Wide, slow-moving load to impact travel between Edmonton and Fort McMurray

Traffic between Edmonton and Fort McMurray will be affected for several days as a large, super-heavy, slow-moving load is on the road.

The load left Dacro Industries Inc. in south Edmonton Tuesday morning.

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It travelled along 51 Avenue, 75 Street, Whitemud Drive, Highway 216 and Highway 14 during the early-morning hours.

For the rest of the day, it will continue on Highway 14 as well as Highway 36 and Highway 45, ending at the Two Hills scale.

On Wednesday, it will travel during the day on:

• Highway 45 eastbound;
• Highway 36 northbound;
• Highway 29 eastbound;
• Highway 36 northbound;
• Highway 28 westbound; and
• Highway 63 northbound, ending at Boyle.

For Thursday, the daytime route will include:

• Highway 63 northbound;
• Highway 55 eastbound; and
• Highway 63 northbound, parking at the point of entry staging area.

On Friday, the last leg of the trip will happen at night, travelling on Highway 63, using ramps to avoid the overpasses.

Heavy, wide load travelling from Edmonton to Fort McMurray on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)

The load is:

• 8.7 metres (28.5 feet) wide;
• 10.2 metres (33.4 feet) high;
• 47 metres (154.1 feet) long; and
• 490,000 kg (1,080,265 lbs).

"Due to its large size and weight, it will only travel at 60 km/h and will be escorted by four escort vehicles to close intersections and facilitate its move," the province wrote in a news release.

"At times, it will also have a police escort to control traffic."

The load will use up the entire width of the highway, including the shoulder.

It will occasionally travel against the flow of traffic, those lanes will be blocked off as needed.

There will be power line lifts along the way.

Drivers behind the load will be delayed and all drivers along the route are asked to watch for guide vehicles and flag people.