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ITD assists with emulsion spill on Idaho 55

District 3 maintenance crews played a key role in reducing the time needed to reopen Idaho 55 to two-way traffic following an asphalt emulsion spill about two miles north of Smiths Ferry.

In a cleanup process, estimated to take one to three weeks, Banks Maintenance Foreman Dan Bryant’s crew pitched in and helped get the highway back to full service within a couple days.

"Our people did a tremendous job getting this finished," said Dick Powell, District 3 Maintenance Supervisor. "We wanted the area cleaned up and the road open to the public for the weekend traffic."

On Monday evening (Aug. 15) a tanker owned by Orr Trucking delivering material for a seal coat operation flipped over its pup trailer on a about a mile south of the Rainbow Bridge.

The trailer, which holds 2,100 gallons, landed on its side and spilled most of its load of asphalt emulsion (about 60 percent asphalt, 40 percent water). Some of the spill flowed over the bank into the North Fork of the Payette River.

Maintenance crews contained much of the spill and managed traffic on Idaho 55, which had to be restricted to one lane in the area.

An emergency response was declared. Idaho State Police provided an incident commander to work with Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, ITD District 3 and the Valley County Sheriff1s Office. The state and local group was joined by Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 on-site coordinator Earl Liverman, who then organized the response and cleanup.

"The team effort to get this job done quickly has been outstanding," Liverman said. "All of the agencies involved in this operation did more than their share to see that the job was done correctly and sooner than estimated."

A dive team and environmental cleanup crew was brought in from Seattle on Wednesday morning to assess the extent of the spill and help with the cleanup. The divers and DEQ decided the solidified asphalt on the river bottom posed no threat to the environment for wildlife or humans.

With ITD maintenance's help, the road was cleared, the shoulder restored and concrete barrier replaced where it had been damaged.