ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Federal Bridge Weight Formula

Imagine you are going on a trip with your friends and you want to pack everything you need in your backpack. You also have to be careful not to pack too much or it will be too heavy to carry!

Now, imagine if you were carrying something really heavy like a big box and you had to cross a bridge. The bridge needs to be strong enough to hold your weight and the weight of the box so it doesn't break.

That is where the federal bridge weight formula comes in. It helps calculate how much weight a bridge can hold without breaking. There are some math formulas that engineers use to figure out how much weight a bridge can safely support.

The formula takes into account several factors like the length of the bridge, the distance between the axles of the vehicle or the trailer, and the weight of the truck. The formula also considers how many axles the truck has and how they are placed on the bridge.

The weight of each axle should be no more than the federal bridge weight limit for the truck to be allowed on the bridge. This is important because if a truck is too heavy, it can damage the bridge or even cause it to collapse.

So the next time you see a truck on a bridge, remember that there is a special formula to make sure it's safe for everyone to cross.