4/20/2011
ExxonMobil test shipment resumes travel early Thursday morning
BOISE - An ExxonMobil test shipment will resume travel on
U.S. 12 Thursday at 1 a.m. PDT after concerns about the load clearing three power
lines in the Kamiah area were resolved, the Idaho Transportation Department
announced.
The shipment was scheduled to resume moving Tuesday night,
but was postponed while representatives from ExxonMobil and power provider
Avista re-examined the clearance.
To ensure safety and meet electrical code requirements,
Avista will de-energize power lines at three locations in the Kamiah area near
the Nez Perce Tribal Casino, Clear Creek Fish Hatchery and the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints while the load travels under the lines.
The estimated outage time is 10 to 15 minutes. The Nez Perce
Tribal Casino requested its outage begin at 1 a.m. Avista has notified all of
its customers that will be impacted.
The test shipment will travel:
- Thursday morning from milepost 61 to milepost 94.1.
- Thursday night/Friday morning from milepost 94.1 toward the Montana state line at milepost 174, then 7.5 miles into Montana, dependent on weather. 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.