[Vision2020] My Column / Megaloads & Hippies

[Tom Hansen]

Size of loads being transported on Idaho public roadways IS the key issue,
Mr. Rumelhart; not only here in Moscow, but before the Idaho state
legislature, as legislation is being prepared requiring that certain tasks
must be completed before a business can even apply for a permit.

Perhaps ExxonMobil should have put boots on the ground scouting the route,
before putting the key in the ignition.  I know that the towns of Weippe
an Pierce (who went without power for several hours as a result of
ExxonMobil's failures) would have appreciated it.

How many potential "mistakes" can you identify in this video I shot while
driving the proposed route through Moscow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlW8M25ERT0

Another thing:  On my return trip from Airway Heights yesterday, I made a
side trip and drove I-90 (part of the proposed route) as far east as
Wallace.  Granted, I-90 is plenty wide enough for the megaloads, BUT . . .

Many of the overpasses on I-90 are considerably lower than the 15-foot,
10-inch height of the megaloads.  This problem can be avoided by utilizing
the off-ramp to avoid the overpass and rejoining I-90 by using the
on-ramp, BUT . . .

Many of the related off-ramps and on-ramps are no more than one lane wide
with tall trees lining both sides of these off-ramps and on-ramps.

These are all details ExxonMobil could discover in the same manner in
which I discovered them . . . By driving the proposed route ahead of time.

Hmmm.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho


On Wed, June 8, 2011 6:45 am, Paul Rumelhart wrote:
> On 06/08/2011 12:18 AM, Ted Moffett wrote:
>> Note he does not address any of the objections expressed on
>> Vision2020, to the facts or logic in his column, in his response on
>> Vision2020.
>
> On the other hand, I haven't seen anyone here address his main point,
> i.e. that the highways are public and the need for a special permit
> because of large load size shouldn't be used as an excuse to
> discriminate against businesses that some people disagree with.
>
> I'm not necessarily behind giving the megaloads a free pass, since I
> think that Sunil's points about the noise and the lack of public input
> at the council meeting are good ones, but I do think that if people here
> object to the Kearl oil sands project there are better ways of
> expressing that opinion than to throw bureaucratic roadblocks (no pun
> intended) in their way just because we have the opportunity to do so.
>
> Paul
>
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"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Author Unknown