Truck weighing and speed measurement starts on D4
High-speed weighing and speed measurement systems will be in operation on the new sections of the motorway from Wednesday 22 January 2025. Full use of both safety features has been made possible by the approval of the traffic police, who have assessed the methodology for deploying the installed technology and are legally responsible for speed measurement.
There are also two high-speed weighbridges on the route of the new D4, one in the direction from Prague to Písek and the other in the opposite direction. The installed real-time dynamic weighing technologies (WIM - Weight in motion) allow the total weight of the vehicle, the load on each axle and a number of other parameters to be recorded without interruption or restriction of traffic.
If a driver exceeds the permitted weight with his vehicle, he is immediately informed: his licence plate and the overweight in tonnes are displayed on the nearest information board. Restricting overloaded vehicles is one way of protecting the high quality of the newly completed D4 motorway.
The high-speed weighing system is in continuous operation for statistical purposes. According to a predetermined algorithm, a so-called penalty regime is then triggered at various intervals, in which penalties are also imposed on hauliers for exceeding the permitted vehicle weight. The administration of offences is divided between the cities of Příbram and Písek, each of which is responsible for the agenda of one high-speed weighbridge.
The agenda of section speed measurement is also divided equally between Písek and Příbram. There are eight sections on the D4 in each direction where speed measurement technologies are installed. The sections are distributed in such a way that in the direction of Písek and in the direction of Prague, four sections fall under the Central Bohemia Region (the agenda of the city of Příbram) and four under the South Bohemia Region (the agenda of the city of Písek). Measurements will be taken in one selected section in each direction.
The measured sections will be changed at regular intervals and drivers will be informed about the measurements by means of variable message signs with the inscription "Sectional speed measurement in progress", unless other mandatory notifications are required. Depending on the type of vehicle, the maximum speed limit on the motorway for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and buses is 130 km/h, and for motor vehicles over 3.5 tonnes it is 80 km/h.
The current list of automated technical means of measuring section speed, which the Police of the Czech Republic has at its disposal and shares on its website, can be found here:
https://policie.gov.cz/clanek/seznam-mist-osazenych-automatizovanymi-technickymi-prostredky.aspx
Construction of the D4 motorway started in June 2021 and was commissioned in December 2024. The D4 PPP project was implemented by Via Salis As part of the first successful PPP (Public Private Partnership) road project, 32 kilometres of a completely new road were built on the route between Příbram and Písek and another 16 kilometres of older sections were upgraded. Via Salis Operations is responsible for the management and maintenance of the new motorway.
