Possible new route for heavy trucks

Less semi-truck traffic may be seen on several roads pretty soon in Pocatello. The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) needs your help in making this possible.

You see many semi-trucks on highways and interstates everyday carrying heavy loads. They may be slower than the usual flow of traffic, and may even be in your way.

But the ITD is helping to resolve that and a few other issues for everyone, including truck drivers.

“We have a request from pacific recycling for a permit to carry 129,000 pound loads down Garrett Way which is U.S 30. And we’re having a hearing on it tonight at Pocatello City Hall from 4-7p.m,” said Ed Bala, District Engineer, ITD.

The new proposed route will go from Pacific Recycling on highway 30 and end where simplot is located. Which is near the highway 30 and interstate 86 junction.

“One hundred and twenty-nine thousand pound loads are actually better for our roads, because there’s more axels under the trucks. There’s less imposed loads to the road. And they can reduce, in this case, about 50 and 20 percent truck traffic that has to leave Pacific Recycling and get to Interstate 86,” said Bala.

One driver in Pocatello is looking forward to the possible new route, which would make her own route faster.

“I think the fewer truck traffic we have on 30, the better. I travel alot from Soda and Pocatello mainly and you always hit a lot of traffic with truck traffic,” said Sharon Short, driver.

Bala says everyone is invited to attend the meeting Tuesday night and him and his team will be ready to take your comments.

Comments taken online will be accepted until June 20th.

To view the application on the truck plan: www.itd.idaho.gov/129K/default.htm.

For comment submission, email to: adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov