Local News

Morton's heavy-haul corridor bill goes to governor

By NCBI
Apr 07, 2011

The Legislature has approved a measure sponsored by Sen. Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls, to extend the heavy-haul industrial corridor designation on State Route 97. This is important because the southern entrance to the railhead at Oroville is one-tenth of a mile outside of the current designation.

In 2008 the Legislature approved Morton's bill to designate SR 97 from the Canadian border to Oroville as a heavy-haul industrial corridor. This designation spares Canadian trucks from having to off-load on the Canadian side of the border to redistribute weight to other trucks, and then off-load again at the railhead in Oroville.

Unfortunately, the designation turned out to be too short to allow access to and from South Jenning Loop Road - the southern entrance to the railhead.

"I am very pleased this extension has been approved. It is important to include South Jenning Loop Road in the corridor," Morton said. "The bill also increases Washington's maximum gross weight allotment so it is the same as British Columbia's."

Senate Bill 5589 is on its way to the governor to be signed into law.

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