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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Bottle deposit increase may help boost returns ... Gray wolf spotted by trail cam in Siskiyou County ... Medford drive-by shooting suspect linked to Portland shooting ... Our View: Bottle deposit increase may help boost returns ... Gray wolf spotted by trail cam in Siskiyou County ... Medford drive-by shooting suspect linked to Portland shooting ... KLAMATH FALLS More truck traffic coming into Oregon via Highway 97 Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Mar. 30, 2015 at 6:02 PM By The Associated Press Posted Mar. 30, 2015 at 6:02 PM » Social News KLAMATH FALLS — Southern Oregon has a sign of economic recovery: Lots more big rigs at the weigh scales on Highway 97 near the border with California. The number of trucks going through the scales just north of the California border took a sharp jump in 2014, rising to 238,000, the Klamath Falls Herald and News reported. That was a 25 percent increase from the year before. "When you see a downturn in the economy, trucking is one of the first things that gets hit," said Phil Grant of the Oregon Department of Transportation. "They don't have to re-stock the store as often, or supplies don't get re-stocked as often, therefore you're not moving it via truck. Trucking is the backbone of the U.S. economy." Grant and his seven employees staff the two Highway 97 scales just north of the Oregon Institute of Technology. Right now, scale workers say, they're busy with bees being trucked north to pollinate fruit crops in Oregon and Washington. U.S. 97 is a major north-south artery in Oregon, on the dry east side of the Cascades. For truckers coming north from California, it can be a fuel-saving way around the mountains that Interstate 5 goes through to the west, said Bob Russell, vice president of government affairs for the Oregon Trucking Associations. Many of those truckers, if their insurance policies allow them to use two-lane highways, eventually head back to I-5 by taking Oregon 58 through the Willamette Pass. State officials say the weigh stations serve two purposes: Keeping overweight trucks from damaging the highways and making sure drivers comply with state rules such as those requiring adequate rest. If everything is in good order, weighing and checking trucks takes about 60 seconds, Grant said. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Mar. 30, 2015 at 6:02 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501