Utah bailing out of joint I-70 port of entry

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Utah is bailing out of a joint port of entry that it has operated for 12 years with Colorado on Interstate 70 — 13 miles into Colorado — and may have no port of entry in that area for the next three to five years.

Utah Department of Transportation officials told the Utah Transportation Commission on Thursday it decided to pull out because Colorado recently banned its state-line officials from doing safety inspections on trucks, and merely allows checking weight and permits.

To help ensure inspections and safety in Utah, Rick Clasby, director of UDOT's Motor Carrier Division, said UDOT will now try to open its own port of entry at Thompson Springs, about 50 miles on the Utah side of the state line. However, he said it may take three to five years to obtain the scales and buildings needed for full-scale operations there.

Meanwhile, he said UDOT will beef up ports of entry near Monticello and Helper that may cover most of the trucking in the state's southeast portion. Also, he said most truckers already obtain needed permits online.

Clasby said UDOT plans to cease its operations at the current Colorado I-70 port of entry on May 12.

Lee Davidson