ITD approves megaload shipments in N. Idaho

SANDPOINT — Idaho Transportation Department officials are warning drivers to expect delays next week when a mega-load shipment rolls through North Idaho.

According to ITD public involvement coordinator Adam Rush, the transported equipment — parts to an oil refinery machine known as a hydrocracker — is using a North Idaho route to reach its destination in Great Falls, Mont. Projected to weigh as much as 1,086,000 pounds when additional trucks are needed to move the shipment uphill, the mega-load will be 21 feet wide, 16 feet and 8 inches high and 311 feet long. When unassisted by trucks, the shipment weighs in at 926,000 pounds.

“I’d like to stress the planning, research and review processes that go into any shipment like this,” Rush said.

ITD officials permitted the mega-load to use Idaho roads Friday following an examination of permit applicant Bigge Crane’s proposal. The shipment will enter Idaho from eastern Washington on Highway 128 through Lewiston before traveling north on U.S. 95 across the Long Bridge and into Sandpoint. From there, the shipment will take Highway 200 to Montana. To receive the permit for the over-legal load weight, the applicant paid an undisclosed fee.

“We have a structure in place for how we set up fees for (over-legal loads),” Rush said.  

According to an ITD press release, the shipment is expected to enter Idaho Sunday night. However, Rush said the shipment won’t likely reach the Sandpoint area until some time late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. To limit the impact on local business and motorists, the permit restricts the mega-load to travel between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. While the permit allows for five days of travel, it can be extended, so it will be up to the shippers to determine how far they’ll travel in a single night, Rush said.

For the vehicles that the mega-load does encounter, Rush said officials hope to limit delays as much as possible to 15 minutes or less. The shipment will utilize a system of flaggers and pilot vehicles in communication with the primary shipment vehicle. These accompanying vehicles will scout out nearby areas for incoming vehicles and keep drivers informed of the situation. When the shipment reaches the next available pull-out, drivers will let other vehicles pass. Idaho State Police will also be involved in assisting the mega-load transportation.

“Our transportation and traffic control measures are designed to strike a balance for all highway users,” Rush said.

In addition to the impact on local business and drivers, ITD’s issuance of the mega-load permit has drawn criticism from environmental groups for its support in expanding crude oil production at the Calumet Refinery in Great Falls. Wild Idaho Rising Tide, a group that “confronts the root causes of climate change,” intends to file a formal petition requesting a stay of the permit, according to the group’s website.

The organization also criticizes ITD for short notice and a lack of public involvement regarding the permit issuance. In addition to their environmental concerns, members worry about the impact to the highway infrastructure — especially the aging Long Bridge.

“The taxpayer-funded agency should not even consider allowing such a heavy load to cross this almost two-mile-long bridge, especially during the Aug. 7 to Aug. 17 Festival at Sandpoint series of musical concerts, one of the largest tourist events each year in the area,” the organization states in a website blog post.