Heavier Trucks Worry Some Idaho Residents
Latah County, Idaho residents who showed up to a public hearing March 21 held by the Idaho Transportation Department were largely opposed to a proposal that would allow trucks up to 129,000 pounds on U.S. Highway 95 and sections of state Highways 3 and 8 in the county.
The law affects trucks with reducible shipments, which means cargo or goods can be removed to make them lighter, ITD public involvement coordinator Adam Rush said last week. The maximum reducible load has been 105,500 pounds.
Deary resident Darlene Fuller wrote her concerns down during the hearing and submitted them to Jan Vassar, a District 2 transportation board member.
"My concern is the condition of these roads already is pretty deplorable," Fuller said. "I can't imagine how running longer and heavier trucks is going to do anything but create a worse situation unless they're putting money into a fund to do extra maintenance on these roads."
Rush told the Daily News last week the purpose of the proposal is to help trucking companies improve their efficiency by reducing the number of trips they have to make, which reduces congestion and improves safety.
Fuller said she was not buying that fewer trucks would be on the road and said she is also concerned about the public's safety if the rule is approved.
"While they say that the weight distribution on the longer axles is actually healthier for the roads I think it's an increased public safety risk for the people driving on the roads," Fuller said.
Public comments were taken on allowing the heavier trucks on U.S. 95 from Lewiston to the Latah/Benewah County line; state Highway 3 from its junction with U.S. 12 through Juliaetta and Kendrick to Deary; state Highways 3 and 8 from Deary to Bovill; and U.S. 12 from its junction with U.S. 95 to the Montana border.
Linda Ross, who lives outside Deary, said she is also against the increase.
"I do not believe it is going to be fewer trucks," Ross said. "I think it's going to be just as many trucks [on the road], maybe more, and they will all be heavier."
Doral Hoff, ITD engineering manager in Lewiston, said there is already a 129,000-pound designation on U.S. 95 from Lewiston to Grangeville, which he said was approved two or three years ago, and that section of road has not seen further deterioration because of the increased weight.
"Even though the [truck] weighs more you're distributing the weight over more points and therefore the road is actually seeing less weight and you're seeing less weight per axle," Hoff said.
Hoff said after the public hearing comments are received, a subcommittee made up of ITD transportation board members will approve, reject or ask for more information on the proposal.
