BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department recently removed restrictions on several popular trucking routes in southeast Idaho, ITD announced Tuesday.
Two routes on Idaho Highway 36 and one on Idaho Highway 34 had restricted the size of trucks allowed on the routes. Those highways run northeast from a junction just north of Preston in Franklin County, and provide a connection for trucks heading between Utah and Idaho communities such as Soda Springs and Montpelier, which are a significant distance away from Interstate 15. Drivers whose trucks exceeded the length and width limits had detours of as much as 150 miles.
ITD said Tuesday that removal of restrictions on those routes alleviates a major disruption to economic opportunity and freedom of movement in southeast Idaho.
ITD engineer Kevin Sonico modeled some proposed solutions, and the District 5 office in Pocatello ran some field tests, traveling behind some larger commercial trucks to test the width variables that the computer models had suggested. Evan Snow and Jerry Bauer filmed Dan Daniels as he drove a truck on the routes, verifying Sonico's models. A local trucker also offered to run the route in his slightly larger truck. ITD said that also validated the computer model.
Here are pictures of the improved trucking routes:
Southeast Idaho trucking routes improved
"We have seen an increase in trucks on the routes," District 5 Engineer Todd Hubbard said. "We know the routes are safe and the carriers are able to take the best possible route to their destination. This change has saved significant time and money for the trucking industry."
ITD said it will continue to examine roads around Idaho, and make changes to eliminate restrictions whenever possible.
In 2020, the department removed some severe curves along US-95 in southwest and northern Idaho.
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