Idaho Needs to Open Roads to More, Heavier Trucks, Trucking Companies Say
Jon Andrus, vice president of fleet management for Doug Andrus Distributing in Idaho Falls, said Idaho is behind the times and needs to open up more roads to heavier trucks, like those he would like to use in Latah County on U.S. Highway 95 and sections of State Highways 3 and 8.
Andrus said his trucking company, which distributes goods like fertilizer, grain and road salt, submitted a request to the Idaho Transportation Department "quite a while ago" to increase the maximum reducible load weight on those roadways from 105,500 pounds to 129,000 pounds.
Andrus said many of the major Idaho routes that are used by trucking companies include 129,000-pound allowances, and most of those that don't are in central and northern Idaho and are included in Andrus Distributing's request.
"It just makes sense to round out the network and add those routes," Andrus said.
The sections of roads requested for the heavier trucks include 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.
Andrus said allowing more cargo on the road would reduce the amount of trips his company and others would have to make. He said the heavier loads will not cause roads to deteriorate faster because trucks will make less trips and there will be less weight per axle than a 105,500-pound truck. A typical truck and trailer set up to carry 105,500 pounds has seven axles, while a typical set up that will haul 129,000 pounds has 10 axles, Andrus said.
"The freight's going to be hauled one way or another," Andrus said. "You're just determining how many trips, how many trucks it takes to do that. And if you can do it with less equipment on the road then that's less wear and tear on the road."
Andrus said allowing the heavier loads on the requested roads will help Idaho trucking companies be more competitive with companies in surrounding states like Utah, Montana and Nevada, states which Andrus said have allowed 129,000-pound trucks for some time.
"All the surrounding states have been doing this for a long time and Idaho's kind of been behind the times really," Andrus said. "We're right in the middle of all the other states and that makes it difficult for businesses who are trying to compete with competitors who might only be 100 miles away from them. But because they're across the state line they can ship their product for significantly less money."
Most of the public input on the increase has been positive, according to Andrus.
"There's a large economic benefit to those in the community who are running businesses where they need to ship product," Andrus said.
Potlatch Mayor David Brown, however, said he is concerned about safety and road deterioration.
"Our roads are pretty bad in some areas now, so I wouldn't think it would be that good on the road, but I guess they know what they're doing," Brown said.
Brown said part of the large grade on state Highway 3 leaving Kendrick is already falling apart, and he does not think the roads are built for that much weight.
Genesee Mayor Steve Odenborg said he does not foresee issues with road deterioration if heavier trucks are allowed as long as the weight per axle does not exceed recommended levels. He said public safety could be an issue in populated areas.
