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EDMONTON – Two slow-moving large loads will be impacting drivers between Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan and between Lloydminster and Fort McMurray from now until Dec. 5.

The first load is already enroute, having left Edmonton Sunday evening. It is travelling north to the DOW Chemicals site near Fort Saskatchewan.

Due to its large size and weight, the load will travel at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, with the assistance of guide vehicles, and it will travel below posted speed limits using the entire width of the highway including the shoulder.

The load being transported is a caustic wash tower used to remove acidic gases from process gas streams, explains a release. The tower is 7.3 metres wide, 10.1 metres high, and 99.14 metres long and weighs 870,218 kilograms. The trailers carrying the unit contain 480 wheels.

It is already moving today (it departed at 7 a.m.) and will travel along the following routes:

• Highway 14 eastbound
• Highway 834 northbound
• Highway 15 westbound
• Range Road 220 northbound
• West into site (DOW)

Lloydminster to Fort McMurray

The second load started travelling between Lloydminster and Fort McMurray on Dec. 1.

Due to its large size and weight, this load will travel at a maximum speed of 60 km/h, with the assistance of guide vehicles. The load will also move below posted speed limits using the entire width of the highway including shoulder.

At times, police escort will accompany to load to assist with rolling closures.

The load being transported is a thickener water tank used in oil and gas operations to recover or recycle produced water for plant operations. The tower is 11.4 metres wide, 12.5 metres high and 45.4 metres long and weighs 263,166 kilograms. The trailers carrying the unit have 128 wheels.

The load will leave Foremost in north Lloydminster using the following route:

Day 1 Dec. 2 (depart at 7 a.m. day move)

• Exit from 5207 67 Street, Lloydminster
• 67 Street westbound
• Township Road 502 westbound
• Range Road 14 southbound
• Highway 16 westbound
• Highway 36 northbound
• Highway 45 eastbound (Park at Two Hills Scale)

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Day 1 Dec. 2 (depart at 9 p.m. night move)

• Highway 45 eastbound
• Highway 36 northbound
• Highway 29 eastbound
• Highway 36 northbound
• Highway 28 westbound
• Highway 63 northbound (Park at Boyle Wide Spot)

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Day 2 Dec 3 (depart at 9 p.m. night move)

• Highway 63 northbound (Park at POE 35 km south of Fort McMurray)

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Day 3 Dec 4 (off duty)

• No travel

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Day 4 Dec. 5 (depart at 12:01 a.m., early morning move)

• Highway 63 northbound
• Use ramps in Fort McMurray to avoid overpasses
• Highway 63 northbound (use Suncor Ramp to miss overpass)
• Fort McKay Road northbound
• CNRL Horizon Highway northbound to site