2/4/2011
ConocoPhillips transport postponed Thursday evening
KOOSKIA - Transport of an oversized ConocoPhillips load on U.S. 12 was delayed temporarily this morning because of freezing rain, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
On Thursday night, the shipment was scheduled to move from
milepost 74 to milepost 126.2, which is about five miles east of the Lochsa
Ranger Station.
"A key part of the transportation plan is weather conditions," said Doral Hoff, an ITD maintenance engineer. "If there is a chance weather conditions could reduce the ability to safely move equipment, we postpone moving until conditions improve."
Staff from ITD and Emmert International (the hauler of the load) will examine the weather forecast and decide this afternoon if the shipment can move Friday evening.
ConocoPhillips has four shipments that will move from the Port of Lewiston to a company refinery in Billings, Mont. The first one left Tuesday from the port and stopped about two miles west of Orofino. On Wednesday night the load moved to a pullout near Kooskia.
All four shipments are required to travel between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.
Once ConocoPhillips delivers the first two shipments to its refinery in Billings, the transport trucks will return to the Port of Lewiston for the last two loads. Permits have not been issued yet for those shipments.