BOYLE - ATHABASCA – Residents of Boyle, Grassland, and anyone else who drives on Highways 55 and 63 will want to plan ahead and expect delays this Wednesday and Thursday — parts of the highway will be shut down throughout the day as a 352-wheel trailer makes its way from Edmonton to Fort McMurray.
The vehicle will be hauling a piece of industrial equipment 8.7 metres wide, 10.2 metres high, and 47 metres long, which will require the entire width of the highway, including the shoulder. The total load weighs 490,000 kilograms.
According to a Dec. 9 release from the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors, the convoy will be travelling at a maximum speed of 60 kilometres an hour, escorted by four pilot vehicles that will block off lanes, close intersections and facilitate its movement along the route. At times there will also be a police escort to control traffic.
Motorists who encounter the convoy will experience delays, and are asked to watch for the guide vehicles and flag people — the release asked everyone to be patient as the convoy moves through the area.
The route
The convoy will exit Edmonton Tuesday in the wee hours of the morning, before heading east on Highway 14. It will then head north on Highway 36, before turning east on Highway 45, where it will spend the night at the Two Hills scale.
From there, the convoy will continue east on Highway 45 Wednesday morning, before turning north on Highway 36, east on Highway 29, north again on Highway 36, west on Highway 28, before turning north on Highway 63, where it will overnight at Boyle
The convoy will continue north on Highway 63 Thursday, before taking Highway 55 through Grassland, and north towards Fort MacMurray.
