[Vision2020] Canadian oil equipment transportation. Hwy 12.

[Wayne Price]

Phil,

I agree that we need an "autobahn" type fix for the many  
transportation problems here in the North Idaho region, especially  
when you look at the goat trails we now use.
Pennsylvania has a "turnpike" and once that road is "paid for" the  
tolls will be removed. It now costs about $23 for a passenger car to  
travel the  359 miles of the system if you travel the maximum   
distance. The road was started in 1940, and the toll  doesn't look  
like it will ever be taken off.  Realistically, do you think that  
Idaho drivers would pay 15 to 20 dollars to drive the 218 miles to  
Boise? Do you think the legislature would ever remove the tolls?

One of the biggest things that comes out to me with all the  
controversy with the US 12 issue is that the road was built for  
transportation. All the talk against the over sized loads has to do  
with the possible damage/destruction of the road now labeled a  
"beautiful and scenic"  highway. Well, it now makes me wonder just how  
hard it is going to be to ever have another road designated a scenic  
highway IF that means it will no longer available for its intended  
purpose, transportation.

 From my perspective, this issue has long gone from a "damage to the  
road"  issue to more of a "stop the oil company" issue and any  
argument that can be used against the shipping of the materials needed  
to build the oil sands project will be used.  For instance, I've heard  
several times about the possible pollution to the rivers/waters IF one  
of the "over sized" loads falls into the river. Well, the only  
pollution  problems I see in that case is the oil/fuel that the truck  
itself has on board for propulsion. There are fuel trucks on that road  
daily that pose a much greater risk of possible pollution IF they go  
in the river than the "over sized" loads, but I don't hear anyone  
wanting those to stop.


Wayne


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On Aug 10, 2010, at 6:29 PM, Shelley Roderick wrote:

> How about this thought wave? Maybe they ought to build America's  
> first autobahn and to help them pay for it they could even charge a  
> toll so those of us who would like to go fast...could. When the road  
> is paid for, the toll ceases. In the future when they need more  
> equipment shipped they will already have a right of way.
>
> Phil
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