Large, slow-moving load to cause delays between Edmonton and Fort McMurray

File image of a coke drum being transported. (Suncor.com)

A large, heavy load will travel between Edmonton and Fort McMurray starting on Tuesday.

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In the early morning hours, a coker drum will leave Dacro Industries Inc. at 9325 51 Ave.

It will travel at a maximum speed of 60 km/h and take up the entire width of the highways it travels on – sometimes blocking traffic in both directions.

From its starting point in Edmonton, the drum will travel on:

• 51 Avenue, east;
• 75 Street, south;
• Whitemud Drive, east counterflow;
• Highway 216, south counterflow;
• Highway 14, east (staging at a point on the highway until daylight);
• Highway 36, north;
• Highway 45, east.

The load will park at the Two Hills scale overnight.

On Jan. 8, travel will resume along Highway 45 east, going to:

• Highway 36, north;
• Highway 29, east;
• Highway 36, north;
• Highway 28, west;
• Highway 63, north.

The load will stop in Boyle overnight before continuing north on Highway 63 on Thursday, east on Highway 55 and north again on Highway 63, stopping at the point of entry staging area near Fort McMurray.

On Friday in the early morning hours, the drum will continue north on Highway 63, using ramps to avoid overpasses.

Drivers are asked to watch out for guide vehicles and flag people, who will be closing intersections to facilitate the move.

Police will also occasionally accompany the convoy to help facilitate traffic.

A coker drum is a vertical vessel in an oil refinery that converts heavy crude oil into other products.

This drum is 8.7 metres (28.5 feet) wide, 10.2 metres (33.4 feet) high, 47 metres (154.2 feet) long and weighs 444,144 kg. (979,169 lbs.).