Weight limits on road bridges
Road Traffic Act section 118 lets LTA restrict bridge use by vehicle weight, axle weight and speed using notices at the bridge approaches. Drivers and operators must check route-specific limits before travel.
Primary source: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RTA1961?ProvIds=pr118-
Bridge restrictions
If LTA is satisfied that a road bridge cannot carry vehicles above specified weight or axle-weight limits, it may prohibit those vehicles from using the bridge by a conspicuous notice placed in a proper position at each end. The notice may set a lower maximum when a vehicle travels at or above a specified speed, and a different maximum below that speed (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 118(1)–(2)).
For this section, vehicle “weight” is its actual weight at the time, including every person and thing carried. “Axle weight” is the weight transmitted to any transverse strip of road surface 152.4 centimetres wide; a vehicle and any trailer it draws are treated as a single vehicle for this definition (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 118(3)).
The notice must be placed on or near the bridge or on or near the approach road so that drivers approaching the bridge can see it from a reasonable distance. The Authority must publish the restriction in the Gazette, but omission of that publication does not invalidate a restriction that was properly notified at the bridge (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 118(3)(a), (4)–(5)).
Offence and penalty
Driving a vehicle across a bridge contrary to a section 118 restriction, without LTA’s consent, is an offence. A person who drives it, or causes or permits it to be driven, may be fined up to $400 for a first conviction or up to $1,000 for a second or later conviction. This does not remove any civil liability for damage to the bridge or otherwise (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 118(6)).
In proceedings, if the prosecutor establishes reasonable grounds to believe the vehicle or an axle exceeded the limit on the notice, the defendant bears the burden of proving that the vehicle weight or every relevant axle weight did not exceed the applicable maximum (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 118(7)).
Route checks for heavy and oversized vehicles
LTA’s PROMPT guidance says there is no single maximum width, length, height or weight limit for every public-road route; limits depend on the proposed route and structures along it. Its guidance directs users to a list of bridges with weight limits, and says route-selection icons flag height or weight restrictions. Operators planning an oversized-vehicle movement must review affected road details and are advised to choose an alternative route where possible (LTA.PROMPT, FAQ on maximum public-road vehicle dimensions and route alerts).
The live LTA.PROMPT bridge-list page currently displays no bridge entries. Therefore this guide does not state bridge names or weight limits; operators should check the live route and notice information before each movement (LTA.PROMPT, List of Bridges With Weight Limit).
Coverage debt
The live bridge-list page displays no entries, so the current bridges covered by section 118 notices and their numerical limits could not be confirmed from that list. This article does not interpret the section’s “reasonable distance” standard or determine how a driver should measure axle weight without official route-specific or weighing information.