New WSDOT online tool to help truckers

OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Transportation has added a new online tool allows truck drivers to research bridge heights - and potential problems - more easily before they hit the road.

The Washington State Department of Transportation was already updating its bridge clearance information at the time of the May 2013 Skagit River Bridge collapse.

That bridge collapsed when an oversized commercial truck struck and damaged the upper bridge supports causing a section of Interstate 5 and two vehicles to fall in the river. The newly collected bridge data became a springboard to develop the state route bridge vertical clearance trip planner as part of WSDOT's overall response to the collapse.

"This innovation offers truckers a new tool to find the safest route for their trip," said Gov. Jay Inslee. "It applies lessons learned from the Skagit River Bridge replacement, and it will reduce the risk of collisions throughout the system."

Using GIS mapping, the trip planner shows drivers which bridges on their proposed route should be avoided or approached with caution because heights may vary by lane. While the ultimate responsibility for checking clearance levels remains with the truck driver, this tool makes it easier to fulfill that obligation when applying for trip permits.

"We've taken advantage of existing technology to help improve safety on our roads," said Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson. "Sharing this data through private-public partnerships will help get this information into even more customers' hands."

The trip planner was developed in consultation with the Washington Trucking Association, whose members conducted beta testing on the tool.

"This is a huge step in the right direction," said Sheri Call, the association's vice president of government of relations, noting drivers previously had to look up bridge data online or in a book and then consult their own maps.

The WSDOT will continue to expand the trip planner features, including displaying lane-by-lane height information. That work will be completed by 2017.