Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has launched the state’s latest $13.5m Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility (SWEF) on US 2 and 53 southeast of Superior.

Intended for the Wisconsin State Patrol to efficiently weigh and inspect large trucks on a heavily travelled route, the Superior SWEF replaces an old facility that was developed in the 1960s.

The Superior SWEF is equipped with technologically advanced features that will help protect highway infrastructure from damage caused by overweight trucks, boost the safety of large trucks, as well as reduce delays to trucks that comply with safety and weight requirements.

Among the new features included in the SWEF include an indoor, two-bay truck inspection facility with inspection trenches and brake tester for efficient and thorough examinations of a vehicle’s safety equipment, and triple-deck static scales for weighing large trucks along with weigh-in-motion scales built into the highway, as well as automatic vehicle identification systems.

The facility also includes 22 parking stalls for trucks and emergency command centre capabilities, and offers access to the Wisconsin State Patrol communications networks.

Furthermore, the new SWEF facility was designed using natural elements and hardscapes, thereby making it environmentally friendly.