Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, grilled Idaho Commerce Director Jeff Sayer and Idaho Transportation Department official Alan Frew about whether either agency would spend more state money to review and analyze possible new routes for extra-heavy trucks, should SB 1117 pass. Both said no. “We know our roads, we know our bridges,” Frew told the Senate Transportation Committee.
Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, asked how ITD could “take care of highway districts and counties and cities and their routes that might be suggested for heavier trucks as well.” Frew responded, “We would do this in conjunction with the local jurisdictions having authority over those highways. We anticipate that those jurisdictions know their highways, know their bridges. … We don’t anticipate having additional costs, personnel costs, or costs for analysis to complete this.”
Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise, said, “I just think about riding up a narrow road right up next-side to one of them big trucks, and it scares me to death. … Inclement weather, stopping distances… I get concerned about some safety issues. And I will say that I’ve had a number of emails and letters from folks saying they’re worried about stopping distances, the number of brakes on them and all that kind of thing. Can you help me feel a little bit more comfortable about this?”
Frew responded, “We don’t allow their operation on narrow, winding roads, because they have a tendency to cross the center line or cross the fog line.”
Betsy Z. Russell covers Idaho news from The Spokesman-Review's bureau in Boise.
Named best state-based political blog in Idaho for 2013 by The Fix
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2013, The Spokesman-Review
Terms of use • Privacy policy • Copyright policy
Spokane7
48°
Get blog updates by email
Please keep it civil. Don't post comments that are obscene, defamatory, threatening, off-topic, an infringement of copyright or an invasion of privacy. Read our forum standards and community guidelines.
You must be logged in to post comments. Please log in here or click the comment box below for options.
comments powered by Disqus« Back to Eye On Boise