Packing in Efficiency

Heavy truck traffic in the Midwest flows into the state of Wisconsin as goods are distributed or transported to other areas of the region. In order to ensure safety of commercial vehicles and the traveling public, traffic flow for truckers and automobile passengers on Wisconsin’s highways, periodic weight and inspection of trucks must be conducted through weigh stations placed throughout the state. When Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation saw the need to renovate the 51-year-old Kenosha Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility (SWEF), they were able to integrate innovative weighing technology to upgrade the facility.

The Kenosha SWEF is located on I-94 just north of the Illinois border on the Gary, Indiana/Chicago/Milwaukee corridor (GCM corridor), one of the busiest corridors in the nation for truck traffic, and provides enforcement on thousands of trucks per day. Because of the high truck volume, efficient, yet precise weighing is essential—and safety is paramount.

Automatic revolving door

Wisconsin’s size and weight enforcement program is one component of the inspection and enforcement activities, implemented by the Wisconsin State Patrol, to make certain that trucks are meeting size and weight limitations.

An upgraded feature of the newly renovated Kenosha SWEF is a weigh-in-motion (WIM) screening system. This includes WIM scales, located on the deceleration ramp leading up to the station, operating in concert with a static scale. The WIM screening system tracks the vehicles (via loops) as they navigate through the facility. The new WIM technology automatically signals nonviolators, trucks not exceeding height or weight limits, to proceed in the bypass lane, allowing the truck to accelerate and return to the highway. Any vehicle recognized as a potential violator, exceeding height or weight limits, is directed to the static scale just outside the administration building. Trucks so directed must stop on the scale, be statically weighed and then visually checked by a weight inspector.

The static scale and software have a unique feature—the Automatic Violation Check and Release—that automatically determines all static scale violations, including the internal bridge formula. The Automatic Violation Check and Release was developed to reduce the amount of time required to statically weigh trucks, increase productivity and throughput.

When a truck is in violation of static weight limits, the weight inspector is alerted via audio and visual alarms. The inspector then uses a single keystroke to print a ticket and inform the driver via the variable message sign located in front of the truck to report to the building and present his paperwork for further investigation. If the truck is found to be in compliance on the static scale, the software and signage automatically directs the truck back to the interstate.

If a truck is directed to the static scale, yet proceeds in the bypass lane as if going back onto the interstate, an alarm sounds alerting the operator of this violation. In this event, the truck is further directed back to the correct path by changeable message signs. If this is not successful, an officer can be dispatched to pursue the truck.

“The WIM system at Kenosha is the most technological in the state and it’s deployed at our busiest interstate corridor. In the past, we didn’t use WIM technology there and were limited to the number of trucks that could be weighed. With the new technology in place we are able to weigh an increasingly higher volume of trucks,” according to David Simon, the state of Wisconsin’s project manager for this site.

Simon also noted that “The WIM technology provides more efficiency and productivity with a much lower cost of ownership and will assist us with a faster return on investment. This new facility also is ensuring that trucks are paying the correct amount of taxes, contributing to potential future highway funding.”

“One of the best features of this system is that we have a WIM and static scale allowing for the two systems to easily work together,” said Sergeant MJ Martino, a supervisor at the Kenosha SWEF for the past six years.

Another major part of the system is the WIM automatic calibration, which allows the WIM scale and the static scale to communicate with each other. This provides a self-calibrating feature that removes manual intervention, is performed automatically, continuously and assures accurate WIM weights.

The automatic calibration feature was designed to eliminate costly manual calibrations, compensate for uncontrollable dynamics factors and reduce total cost of ownership. Over the past four years periodic manual calibration checks have been performed at all locations utilizing the system, and not one of the WIM scales tested required manual calibration adjustments. Not only has this eliminated the need to perform costly manual calibrations, but also the overall accuracy of the WIM scales has performed well beyond the ASTM Type III requirements. The automatic calibration feature works in the same manner for both mainline and ramp applications.

Working security

The renovation of the Kenosha SWEF, in conjunction with the equipment, will allow the state of Wisconsin to contribute to an increase in safety on I-94.

“We screen trucks as they come through our facility for such things as registration, fuel tax, equipment and size, weight and load requirements. Size, weight and load along with safety inspections make up the core of our responsibility. Our weight enforcement program helps to keep our highways safe and to keep roads in good repair,” said Martino.

“The technology also allows us to weigh many more trucks than before,” he added. “In the past, we might run 6,000 to 9,000 trucks through the station in a month. With the weigh-in-motion scales we are averaging between 25,000 to 30,000 trucks in the same amount of time.” The trucking industry also continues to be concerned about the time that their trucks are delayed.

“The longer time that trucks are not moving, the less money they’re making. And in today’s society, just-in-time delivery is critical. The more efficient we can be at a safety weight and enforcement facility, the better we can work with the trucking industry to create a safe transportation system for all to use,” said Martino.

With the new WIM technology, vehicles that are directed to the static scale due to a potential violation are assessed and validated within an estimated 80-second delay. Trucks seen by the WIM scale that are within weight compliance are directed to the bypass lane and proceed through the facility with minimum delay (approximately 20 seconds)—considerably less than previous weight times.

The Kenosha SWEF team further feels that homeland security has been aided by virtue of the new WIM technology.

“We utilize the WIM technology to assist us in screening trucks. The WIM helps us to weigh more trucks and to randomly select others for inspection. When a unit is selected, based on weight, we can take a closer look at everything,” said Martino. “This includes the driver, their paperwork, their load and their equipment. With the addition of the inspection bays, we are able to do complete Level 1 inspections on most trucks that we stop. This allows us to remove the unsafe truck or driver from continued operation on our highways. In our dealing with carriers every day, we are in contact with safety directors of companies and shippers of destinations regularly to discern load information and ensure the vehicle is carrying the intended load. We do a more in-depth operation than what might appear on the surface.”

Homeland security became a major concern in our country after the terrorism act of Sept. 11, 2001. SWEFs such as Kenosha also help to address America’s ever-increasing needs to improve security on our highways. It is a vital task to ensure that trucks are carrying the correct weight and are not transporting illegal hazardous loads. It’s also important to ensure that all trucks and their drivers are in compliance with the federal motor carrier safety regulations along with Wisconsin state statutes.

TME