(Nov. 10, 2022) When tall buildings pop up across the Portland region have you ever wondered how all the massive equipment required to build them got to the construction site? Or maybe you’ve been amazed to see homes or giant pipes being hauled down the road by big trucks? This is the kind of work companies like Highway Heavy Hauling do every day.
In a video for the 2040 Portland Freight Plan (known as “2040Freight”) by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), owner Kristine Kennedy explains how the company works and what they need from the transportation system.
Kristine Kennedy says Highway Heavy Hauling typically moves aerial equipment (like boom lifts, scissor lifts, cranes) and dirt equipment (like excavators and dozers). Moving such large equipment is not just necessary for constructing buildings, it’s also necessary for city infrastructure projects like building and repairing bridges, water and sewer projects, transportation projects, and more.
With careful safety planning and traffic control, Highway Heavy Hauling helps its fleet navigate some of Portland's more narrow streets. Drivers of oversized loads told PBOT the most important thing in their work is safety and they want to minimize any interaction with bicycles and pedestrians. To do so, they need routes with enough room for their trucks to get through, separate space for bicycles, and safe places for pedestrians. Kristine Kennedy calls this scenario “everyone having the same respect for the other modes of transportation."
The latest video for PBOT's 2040Freight Plan is the fifth and last in a series that features perspectives from within Portland’s urban freight system. Together, the videos aim to elevate the range and diversity of freight movement in Portland and demonstrate how the 2040Freight Plan will support this industry it in ways that are safe, equitable, efficient, and sustainable.
To watch more project videos, learn more, or sign up for project updates, visit www.2040Freight.com.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city’s transportation system and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage, and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at portland.gov/transportation