Transportation and Infrastructure

2023-2024 Manitoba's Highway Winter Seasonal Weights (WSW)

2023-2024 Winter Seasonal Weights - Order #11 (PDF)

The purpose of WSW program is to allow higher than normal weights on Manitoba highways and roads during the winter season when the roadbed is in a frozen condition. Pursuant to the Vehicle Weights and Dimensions on Classes of Highways Regulation (MR 155/2018), Highway Traffic Act, Manitoba Infrastructure has developed a new policy, based upon scientific data, for flexible start and end dates of the WSW period. The WSW includes the winter weight premium (WWP), the winter seasonal RTAC routes designation and the winter seasonal class A1 highways designation.

General guidelines to winter seasonal weights are provided here. Please refer to MR 155/2018 for specific details.

Notification

The WSW Order is made available in the fall.

An earlier start date and a later end date will be communicated via this web site and the Highway Information (511) line.

1. Web site: Refer to this web site for updates, WSW Orders, Allowable Weights, Climate Zones and the Weight Maps.
2. Highway Information Line: Information will be available through a verbal description of start and end dates at 511 in Manitoba, or 1-877-627-6237 outside Manitoba.

Advertisements announcing that the WSW order is available will be published in the fall in the following publications:

1.   La Liberte
2.   Winnipeg Free Press
3.   Winnipeg Sun
4.   Brandon Sun

Latest Start and Earliest End Dates

The latest start date for WSW would be December 21 in Zone 1A, December 17 in Zone 1B, December 12 in Zone 2 and December 1 in Zone 3. WSW may be started earlier in a climate zone depending upon weather conditions (trend of the freezing index) in that climate zone. The earliest end date would be February 20 (of the following year) in Zone 1A, Zone 1B and Zone 2, and February 25 (of the following year) in Zone 3. WSW period may be extended in a climate zone depending upon weather conditions (trend of the thawing index and daily air temperature) in that climate zone.

Climate Zone	Start Date	End Date
Zone 1A	December 21*	February 20**
Zone 1B	December 17*	February 20**
Zone 2	December 12*	February 20**
Zone 3	December 1*	February 25**

* May be earlier depending upon weather conditions

** May be later depending upon weather conditions

The WSW orders start times will be 12:00 A.M. on the given start dates. The WSW orders will expire at 11:59 P.M. on the respective end dates.

Further information

For further information, please contact any of the following:

1. Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Offices
2. Manitoba Weigh Stations
3. Permit Services: 1-204-945-3961 or toll-free at 1-877-812-0009