To streamline the movement of goods across Texas, TxDOT and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) are revolutionizing how big rigs are weighed. By installing advanced scales directly onto bridge decks, researchers have effectively turned the bridges themselves into real-time weighing stations. This “Bridge-into-a-Scale” system allows trucks to be measured at highway speeds, capturing weight, speed, and axle data without requiring drivers to exit the flow of traffic. Not only is this method more economical and durable, but it also provides TxDOT with critical data on how heavy loads impact bridge longevity.