Idaho Transportation Board
helps reduce limits on US-95,
assisting commerce and economic opportunities

Commerce within Idaho has been improved as restrictions to most legal loads have been reduced for the 538-mile stretch of US-95 within Idaho, which travels through 13 counties from the Oregon Border north to the Canadian Border. This is the result of a multi-year effort by the Idaho Transportation Board, based on information from industry leaders on the need to allow greater ease of commerce on the highway.   

The industry standard for commercial haulers has become 53-foot trailers (previously, 48-foot trailers were the norm). However, the route was not conducive to the 53-foot loads. In response, ITD has completed a half-dozen projects in recent years to widen the highway, straighten curves, and eliminate “pinchpoints” to remove impediments to commerce.

Those recent improvements to the highway, particularly between Council and Grangeville, have resulted in a reduction of restrictions to the route. Because of those improvements, the highway will now allow up to 53-foot trailers without a permit and permitted vehicle combinations up to 115 feet in overall length, with a 6.5-foot off tracking and weight limit of up to 129,000 lbs.

On August 5, ITD Chief Highway Engineer Blake Rindlisbacher informed department leadership that the improvements had been completed and the route was better able to serve commercial interests. Once these improvements were made, notification was made to the the Idaho Trucking Association, major haulers and industry leaders (such as the Idaho Logging Contractors, Idaho Forest Products Commission, etc.), along with 28,000 permit holders who needed permission in order to use the highway with the longer loads.

Previously, permitted vehicle combinations were only allowed in loads up to 95 feet long and a 5.5-foot off track — a 21% increase in allowable length and 18% increase in allowable off-tracking — allowing more freedom in the movement of goods and services while also maintaining a safe roadway.

Off-tracking refers to the different paths that the front and rear wheels take when cornering. The rear or trailer wheels will take a shorter path around the curve, corner or turn. Thus, the driver has to compensate for this by taking the curve, corner or turn wider. So the 6.5-foot off-track is the difference in the path of the first inside front wheel and of the last inside rear
wheel as the vehicle negotiates a curve.

“These improvements allow all of US-95 to have the same legal and permitted requirements from one section to the next, thus increasing the safety, mobility and economic opportunity for commercial vehicles specifically, and all motorists in general,” said Idaho Transportation Board Chairman Bill Moad.

US-95 is the state’s primary north-south route, and was established as one of the country’s first national highways in 1926.

Published 08-21-20