New signs at the Lewiston Port of Entry along U.S. 95 in Idaho will signal truckers on whether or not they can bypass the weigh station.An update to Idaho’s weigh-in-motion system at the Lewiston Port of Entry along U.S. 95 will make it easier for truckers to bypass the weigh station.
New signs at the location are used to signal truckers to bypass the weigh station if the truck’s weight, height, length, safety rating and credentials are all legal. Weigh-in-motion sensors detect all of this information, and the new flashing signs alert drivers if they can bypass or if they need to pull in.
The Idaho Transportation Department says the updated system is expected to allow up to 70 percent of trucks heading out of the city, and 50 percent of trucks entering the city, to bypass the weigh station.
This saves truckers five minutes per bypass and almost half a gallon of fuel, ITD notes. With an estimated savings on $8.68 per bypass, the approximately 800 trucks that pass through Lewiston daily can save more than $900,000 per year for the trucking industry.
In addition to saving time and money for the truck drivers, ITD says the weigh-in-motion system also helps other drivers by reducing congestion around the weigh station and allowing inspectors to focus on problem carriers.
Three other weigh stations in Idaho – in Huetter along I-90, east of Boise on I-84, and in Inkom along I-15 – also feature weigh-in-motion sensors.
