Charlestown closes Class V and VI roads to vehicles over six tons

Charlestown posted an official roads advisory on March 6, 2026: "effective that day and until further notice, all Class V and Class VI roads in Charlestown are closed to vehicles exceeding six tons gross vehicle weight (GVW) and to recreational vehicles (RVs)," the town notice states. The advisory sets a townwide rule applying to every local road classified Class V or Class VI, and it contains no end date beyond "until further notice."

The legal basis for local postings is set out in New Hampshire municipal guidance. "RSA 231:191 allows the governing body, in consultation with the highway agent, to establish and post maximum weight limits when needed to prevent 'unreasonable damage or extraordinary municipal maintenance expense' on a Class IV, V or VI highway," the NH Municipal Association guidance says. The guidance also requires clear signage: "Signs must be placed so that drivers of restricted vehicles will know of the restriction before entering the affected road."

State-level standards differ for state highways. NHDOT notes: "The maximum allowable vehicular weight on posted sections of State Highways is 30,000 pound gross weight, or the cumulative width in inches of all tires contacting the road surface multiplied by 300, whichever is less," on its Weight Restrictions - Spring Postings page. NHDOT also confirms statutory exemptions: "Under State Law (RSA Section 236:3-a), trucks carrying home heating oil, processed milk products, maple sap, and septic pumper trucks are exempted from seasonal bans with the approval of NHDOT District Engineers."

Charlestown’s advisory contains a truncated trailing fragment in its published text and does not enumerate which town roads are Class V or Class VI, nor does it identify an enforcement agency, penalties, or a contact person in the posted excerpt. The town notice, as available, restricts vehicle types and weight but omits maps, signage locations, and procedures for exceptions that the NH Municipal Association guidance contemplates. "RSA 231:191 permits landowners and commercial enterprises which use the road to be granted an exception if they show that 'practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship' will result from the weight limit. The exception granted may be subject to conditions, and the user may be required to post a bond for the cost of restoring the road," the municipal guidance says.

Statutory exemptions cited by state and municipal sources include firefighting and winter-maintenance equipment. The NH Municipal Association guidance records these legal carve-outs: "RSA 266:19-a exempts firefighting equipment from the restrictions" and "RSA 266:21 exempts winter maintenance equipment that is owned, leased or rented by the state or any political subdivision of the state." NHDOT’s excerpt further links certain delivery vehicles to District Engineer approval under RSA 236:3-a.

Charlestown’s posting explicitly includes recreational vehicles among restricted vehicles, which may affect seasonal residents and visitors who rely on RV access to local campgrounds and private roads; the posted advisory does not state whether those uses will be considered for exceptions. The town order is in force as of March 6, 2026, and remains "effective that day and until further notice," leaving the timeline for reopening dependent on a future town action or road-condition change. Local officials have the statutory authority to impose these limits to prevent "unreasonable damage or extraordinary municipal maintenance expense," and residents and commercial users should monitor town postings for the full advisory text and any announced exemptions.