[Vision2020] Big Surprises (Outrages?) in Conoco Philips Permits

[nickgier at roadrunner.com]

Visisonaries:

This is the latest from FightingGolaith.  This permit has been stayed pending the hearing, but this is the first time we've seen the details.

> Items of Interest (emphases ours unless noted otherwise):

> A. The permit states, "The load exceeds the normal capacity of all the bridges on the route...," i.e., U.S.12 MP2.45 - MP174.42.
>
> B. The permit adds Arrow Bridge to Maggie Creek Bridge and Fish Creek Bridge as bridges of particular concern and for which, therefore, ITD is requiring "helper dollies." Note also that as the load crosses Arrow Bridge, the push truck must be unhitched and "not be on the bridge with the load," suggesting the overall weight of the pull truck, trailer, load and push truck would be too great.

  C. At the June 29, 2010, Kooskia meeting the issue arose of towing people's vehicles from those turnouts the megaloads will use.  As per a video of that meeting, ISP Director Lonnie Richardson said, "We don't have the authority to tow a vehicle for 48 hours," and later added, "48 hours is the law but not always the application." A vehicle must be "deemed abandoned." Here is what he did not say and the permit does say: "Emmert is authorized to barricade the approved turnouts for exclusive use for the wide loads up to 24 hours in advance for each move." There are 43 identified turnouts in Conoco's plan that may be barricaded. Twenty-five are within the Clearwater National Forest and twenty-eight within the Wild and Scenic Rivers corridor. 

    Note that each of Conoco's 4 shipments will travel over 4 nights from Lewiston to Lolo Pass, with 43 turnouts blocked up to 5 days for each shipment. Note, too, that Conoco's permit could be considered precedent-setting, which suggests that turnouts will also be barricaded for Imperial Oil's 207 planned shipments and Harvest Operation's 63 potential shipments, and any others that travel U.S.12.


> D. Throughout the summer, ITD told the public the megaloads would not travel on weekends. Yet the permit says, "Travel is allowed 7 days a week..."
>
> E. The permit says, "Highway traffic shall not be diverted onto an unpaved surface." Yet the Emmert transport plan calls for diverting traffic onto several turnouts that are either completely rock/gravel or contain a 2-8 foot lip of pavement and then gravel. If the permit means what it says, these several turnouts would be eliminated from use, which would, incidentally, lengthen distances between usable turnouts and, thereby, lengthen traffic delay times. By issuing the permit, ITD accepted the plan.
>
> F. The permit says, "Tires of the tractor and trailer shall stay within the fog line... The carrier has identified 5 locations where the load tires will cross the fog line but remain on the paved surface; M.P. 48.5, 48.7, 52.6, 54.3, and 157. These areas have been identified as having a guardrail. The outside tires will not extend closer than 1.0 foot to the face of rail at any time nor will the guardrail be allowed to be moved." With typical road widths of 21-23 feet, axle widths of 18' and 21' 1", and 174 miles of winding road that includes many rock faces, sharp curves, and narrow-to-nonexistent shoulders, as well as guardrails, the impact of the 1.0 foot requirement on travel speeds and hence traffic delay times has yet to be determined, and anyone's ability to monitor at night to see if Emmert meets the fog line and 1.0 foot requirements is questionable.
>
> G. The permit says, "Emmert will furnish 3/4 inch plywood to be laid down in front of the tires as the load progresses should the shoulder show distress..." On U.S.12, shoulder widths outside fog lines for many miles measure 2 - 12 inches with a measuring tape. In numerous places shoulders are visibly sloughing into the river. Questions: How will shoulder distress be spotted at night alongside a towering load 1.0 foot from a guardrail? Once the shoulder is in distress with the load upon it, how will plywood be slid in place? Will plywood sufficiently ensure a distressed shoulder will hold? Once a megaload has distressed a shoulder, will that section of road be usable by anyone?
>
Intriguing questions. Surprising inclusions in the permit. Much of interest to the public.