Loads on hold

Finding a route for megaloads to travel through Coeur d'Alene has been a megahurdle.

The public commented in December on hauler Mammoet USA South's request for special-use permits to transport three 1.6 million-pound loads of oil refinery equipment through Coeur d'Alene.

The proposed route includes 5.5 miles along east Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive and use of a temporary Interstate 90 on-ramp west of Higgens Point to bypass the Veterans Memorial Bridge and re-enter the freeway.

However, the Federal Highway Administration has ordered that an environmental assessment be done for the proposal, so U.S. 95 to Highway 200, from Ponderay near Sandpoint to Clark Fork, is now being considered as an alternate route, said Jason Minzghor, Idaho Transportation Department operations manager.

"When the feds made a statement that they want an environmental assessment done (for the route along Lake Coeur d'Alene), it put everything on hold," Minzghor said.

Minzghor said bridges along Highway 200 will need to be evaluated to see if they can handle the loads. Mammoet is also working with Montana on the possible route.

"It's too early to determine if that's a viable route," Minzghor said. "We're not the only state that this impacts."

The loads, which are 472 feet long, 27 feet wide and 16 feet tall, have been at the Port of Wilma near Clarkston, Wash., for three months. They are destined for the Calumet Refinery in Great Falls, Mont.

Mammoet had hoped to transport the loads starting in January.

"They're anxiously awaiting to move (the loads), but until they figure out how they can do it, everything is at a standstill," Minzghor said. "We have no idea on when it will happen."

Adrienne Cronebaugh, executive director of the Coeur d'Alene-based Kootenai Environmental Alliance, said she's pleased that an alternate route is being considered and that an environmental assessment for the route through Coeur d'Alene was ordered.

"East Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive is not a viable option," she said. "That route is not conducive for three 1.6 million-pound loads next to our very valuable lake."

Those against the proposal fear the loads could cause road damage and harm the environment. They are also concerned that Coeur d'Alene could became the default route for megaloads in North Idaho.

"We hope that the route chosen is not near environmentally-sensitive waterways and wetlands," Cronebaugh said.

The Veterans Memorial Bridge isn't approved to hold loads as heavy as the megaloads.

People in favor of the proposal said they were impressed with Mammoet's plan for safeguards and that Idaho should do its part to encourage interstate commerce. Job creation was also cited as a positive.

ITD officials have said the loads are safe, there are no hazardous materials and a traffic control plan will be required.

An open house on the proposal drew 67 attendees to ITD in Hayden in December. Twenty-nine written comments were submitted during the public comment period with 19 in opposition and 10 in favor.

Each shipment would close I-90 at the on-ramp at night for about 10 minutes, transportation officials said. Single-lane closures to remove concrete barriers on the freeway for the on-ramp would last about two hours.

The lane and road closures would be during non-peak times, transportation officials said. The loads would come through the area separately.