borders and everyone, not just commercial vehicles, have to stop.

Even on non-state highways?

[Alps]

California has ag checks at all their borders and everyone, not just commercial vehicles, have to stop.

Even on non-state highways?

Far from uniform. There are only a couple of permanent ones.

[SSOWorld]

in 2010 I entered Nevada via I-80 and drove through Reno and Carson City towards Tahoe (after which I took the ring around the lake) when I proceeded past Tahoe on US 50 I saw a sign saying "any one visiting Reno, CC or Tahoe can pass by." (not really that but the more transport speak)

WI has weigh stations at each Interstate entry point except I-94 from Chicago.

[allniter89]

in 2010 I entered Nevada via I-80 and drove through Reno and Carson City towards Tahoe (after which I took the ring around the lake) when I proceeded past Tahoe on US 50 I saw a sign saying "any one visiting Reno, CC or Tahoe can pass by." (not really that but the more transport speak)

WI has weigh stations at each Interstate entry point except I-94 from Chicago.

Did they close the weigh station on I 94 from Chicago? Havent been up there in a few yrs but I remember waiting at the TA Truckstop, Russell Road exit waiting for the word on the cb that "the coop was locked up". "chicken coop" or "coop" is trucker slang for a weigh station btw.

[CL]

Guess I was naive to think only certain states had weigh stations. I'd guess they date back to the time of interstate commercial transport, as in the 1780s.

[SSOWorld]

I think they did. I'm not sure - there's a lot of construction in that area.

[allniter89]

Guess I was naive to think only certain states had weigh stations. I'd guess they date back to the time of interstate commercial transport, as in the 1780s.

I dont know if they go back that far but I'd guess since 1940's or 50s.
Another tidbit of weigh station/trucker info, many states weigh stations are seldom used, or were seldom used during my careeer (1989-2009). Most of the New England states are seldom open. PA opens occasionally in rest/truck parking areas, I dont remember any permanent weigh stations in NY, PA, DE. Alabama only has one permanent weigh station, its on I-20 westbound just past the GA line. Hmm, seems I might be missing my trucking days.

[NE2]

I can't find any general information, but Michigan started in 1929:

The most notable change of 1929 was the creation of the first permanent weigh stations in Michigan. The portable scales used by the crews could not handle the overweight loads operating under permits, and in certain areas truck traffic was a constant, so the highway department took the extraordinary step of establishing permanent weighing stations.

[Brandon]

Illinois has several, but only one permanent one on the entire tollway system (and they're called "weigh stations").  The one on the tollway system is on I-355 ndb before the Spring Creek cash box, and it is set up across all three lanes for weighing in motion.

The IDOT ones are the typical ones whereby the truck has to exit the freeway to the weigh station.  A few I know of are:
I-55 nbd & sbd between IL-53 and Weber Rd (replaced a set just north of IL-53).
I-80 ebd before US-45 & I-80 wbd before US-45.
I-57 nbd & sbd between Monee and Peotone.
I-280/74 ebd & wbd between I-74/US-6 and the Big X (I-80/74/280).

In addition, there are a few around here off the freeways.  There is one at St Charles Rd & IL-83.

[sp_redelectric]

WI has weigh stations at each Interstate entry point except I-94 from Chicago.

I don't know if it's similar, but if you enter Oregon on I-5 or I-205 from Vancouver into Portland, the first weigh station you'll encounter is just north of Woodburn at MP 274 - 35 miles south of the Interstate Bridge (on I-5), and 14 miles south of the south I-5/I-205 junction.

There are, however, weigh stations on U.S. 30 between Rainier and St. Helens, I-84 (also considered a Port of Entry but is not signed as such) at Cascade Locks, on Oregon 99W between Lafayette and Dayton, 99E near Hubbard (this one will catch you if you try to jump off I-5 north of Woodburn and take the back road into Salem), and there are scale sites on Ehlen Road on either side of I-5 that are jointly operated by ODOT and Marion County.

There is a Motor Carrier Field Office on I-5 on Hayden Island at the south end of the Interstate Bridge for permitting and registration, but does not have a scale and is signed only as "ODOT Permits" on I-5.

[hobsini2]

in 2010 I entered Nevada via I-80 and drove through Reno and Carson City towards Tahoe (after which I took the ring around the lake) when I proceeded past Tahoe on US 50 I saw a sign saying "any one visiting Reno, CC or Tahoe can pass by." (not really that but the more transport speak)

WI has weigh stations at each Interstate entry point except I-94 from Chicago.

There is a weigh station on 94 NWB just north of the state line in Kenosha Co

[Brandon]

in 2010 I entered Nevada via I-80 and drove through Reno and Carson City towards Tahoe (after which I took the ring around the lake) when I proceeded past Tahoe on US 50 I saw a sign saying "any one visiting Reno, CC or Tahoe can pass by." (not really that but the more transport speak)

WI has weigh stations at each Interstate entry point except I-94 from Chicago.

There is a weigh station on 94 NWB just north of the state line in Kenosha Co

Darn near on the state line, IIRC.