ITD says it has no idea when the 66 ExxonMobil megaloads would travel through Moscow and Coeur d'Alene, as proposed in a new application, though it could be very soon - a crew of 100 is now working to cut the megaloads in half so they can travel on that route; you can read our full story here in today's Spokesman-Review. "Basically, their proposal does not contain a time frame," said ITD spokesman Jeff Stratten. "If the proposal is approved, they have the ability to apply for a permit at that time for any time frame they desire."

On the two-lane portions of Highway 95 where the giant loads of oil equipment would travel, the loads, even after being cut in half, would be big enough to block both lanes of traffic, which would have to wait up to 15 minutes to be guided around the loads when they pull off. On the sections that are more than two lanes, pilot cars should be able to guide traffic around the loads on an ongoing basis, Stratten said. That should be the case on all portions of I-90 the loads would travel, he said, as even where there are just two lanes on one side of the divided freeway, freeway lanes are larger and there are wider shoulders.