How to Get Your Christmas Tree Home – When It’s 10 Stories Tall
PermitWizard helps U.S. Capitol Christmas “People’s Tree” make cross-country journey from Idaho to Washington D.C.
Brentwood, TN (October 18, 2016) – Searching for the perfect tree and bringing it home on top of the family SUV is alive and well as a holiday tradition for many American families. For the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, it’s more like strapping it onto an oversized flatbed, with transcontinental support choreography worthy of a NASA space launch team.
That’s where PermitWizard gets involved, as the transportation permit sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree for the third year running. With a recent historical average height of 80 feet, the tree extends beyond standard federal trailer length and load width limitations. Not even for our nation’s “People’s Tree” are these rules waived, but those limitations are there for good reason, as bridges, tunnels, on/off ramps, and many other normal features in our highway system become numerous immovable obstacles when your journey’s Point A and Point B are 2,500 miles apart.
Fortunately, there are oversize/overweight rules to allow for the unique shipping requirements of loads such as space shuttles, wind turbine blades and gigantic Christmas trees. Routes must be carefully planned in advance to avoid hang-ups and permits pulled from every state being traveled through. PermitWizard’s unique specialty is knowing the oversize/overweight hauling requirements and the U.S. transportation system down to, for example, the overpass at Route 50 offering only 12 feet of clearance, so they can map out a flawless route for any specific oversize/overweight shipment and obtain the permits needed from each state on the route.
PermitWizard (a LexisNexis® company) joins more than 40 other sponsors and partners under coordinating nonprofit Choose Outdoors in bringing this year’s tree to Washington D.C. Major supporters such as KTVB TV 7, Idaho Potato Growers Association, Skybitz, Kenworth, Hale Trailer, Gary Amoth Trucking, Alaska Airlines, Seid Crane Service, Truckload Carriers Association, Eaton, University of Idaho, Meritor, Bass Pro Shops, and BrINC come together with in-kind services and donations to make this beloved, 53-year tradition possible.
Since 1970, the Capitol Christmas Tree has been harvested through the U.S. Forest Service from one of our National Forests. This year’s 80 foot Engelmann spruce will be cut November 2nd near McCall, Idaho, in the Payette National Forest. With great fanfare, the tree will leave the Payette National Forest followed by a caravan of caretakers for the journey to the U.S. Capitol. More than 25 community celebrations are being planned throughout the tour, culminating with the official tree lighting in early December. Smaller companion trees also will be provided to decorate offices inside of the U.S. Capitol building and other sites throughout Washington, D.C., along with 8,000 ornaments created by residents throughout Idaho.
“We are delighted to once again support the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tour through our PermitWizard permitting services,” said Jeff Piefke, general manager at LexisNexis® VitalChek Network Inc. “This is a great opportunity for communities across the nation to celebrate the spirit of the season and over 110 years of the U.S. Forest Service.”
“The annual journey is only possible with the help of strong community partnerships throughout Idaho and beyond state lines,” said Bruce Ward, founder of Choose Outdoors. “We’re grateful for the time and resources PermitWizard is providing to help make this the best tour to date.”
For related news, events and tour information, and to track the tree cross-country, visit www.capitolchristmastree.com and on Facebook @ USCapitolChristmasTree.
About PermitWizard
PermitWizard (http://vitalcheknetwork.com/our-services/permit-wizard/) is a service of LexisNexis® VitalChek Network Inc., providing permitting services for over dimensional permits from coast-to-coast through a secure web-based application, personal attention by experienced staff, and solid relationships with state and local government agencies. LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc. also provides secure online ordering for vital records (www.vitalchek.com) and is part of LexisNexis® Risk Solutions (www.lexisnexis.com/risk/) a leader in providing essential information that helps customers across industries and government predict, assess and manage risk.
About the Payette National Forest
The Payette National Forest offers the visitor over 2.3 million acres to enjoy. Everything from the deep recesses of Hell’s Canyon to peaks reaching elevations of almost 9,500 feet. Dry desert grasslands compliment heavily forested acres. Gateways to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness lead the visitor to experience the solitude of seldom traveled trails. To the west is the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area, the deepest river gorge in North America. Stand on the canyon’s east rim and in some places you gaze down 8,000 feet to the Snake River that carved this canyon. Gaze across the ten-mile wide chasm into the neighboring state of Oregon. Located entirely within Idaho, the Payette NF shares lands with Adams, Idaho, Valley, and Washington Counties. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/payette.
About the U.S. Forest Service
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land; provides assistance to state and private landowners; and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. For more information, see www.fs.fed.us.
About Choose Outdoors:
Choose Outdoors works to increase all American’s enjoyment, appreciation and support for outdoor recreation activities that connect them to our public lands. These connections will ensure that our public lands will always be there for future generations to cherish. www.chooseoutdoors.org.
###