Proposed big-rig shipments through ID and MT

[ElkHunter]

Well, Montana gave the go ahead for shipping the Korean Built equipment.

Montana has given the green light for Imperial Oil to transport 207 Korean-built modules across the state en route to the $8-billion Kearl oilsands project now under construction north of Fort McMurray.

Montana OKs oilsands shipment (http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Montana+oilsands+shipment/4271611/story.html - broken link)

[strudel42]

Yup... and the first loads to Billings are rolling.

First megaload of ConocoPhillips refinery equipment reaches Montana
First ConocoPhillips megaload arrives at Montana border

I've kinda lost track of this story, honestly, but I don't understand this sentence from the Edmonton article, as it seems MT is letting them go?

Meanwhile, Montana has barred similar ConocoPhillips shipments to a refinery expansion in Billings until it revises its travel plans after its first shipment through Idaho caused long traffic delays on Highway 12.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by strudel42

Yup... and the first loads to Billings are rolling.

First megaload of ConocoPhillips refinery equipment reaches Montana
First ConocoPhillips megaload arrives at Montana border

I've kinda lost track of this story, honestly, but I don't understand this sentence from the Edmonton article, as it seems MT is letting them go?

Meanwhile, Montana has barred similar ConocoPhillips shipments to a refinery expansion in Billings until it revises its travel plans after its first shipment through Idaho caused long traffic delays on Highway 12.

Here's the story of the delays on Highway 12 caused by the first shipment.

New plan required after megaload on U.S. 12 in Idaho causes long delay | Idaho | Idaho Statesman (http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/02/04/1514723/new-plan-required-after-megaload.html#storylink=omni_popular - broken link)

Not exactly a smooth transfer--this first load caused 10 delays exceeding the allowed 15 minutes per delay, including a 1 hour delay. In addition, they had to hold it over in Kooskia (tiny town on Idaho's Highway 12 before the long winding part of the road along the Lochsa toward Lolo Pass) for days because of weather conditions. Both ID and MT have decided that load # 2 out of Lewiston will not be allowed to roll until ConocoPhillips has revised its plans. And it's not just the four loads that have already received permission--this is what's will be happening in the future: 200 oversized loads, 5 nights a week for a year...

ExxonMobil wants to use the same northern Idaho route to begin shipping more than 200 oversized loads into Montana, then north to the tar sands of Alberta, Canada. ExxonMobil has already delivered more than a dozen massive modules of refinery machinery to the port in Lewiston. If those shipments are approved by the states, trucks could roll down Highway 12 five nights a week for a year.

[Reziac]

Folks bored with the Fish Channel might want to watch the Conoco channel... er, the Lolo Pass webcam. There's a light at the pass so you can see a little of the road.

Lolo Camera

[strudel42]

Surprise, surprise, surprise -- all is not going as planned.

Snowy roads, traffic delay violations stall ConocoPhillips megaloads

From the above:

Adam Rush of the Idaho Transportation Department said traffic was stopped five times for 29 minutes or more - once for almost an hour - on the Wednesday night-Thursday morning haul from Orofino to Kooskia.

Yikes. And ITD is not assessing any penalties for the delays! What the ---?!