[Vision2020] Meet, Greet ITD Officials This Morning

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (April 19, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Meet, greet ITD officials this morning
Megaloads could travel up Washington Street
By Kelsey Husky Daily News Staff Writer

Members of the Idaho Transportation Board will greet the public 9:35-10:05
a.m. today at City Hall in preparation for a public question-and-answer
forum on megaloads in Moscow tentatively set for May 11.

Although Moscow officials "heard through the grapevine" rather than
through official channels about the possibility of megaload shipments on
city streets, said Mayor Nancy Chaney, she and other city administrators
have been in contact with ITD officials in Lewiston and Boise.

They have had "cordial" telephone communications with them, she said.

Imperial Oil, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corp. is still planning to ship
oversized loads of Canadian oil-field equipment up scenic U.S. Highway 12
to Montana. However, in light of various delays because of lawsuits,
snowstorms and power failures, Imperial Oil is now spending $500,000 per
megaload to cut at least some of them in half for shipment up U.S. Highway
95 from the Port of Lewiston through Moscow to Interstate 90.

At the May 11 meeting, Chaney said, attendees should stay on the topic of
megaloads and the possibility of their travel up Washington Street, past a
fire station, Gritman Medical Center and other important functions of
downtown Moscow. City administrators have talked to various city leaders,
including the fire and police chiefs, Gritman administration and the
Moscow Chamber of Commerce about the issue.

It is unlikely that any loads will be hauled until after the public forum,
Chaney said.

The governor-appointed board's six members are visiting each of the
state's six transportation districts to learn their needs and concerns. At
this point, however, the board is only taking written comments, which may
be dropped off at today's City Hall event or submitted to the Idaho
Transportation Department online at:

comments at itd.comments.gov

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
changeand the Realist adjusts his sails."

 - Unknown