Governor Rallies For Monster Trucks

Gov. Phil Batt on Friday signed into law an experiment with heavier trucks on selected Idaho highways.

The bill creates a three-year experiment in which 129,000-pound trucks will be permitted on routes in eastern and southern Idaho. It also lowers the truck speed limit on Idaho interstates from 75 mph to 65 mph.

The governor had a special assurance for the senator whose vote was critical to final approval of the plan. Republican Clyde Boatright of Rathdrum, who had told Batt less than a day earlier he would probably oppose the bill, cast the deciding vote in the Transportation Committee that cleared the way for final legislative action.

“We will carefully monitor this test and make sure it doesn’t bring any untoward effects,” Batt told Boatright.

, DataTimes