An Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil over-sized test load traveled from the Port of Lewiston to a turnout at milepost 61 west of Kooskia on U.S. Highway 12 Monday night into Tuesday morning.
The load left after 10pm and parked in a turnout at about 4am. During the trip, the Idaho Transportation Department reported that the transport struck and broke a 20-foot-long tree branch near the Lewiston rose garden, but no delays were caused.
However, there was delay after the shipment hit a guy wire strung across the highway at milepost 47.
The support pole broke, sending the wire over a nearby high voltage power line cutting power to some 1,300 customers in the Pierce and Weippe areas for about 5 hours.
The highway was closed for about an hour while waiting for Avista Utilities to assess the situation.
ITD requested that the transport company investigate and report on the two incidents before resuming the trip.
