4/19/2011
ExxonMobil test shipment resumes travel Tuesday night
BOISE - An
ExxonMobil test shipment will resume travel on U.S. 12 tonight at 10 PDT
after the Idaho Transportation Department accepted the company's corrective
action plan, the Idaho Transportation Department
announced.
The over-sized test load has been parked at milepost 61 about 12 miles west of Kooskia since April 12 after striking a guy wire above the highway during the first night of a scheduled three-night transport to the Montana state line.
Changes made include:
- Additional verifications of all overhead utilities from milepost 61 to the Montana state line to ensure adequate clearance;
- Raising a power distribution line crossing the highway at milepost 75;
- Additional verifications of all overhead utilities from the Port of Lewiston to milepost 61; and
- Lead escort vehicles will watch for overhanging tree branches in addition to other overhead obstructions.
"The additional precautions will improve safety and help avoid any further problems or delays," said Doral Hoff, the transportation department maintenance engineer in Lewiston.
The test shipment will travel:
- Tuesday night/Wednesday morning from milepost 61 to milepost 139.
- Wednesday night/Thursday morning from milepost 139 to the Montana state line at milepost 174, then 7.5 miles into Montana. It will stop at a restaurant parking lot.
The test load is 24 feet wide, 30 feet high, 208 feet long and weighs approximately 508,000 pounds. It is permitted to travel only between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Traffic delays are limited to no longer than 15 minutes. The load will be accompanied by the Idaho State Police.
The over-sized test load has been parked at milepost 61 about 12 miles west of Kooskia since April 12 after striking a guy wire above the highway during the first night of a scheduled three-night transport to the Montana state line.
Changes made include:
- Additional verifications of all overhead utilities from milepost 61 to the Montana state line to ensure adequate clearance;
- Raising a power distribution line crossing the highway at milepost 75;
- Additional verifications of all overhead utilities from the Port of Lewiston to milepost 61; and
- Lead escort vehicles will watch for overhanging tree branches in addition to other overhead obstructions.
"The additional precautions will improve safety and help avoid any further problems or delays," said Doral Hoff, the transportation department maintenance engineer in Lewiston.
The test shipment will travel:
- Tuesday night/Wednesday morning from milepost 61 to milepost 139.
- Wednesday night/Thursday morning from milepost 139 to the Montana state line at milepost 174, then 7.5 miles into Montana. It will stop at a restaurant parking lot.
The test load is 24 feet wide, 30 feet high, 208 feet long and weighs approximately 508,000 pounds. It is permitted to travel only between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Traffic delays are limited to no longer than 15 minutes. The load will be accompanied by the Idaho State Police.