(June 20, 2012) -  Area agencies are gearing up for multi-day move of a giant transformer from Havre de Grace in northern Harford County to the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania.  The State Highway Administration (SHA), Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), the Maryland State Police (MSP) and Harford County Government agencies are assisting Exelon Corporation with the oversized vehicle transport beginning Monday night, June 25 and ending Thursday night, June 28.  A specially designed oversized vehicle will haul a 481,000-pound transformer from Havre de Grace to Exelon’s Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, Pa.

The convoy will move at approximately 5 mph, escorted by MSP, SHA, MDTA and Exelon’s private contractor (Hake Rigging of Lester, Pa.) along sections of MD 155 (Level Road), I-95 (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway), MD 22 (Churchville Road), MD 136 (Priestford/Whiteford Road) and MD 165 (Pylesville Road).  SHA will temporarily detour and/or hold traffic to accommodate the move.  The transport team will maintain access to homes and businesses on the route as the slow-moving vehicles proceed along the hauling routes.  The vehicle will move to a pre-determined, secure staging location each night.

DEER AND BROAD CREEK BRIDGE CLOSURES

Due the extreme weight of the load, SHA engineers determined that the Deer Creek and Broad Creek bridges along MD 136 require temporary additional structural support designed to protect the bridges from damage.  The move team must close the bridges to all traffic for two days each to assemble the enhanced support system.  SHA will assist the team by detouring traffic along MD 136 during the two-day temporary closures.  SHA appreciates travelers’ patience during the closures.

The oversized vehicle transport is the last of seven new transformers to be moved from the port at Havre de Grace to Delta, Pa.  The total weight of the transformer and transport vehicle is approximately 671,000 pounds.  The transformer is 35 feet high and 28 feet wide.  The first transformer move occurred in July 2009 and three transformers were successfully moved using the same route in 2010.  Two more were moved in 2011.  Exelon is paying all costs associated with hauling the transformer and is supported by the participating agencies.

Area residents and business owners will be able to track the process of the convoy by calling Exelon’s Transporter Tracker Hotline at 1-717-456-4932 beginning 9 a.m. June 25.  Exelon staff will provide recorded message updates during the four-day process.  SHA advises motorists to avoid the hauling route during the move and plan ahead for temporary road and bridge closures and detours.  SHA will post periodic updates via Twitter.  Citizens can follow SHA on Twitter @MDSHA.

For more information about Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, please contact Ms. Lacey Dean, Communications Manager for Peach Bottom, at (717) 456-4818.  A map of the hauling route and other information about the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station is available on Exelon’s website, www.exeloncorp.com/PowerPlants/peachbottom.  Details about the schedule are outlined below:

CARAVAN AND BRIDGE CLOSURE SCHEDULE:
(All dates and times are approximate)

DATE/TIME DETAILS

8 p.m. Monday, June 25 – 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 26 
Single left-lane closures along northbound and southbound I-95 in the vicinity of the MD 155 interchange (Exit 89).

8 p.m. Monday, June 25 - 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 26 Road closures along MD 155 in Havre de Grace east of I-95, with temporary detour routes posted.

10 p.m. Monday, June 25 
Caravan enters MD 155 at Baker Road and proceeds west along MD 155 to the I-95 interchange.

10 p.m. Monday, June 25
Ramp from westbound MD 155 to northbound I-95 closed.  Ramp from southbound I-95 to westbound MD 155 closed.  Temporary detour routes will be posted.

11:30 p.m. – midnight, Monday, June 25
Caravan begins crossing all lanes and median of  I-95 at the MD 155 interchange (Exit 89).  MSP will slow traffic to a stop on I-95 to permit the convoy vehicles to cross the highway (approximately 15 minutes).  After both transport vehicles have successfully traveled across all lanes of I-95, MSP will re-open travel lanes in stages to allow stopped I-95 traffic to proceed. 

12 a.m. – 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 26 
Caravan proceeds from I-95 interchange west along MD 155 and will briefly travel one-tenth of a mile along MD 22 in Churchville to connect to northbound MD 136. The caravan will stop for the night along MD 136 south of the bridge over Deer Creek at 5 a.m.

5 a.m. Tuesday, June 26 – 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 27 
The Deer Creek Bridge will be closed to all traffic, with temporary detour routes posted.

5 p.m. Tuesday, June 26 – 5 a.m. Wednesday, June 27 
Caravan crosses the Deer Creek Bridge in daylight hours, stops until 10 p.m. and proceeds north along MD 136 overnight.  The caravan will stop for the night along MD 136 south of the bridge over Broad Creek.

6 a.m. Wednesday,  June 27– 5 p.m. Thursday, June 28 
The Broad Creek Bridge will be closed to all traffic, with temporary detour routes posted.

5 p.m. Wednesday, June 27 – 5 a.m. Thursday, June 28 
Caravan crosses the Broad Creek Bridge in daylight hours, stops until 10 p.m. and proceeds north along MD 136 to northbound MD 165 overnight.  The caravan will stop along MD 165 just south of the Maryland/Pennsylvania state line.

10 p.m. Thursday, June 28 – 5 a.m. Friday, June 29 
Caravan leaves Maryland and proceeds within Pennsylvania along PA 74 (Delta Road) to Broad Street Extended to Lay Road, ending the journey at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, Pa. Detour routes will be in effect in Pennsylvania.

 

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