Large loads may cause delays in Edmonton, northern Alberta areas

The caustic wash tower that will start its move from Edmonton to the DOW Chemicals site on Sunday night. (Source: Government of Alberta)

Two large loads will impact travel on Alberta roadways as they are moved between sites in and around Edmonton and in northern Alberta.

The first is a 870,000 kilogram or 1.9 million pound caustic wash tower that will be moved from south central Edmonton to the DOW Chemicals site near Fort Saskatchewan.

In a news release, the province said the wash tower will take up the entire width of the highway, travel at a maximum speed of 30 km/h and will occasionally travel against the flow of traffic so lanes will be blocked off accordingly.

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The move will start Sunday night, heading east from 93 Street and 51 Avenue eventually heading south to Whitemud Drive and southeast to Highway 14.

The load will park on the east side of Highway 21 until the following morning when it will head out again.

During the day Tuesday, it will travel east along Highway 14 until Highway 834 when it will turn north to Highway 15 and then west to Range Road 220, then north and west into the DOW site.

Load moving between Lloydminster, Fort McMurray area

A second load will start the move from north Lloydminster to the Fort McMurray area Tuesday morning.

The 263,000 kilogram or 580,000 pound thickener water tank will take four days to get to its final destination starting at 52 Avenue and 67 Street in Lloydminster.

It will park at the Boyle Wide Spot until Wednesday night when it will continue further north on Highway 63 and eventually park about a half hour south of Fort McMurray.

After a day’s break, the tower will move again early Friday morning heading northbound and will use ramps in Fort McMurray to avoid overpasses.

It will take Fort McKay Road northbound and then the CNRL Horizon Highway north to the site.

The province said the load will travel at a maximum speed of 60 km/h, will take up the entire width of the highway and at times, a police escort will accompany it to assist with rolling closures.