Oil company offers chance for
public input on Hwy 12 oversized loads
Imperial Oil/Exxon Mobil
Corp. will conduct an open house in early June in Orofino to answer questions
about 200 oversized loads that may be taken on U.S. Hwy 12 from
The details of the meetings
will be announced later according to representatives of the company.
Meetings will also be held in
Kamiah, Kooskia and
Imperial Oil/Exxon Mobil
Corp. wants to take processing equipment made in
The moves, which would
consume two lanes of Hwy 12, would occur at night on weekdays during a one-year
window. They would start in November and possibly extend into December before
being halted for most of the winter months because of a 14 week closure starting
in December of the barging route between
The closure is to allow
rehabilitation of locks at
The company must secure
approval from
Its drivers have covered the
highway, deciding what speeds and gears they would use on each section to be
sure they can make it from one pullout to another with the 15 minutes of travel
they’re allowed before they have to let any vehicles behind or in front of them
pass. The speeds will range anywhere from five mph heading up and down mountain
passes to 30 mph on flat stretches.
Tests have been done around
tight corners to be sure the trucks, which will have 100 sets of wheels, will be
able to maneuver around them.
The company has coordinated
with the Idaho State Police so the drivers can be alerted if fire trucks of
ambulances need to pass, Lillo said.
Other precautions are being
taken to make the trips as safe as possible.
The company will update a
website for the public during the moves where it will have a schedule posted.