These documents explain why the state of Michigan now requires that frost law enforcement be posted on the internet and it has nothing to do with removing the road signs.
In our initial conversations with each officer, we insisted that enforcement without signage simply had to be wrong and possibly illegal. We knew in our hearts (and just plain old common sense) that our law makers do not intentionally make laws that will deceive the general public or cause them unfair hardship.
Below, you can view documents that I discovered while researching this.
This is a copy of the version of MCL257.722 that was in effect immediately prior to the 2008 revision. This version did not contain any verbiage on the website postings, those were added in the 08' revision. MCL257.722 has never required the posting of warning signs on roadways. That requirement has always come from MCL257.726.
Frost Law - Signs Required
MCL257.726 very clearly says, post signs. This particular law is important because this is the one law that says that you shall post signs when limiting weight on roadways. In short, if you can shorten this, if you want to enforce a frost law on a roadway then you have to notify the public. It stands to reason that you should certainly NOT be enforcing laws until you first comply with them. MCL257.726 places a requirement on the municilapity or authority to post the signs. A funny note: When presented with this, a Taylor traffic enforcement officer commented "I didn't write you for that". simply put, he can't. Again, this is an instruction for municipalities.
From page 99 of the MMUTCD:
07B The SEASONAL LOAD AND SPEED RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT sign (R12-8) is intended for temporary use where the roadway authority has determined that light truck loadings and speed reductions are necessary during the Spring.
Guidance:
07C The SEASONAL LOAD AND SPEED RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT sign (R12-8) should be installed at
intersections or other locations deemed appropriate.
Frost Law - Proper Signage & Placement
The Michigan Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is a guide/rule book that is adopted from the federal gvermenments Manual on Traffic Control Devices and is further adopted by each county and city in the state. Look at what this manual says about the seasonal weight restrictions and the acceptable signage.
Frost Law - Why The 2008 Change
WHY did the michigan legislature add the requirement for communities to post their seasonal weight restrictions on the internet? Well I can tell you that it was NOT so that Wayne county could save money by avoiding the costs associated with posting signs each year. Please read the reason that they added this requirement.
Here are other documents that further explain the reason that MCL257.722 was modified to require postings on CRAM or other similiar websites. The seasonal weight restrictions started in 1949 and are officially 3 months long. That created a few problems given the use of new technology.
Finally, our lawmakers added that seasonal weight restrictions shall be posted on certain websites. They did not say "ONLY have to post on websites, as has been misrepresented by police and the weighmaster. I do miss things and if you see that it says "ONLY", please let me know immediately.
Finally, here is a recent opinion from Michigan Attorney General Bill Schutte on some items within 257.722 and while this does not directly discuss signage as it relates to the frost laws, it makes a few key statements about law and how they should be read.