Convoy will travel 5 mph on 20 miles of US 301 in Charles County; Drivers Should Plan Ahead to Avoid Delays

(November 24, 2015) – An overnight hauling operation will take place on Thursday, December 3, for the CPV St. Charles Energy Center on Billingsley Road in Charles County.  The hauling route extends from the Aqualand Marina in Newburg to White Plains.

Coordinated by Roll-Lift USA, a convoy of nearly two dozen trucks will move the large cargo to the St. Charles facility that is under construction.  The convoy will travel approximately 5 mph and use both northbound lanes of US 301 from Orlando Park Drive, located just north of the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge, to Billingsley Road in White Plains.

Motorists will not be able to pass the convoy.  If traffic delays become significant, the convoy will stop at one of nine pause point locations where police will direct traffic past the convoy. Transport is scheduled between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Thursday night through early Friday morning.

Motorists will encounter delays on northbound US 301 during the hauling operation.  SHA and law enforcement suggest travelers avoid the area.  If the roadway remains closed after 5 a.m., notice of the extended closures will be posted on the county website (www.CharlesCountyMD.gov).  The County will also send notification via the Citizen Notification System (CNS).

Portable variable message signs will be in place along US 301 and Billingsley Road to advise motorists to expect delays during the heavy haul convoy.  Roll-Lift USA is coordinating the  haul with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) and local emergency responders to ensure the haul is conducted safely and with minimal impacts to the community and traveling public.

The large piece of equipment arrived at Aqualand Marina by ship. From there, it will be placed on specially designed heavy haul vehicles for transport to the CPV St. Charles Energy Center on Billingsley Road.  CPV St. Charles Energy Center, a natural gas-fired power plant under construction, will generate enough electricity to power about 700,000 homes while reducing sulfur, nitrogen and carbon emissions by 65 to 99 percent compared to other plants.  More information about the plant is available HERE. For additional information about area highways, customers may contact the SHA District 5 Office in Annapolis at 410-841-1020 or 1-800-331-5603.