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Commission seeks answers on bridge limits and surety before approving alternate construction route for Royalton Woods
Summary
The developer of Royalton Woods requested a limited alternate construction route for oversized/overweight loads after stop‑work orders for using unapproved routes. Commissioners asked staff to confirm bridge load ratings with Murray County, require surety for potential road damage, and limit/monitor the number of oversized trips.
Freehill Ventures requested a limited deviation to approved construction routing for Royalton Woods Section 2 to allow occasional tractor‑trailer lowboys and other oversized loads to use an alternate route when the approved Rice Road route or intersection geometry cannot be physically negotiated.
Staff summarized the previously approved construction routing and the stop‑work orders issued after grading occurred on Section 2 without using the designated routes. The developer explained that almost all construction vehicles can use the approved Rice Road route but that very large lowboy combinations (moving heavy dozers and large‑iron equipment) cannot make the V‑turn at the Kedron/Port Royal/Rice Road configuration and so require a longer alternate path. The applicant asked permission for those occasional heavy transports only and said such trips would be infrequent (they characterized the need as "one, maybe two trips a month").
Commissioners and engineering staff raised two primary concerns: (1) verification of the actual legal weight limit for the bridge crossing on Port Royal (TDOT materials referenced a different rating; staff contacted Murray County for confirmation), and (2) avoiding pavement and structure damage on local residential streets if overweight loads are allowed. Commissioners recommended the developer and staff work out a bonding or surety mechanism to cover potential road damage, require strict trip limits and logs for heavy vehicles, and coordinate resident notification and HOA communication. Several commissioners said heavy loads in the 85,000+‑pound range may require state permitting and are likely inappropriate for local residential bridges and pavement.
Staff will seek confirmation from Murray County about the bridge rating. The commission left the item off consent pending that verification and a condition set for any future approval to ensure surety, trip limits and notification procedures.
No vote was taken at the work session.
