In the Everett, Wash., Daily Herald newspaper late last week a story appeared about two roundabouts being constructed on a new bypass of the growing Granite Falls, Wash., community in the central part of the state, very near vast National Forest areas. According to the story’s writer, Bill Sheets, truckers were instrumental in pointing out a fatal flaw for any bypass route, for certain – ”they were too narrow for some trucks” — well after construction had already begun.

At issue were vehicles doing heavy or otherwise permitted hauls on specialized trailers. The roundabouts, Sheets wrote, were built to accommodate 73.5-foot vehicles but not the up to 115-footers commonly serving gravel pits in the area.

After hearing from drivers and trucking company reps, county officials acted. A victory for insistence and the collaborative spirit at the levels of government and the industry, you might say. Now if we could get that flexibility everybody talked about at the hours-of-service listening sessions…