US Weigh Stations Project

I have been working on transfering the Weigh Station data over to the new database, so far I have gotten 22 locations transfered and I will go back to work on it later this afternoon.

Miss Poi

Ok I finished adding all of the locations that I have been given and the count is at 127 locations so far. Let me know if you want to join in the hunt for weigh stations and we can add you to the team.

Thanks,
Miss Poi

Tim Kolecke has volunteered to work on weigh stations for states in the mid west.

Please post states you're working on in this discussion thread.

JM

The following states have been added to the database:
New Jersey
West Virginia
Louisiana

In Progress:
Texas
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Tennessee
Kentucky
Pennsylvania

Why are these weigh stations listed by .01xrt etc. instead of the actual town or interstate they are located at? How would I go about figuring out which locations these are so I could edit the names to something we're familiar with?

I guess if someone wanted to have fun playing with Google Earth, you could put in the coordinates and find out which city and state they are located in. It sounds like fun to me:) Not sure if you are another puzzle person though, I really like puzzles:)

Miss Poi

I began this project by creating an Excel file that indeed includes the State, City (or closest town) and highway/interstate number. The information is gleaned from various websites and uses Google Earth and Map Source to check the locations for as near accuracy as possible.

It's a simple file consisting of three columns:

Longitude
Latitude
City/State and Road (Interstate or US Hwy) designator

I have kept my original file and have been adding to it as time permits. So far this file contains weigh station information for:

-Delaware
-Maryland
-Virginia
-North Carolina
-South Carolina
-Georgia
-Florida
-Alabama
-Mississippi
-New Jersey
-West Virginia
-Louisiana
-Pennsylvania
-West Virginia
-Kentucky
-Tennessee

I haven't added the last four states to the downloadable file here at the poifactory as of yet as time has been a premium for the last few days but I should have them included by tomorrow.

I'll maintain my original file as the project develops along with the poifactory file in the event someone does want to do puzzles. **grins**

Jim

Did some snooping around, looked at the actual file and saw the named locations. Would any of you mind if I altered that file to be more specific to my needs? I'm in a position to where I only really need to worry about the scales on the interstates. All of the temporary scales on the state routes aren't really an issue with me. I can either keep it to myself or post an interstate only version of the file here.

The codes like .01xrt identify the location in the database. They show up in the download file where the POIs are using the same name.

Based on the feedback we're getting here, I think it may make sense to modify the program that builds the download file so that it blends in the road information. This would make the main POI listing on the GPS more useful.

I may be able to find time to try out some variations this week.

JM

As of 01/15/07

Pennsylvania
Kentucky
and Tennessee

have been added to the poi data file.

I'm still working on:

Texas
Arkansas
Oklahoma

Jim

I just spent time adding the locations that ctroys contributed. Here are the states that were included in that.

South Dakota
Iowa
Missouri
Washington
Arkansas
Kentucky
Indianna
Tennessee
Nebraska
Wyoming
Idaho
Montana

There may be more highways that may still need to be represented. So as you are inputing your locations check out the cities and highways that are already in the database so that we get it all covered.

Thanks,
Miss Poi

I am having trouble opening downloaded poi files with the poi editor. It reports, "3 to 4 values expected on line 1" Because of this, I have no way of seeing if I'm up loading duplicate locations. Any ideas? Thanx.

I get the same error when the .csv file has more than 3 columns of data. The data will go into the Garmin with no trouble. I usually check the files either with a text editor (wordpad) or opening it up in excel.

ok. I got it to open in notepad. I'm not sure how the script is to be formatted. here is how it reads as of now...-91.14001,33.30259,"Weigh Station .01xqr","US 82 E/W
Greenville MS"

how should this read? thnx.

ctroys
Format looks correct. That is 4 columns separated by commas. The third column will appear on your listing and when you select it, the 4th column will also appear. There is a linebreak between #/@ and Greenville so they will appear on 2 different lines.

Refer to FAQ on this site under 4 column data: http://www.poi-factory.com/garmin-csv-file-format

I have a Rand McNally "Moter Carriers Road Atlas" that has all the Permanent Weigh Stations, along with low clearance locations listed by state or Provinces. The ISBN Number is 0-528-90062-5.
I hope this helps.
Trainut

I am relatively new to this resource, but I have recently gotten interested in gathering GPS coordinates for Weigh Station locations in the states I drive truck in. I blew past a California weigh station last week that's normally closed, however this time it was open for business. I kept looking in the rear-view mirror expecting to see red flashing lights, but apparently they either didn't see me blow past, or were too busy to chase me down.

When I realized how difficult it was going to be to gather complete information using current resources, I sent an email to the Cal-Trans web-site administrator asking him if he could post that information on their enforcement pages. Within two days he emailed me a copy of all of California's weigh station sites in an attachment, along with a promise that it would be made available on their web page as soon as he got around to doing it.

I only wish other state DOT's were as cooperative.

You should have asked if they could also put in the latitude and longitude for each station. Or at least think about adding it to their website.

I had occasion to be in communication with someone in the Iowa DOT's department that does mapping & posting things on the internet and dropped a hint that making rest areas, weigh stations, low clearance locations and embargo locations available in gps-friendly formats...the reply was they had not formally considered it(yet...and I got asked questions about format, etc. - and I pointed him here to look things over...) - so, they my be more formally considering it now.

And the POI Factory workers stand up and change the world:) gotta love it.

Miss Poi

I was driving west from South Carolina and was having a great time with the weigh station download. Well...I passed the only weigh station in Alabama on I-20 west bound from Georgia (the only one I knew of) and my 7200 started sqawking about other weigh stations. My thought was, "How could they build all of these weigh stations since last week when I was last in Alabama?" Well, looking around, I was right, there is still only ONE weigh station in Alabama!

Please fix this.

Now...time for a nitro...going to Alabama again!

just downloaded and took a quick look, but I see 4 locations in alabama. Now, whether they are actually there couldn't tell ya.

"I-20 N/S
Birmingham AL"

"I-65 N/S
Athens AL"

"I-65 N/S
Morris AL"

"I-20 West
New Hopewell AL

Of course I don't know if you have any proximities set or for how far. But, if you're not expecting an alert...and get one...lol...Breathe!

This is the only weigh station in Alabama.
Some of the other ones that I think that you're referring to have not been used for many many years. They are so old and abandoned that they are unrecongnizable. Buildings are gone and the area grown over. These have been disassembled long before I started driving truck (over 10 years).

I set my proximity alarms for 20000 feet (3.8 miles). Too bad Garmin doesn't allow for miles when using the POI Loader.

I'll keep sending updates when I find errors in the listing. Otherwise everything looks great.

Keep up the good work!

I removed the abandoned locations from the file;)

Miss Poi

Glad we have people with "eyes" out there so things can stay updated.

Miss Poi to the rescue ... a g a i n

Put some in, take some out!

Two Missouri weigh stations are missing from the list.

1. I-70 eastbound N39 00 13.74 W93 51 12.51

2. I-70 westbount N39 00 16.76 W93 51 05.09

All permanent weigh stations in above states are
complete but may 1 or 2 becouse i could not see
them on Google Earth. If anyone is still working on this file besides me PLEASE use the city name locations in the Rand McNally Moter Carriers Atlas
All the Permanent weigh stations are listed there
it makes it easier for me to find out its allready
covered
Thanks KB5RIR

i set mine for 26400ft which equals 5 miles

Im working on Maine all the ones on interstates are
done

Does Garmin C330 have a setting for distance of Alerts?
if so how do you set it?

I found my answer. I was looking to see what the difference was on the POI loader settings and changed from express to manual. There it had a setting for each file alert in feet.

I just downloaded the weigh station file
I see the Weigh station .022bg
I-10 EB
Brookshire TX (Waller County)

I do not see the
I-10 WB station a couple miles West of this, would be just over the river in Sealy, TX (Austin County).

I will be headed that way on Tuesday I will see if I can get a better location on it then.
the Garmin C330 does not give me the Lat/Log. maybe my Nextel phone will.

That is a whole other subject a (almost) free cell phone can give Lat/log but not the GPS. I just have to figure out out to convert the 2 different formats.

I cant see the one west just over the river either
on google earth. If you go by there get the location
and I will add it. also is it new

I have the info for the Sealy, TX Weigh Station.
I-10 WB mile post 726.

On my way West this morning The station was full but the lights were not blinking, So I was not going to stop if I did not have to.

On my way back I stopped on the other side and used my cell phone to get the cordinates.
N29 46.355' W96 4.216 accuracy =117 ft

I then put that in google maps and see it at:
29.772973,-96.070483

P.S. The I-10 EB Brookshire scale is at Mile Post 729.

It would be nice to have the mile post on there as well.

ill add it to the file now

How do I know when the file has been updated?

My dad was a trucker and would have loved to have had something like this, since he had to avoid the scales from time to time. In fact, a company once put out a US map that showed all the scales and suggested ways around them.

Problem was, the police also knew about these maps and often set up on the alternate routes with portable scales...

When a file is updated it shows up in the recently updated area of the POI Files page. You can also look at the recent change date to see if it has been updated since the last time you updated it

Miss Poi

Last night I noticed that the Proximity detector did not go off for the scales on I75 in Ohio

-83.63456,41.2904,"Weigh Station .0223k","I-75 NB Bowling Green OH"
-83.66047,41.10225,"Weigh Station .0223m","I-75 SB Findlay OH"

I zoommed in and it looks like they are way off the road I got better cords. at the end of the ramps.

I replaced the above with:

-83.636649,41.287063,"Weigh Station .0223k","I-75 NB Bowling Green OH"
-83.659972,41.106697,"Weigh Station .0223m","I-75 SB Findlay OH"

I will test on Monday night!

Ken

-94.610295,29.838772

Over the holidays on a family trip I noticed a weigh station that did not show up on the GPS.

Now that i know how to pull saved favorites out the GPS it is easy to capture the cordinate on Garmin C330 and pull them back out with EasyGPS.

I was somewhere between Beaumont and Houston,TX on I-10. There are stations on both the East and West bound side.

kd5jbt

I would love 2 join but u got to teach me how 2 get started, I'm new 2 this and I have Garmin C550.

Here is a link to get you started..

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1631

I would like to create a file for California Weigh Stations, but I need a little advice.

Most weigh stations have one location with two stations. One for north bound, and one for south bound.

Do I need to enter a different for each direction, or can I just use the center divider as my reference point?

Note: Google maps of California Weigh Stations is here...
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=nimitz+inspection+statio...

The project lead for weigh stations is kb5rir, please contact him if you want to help.

Miss POI

I am new to this GPS thing, but I am willing to work on this project with you if you need some help. This is a great idea and very helpful. If you would like my help let me know what I need to do or what area that has not been covered.

Also, I have noticed that the weigh station in Statesville, NC is off a bit. According to Google Earth, the coordinates for the W/B side is 35°46’09.22” N, 81°00’26.75” W. For the E/B scales, it shows 35°45’37.00” N, 81°01’55.41” W. These coordinates are at the exact point the exit ramp starts and not the location of the scale house itself. I hope this helps.

Alabama has only one permanent full weigh station. They have numerous pressure strips in the road for on the fly weighing which I have seen manned lately. They also have area that look like a small rest area on the side of the road built just for portable scales. I have seen the one east of Montgomery on I-65 manned about 2 weeks ago as well as the one on US31 south of Clanton. I can/will get the coord the next time I head that way if wanted.

Jeff

Is anyone maintaining this file? It's been awhile since it was last updated.

This project is now available to be worked on by others. The user that maintained it has left the trucking industry.

Miss POI

If I were to take the project over, would I be allowed to make some format changes to it? And, would it have to be in csv format? I'd prefer to use gpx format.

Would you be willing to have both formats available for those that are not interested in the GPX version. We can have both formats on the page.

Miss POI