WELLS — A total of 85 roads within the Town of Wells have been posted for frost heaves this season by the Wells Board of Selectmen.

Following a public hearing conducted last week by Wells selectmen, the roads were posted for trucks weighing more than 23,000 pounds and is effective from March 13 to April 16.

Trucks exceeding the weight limit and not exempted by town ordinance must submit an application to the town’s public works director for consideration to travel over a posted road if conditions warrant. 

Wells Town Manager Jonathan L. Carter said that the town reserves the right to terminate the road postings if frost is out of the roads.

Frost heave damage to roadways is caused by an upward movement of pavement as a result of the expansion of trapped water beneath the roadway surface. Considerable frost heaves can produce permanent damage to roads and crack pavement surfaces with differing levels of severity.

Distresses attributed to frost heaves can impact road surface quality and are unpredictable and costly for towns and municipalities to repair.

According to the Maine Department of Transportation, as spring temperatures warm and the ground thaws, the soil situated beneath roadway pavement becomes saturated with water, making it unstable and leaving many roads unable to support heavy loads.

Typically, a road that can easily handle a 15-ton weight in summer or winter may only be able to handle a 5-ton load during thawing.

MDOT says a posted road’s maximum weight limit is 23,000 pounds and it’s a temporary measure that’s designed to protect roads in vulnerable conditions.

Repairing or rebuilding a road damaged by a frost heave can be exhorbitant, running as much as $1 million per mile in some cases.

When the ground begins to thaw and materials beneath roadway surfaces are saturated with moisture, travel over these roads also can cause cracking, potholes, and rutting. 

The list of posted roads this year in Wells includes Acorn Drive; Allen Road; Alpine Drive; Bald Hill Road; Bears Den Road; Berube Circle; Bill’s Lane; Blackberry Lane; Boyd Road; Bragdon Road; Brick Farm Circle; Burnt Mill Road; Butternut Trail; Buzzell Road; Canterbury Road; Captain Thomas Road; Charlie Road; Cheney Woods Road; Chick Crossing Road; Clark Road; Clubhouse Road; Coles Hill Road; Day Hill Road; Deerwood Drive; Depot Road; Dodge Road; Dwight Drive; Elinore Lane; Ell Pond Road; and El Velvel Circle.

Also posted this year in Wells are Garden Street; Glen Circle; Glenwood Road; Hamlyn Drive; Hardwood Drive; Harrisecket Road; Hilton’s Lane; Homestead Drive; Hobbs Farm Road; Horace Mills Road; Indian Run Circle; Kimberly Circle; King’s Court; Lindsey Road; Locksley Lane; Locksmith Lane; Lomar Circle; Loop Road; Manor Drive; Meetinghouse Road; Merriland Ridge Road; Mildram Road; Natanis Ridge Circle; Nottingham Drive; Old County Road; Pennacook Circle; Penney Meadows Walk; Perry Oliver Road; Pine Hill Cemetery; Road Pine Ledge Drive; Pine Ledge Extension; Ponderosa Avenue; Quarry Road; Robinhood Drive; Roe Street; and Royal Heights.

Roads also posted by Wells Selectmen are Sawyer Road; Searfoss Lane; Settler’s Retreat Road; Spicebush Road; Stephen Eaton Lane; Storer Lane; Sunset Ridge Road; Swamp John Road; Tatnic Road; Teakettle Lane; Thompson Street; Timber Way; Tote Road; Tufts Road; Wells Highlands; Whippoorwill Trail; Whispering Pines Circle; Wire Road; and Woodland Circle.

Because weather conditions vary greatly in the spring, Wells Selectmen authoried the town’s road commissioner and assistant road commissioner to use their discretion in determining daily weight prohibitions as a result of thawing conditions.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.