'Superload' Stops in Trigg County Near Cerulean

FRIDAY EVENING UPDATE:

On Friday, the slow-moving 'superload' covered about 50 miles, moving from near Deanwood, in Crittenden County, through portions of Caldwell County, and Lyon County, stopping near Cerulean, in Trigg County. The load parked for the night near the Seven Springs Farms headquarters.

The 195 foot long truck with a 19-axle trailer is escorted by about a dozen support vehicles. It is hauling an over-dimensional 17 1/2 foot tall, almost 400,000 pound load, from near Cincinnati, to Aberdeen, Mississippi. 

Due to the height of the load, the truck must move along mostly rural routes to avoid highway and interstate overpasses. 

The Kentucky Department of Transportation has described this as something similar to moving a house.
 
Miller Transportation, the hauler, says some repairs will be required to the specialized trailer before it can resume travel, making it likely that the load will not be back on the road until sometime Sunday or Monday.

The multi-axle truck normally moves at about 5 to 10 miles per hour. Due to the width and height of the load, the effort required by support crews to help the load maneuver creates significant traffic delays, particularly going through cities where utility lines may have to be lifted, to allow it to pass. 

Motorists who encounter the load on the road are asked to use caution and follow directions of the support crew.
 
The superload took about four hours to move 50 miles on Friday.

When the load resumes travel it has a permit to continue on KY 276 to US 68, then travel west on US 68 to Cadiz, where it will take KY 139-South Road into Tennessee.

As of Friday, the crew has been on the road for nine days, and expect to take another seven or eight days to reach their Mississippi destination.


FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE:

The nearly 200-foot long "Superload" that has been parked in Crittenden County since Wednesday has received permission to continue its 5 mph trek to Mississippi on state and local roads.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the oversized, overweight semi and trailer on its way from Ohio has gotten approval to travel to Marion on KY Highway 120, then use US-641 to Eddyville. From there it will travel on KY Highways 93 and 276 to reach US-68 and head toward Cadiz, and then take KY Highway 139 into Tennessee. Local drivers may want to use a different route to avoid delays.

Due to its size and slow speed, a police escort is required. In some areas, there may be delays while utility lines are lifted to allow the load to travel underneath. The load is expected to travel about 50 miles on Friday and the crew will stop for the night somewhere in Trigg County.

The semi also underwent some repairs yesterday while it was idle in the Deanwood community of Crittenden County.

The slow-moving "Superload" created traffic delays along KY 120 through Webster County and Crittenden County on Wednesday, and struck a light pole while making its way through Providence.

The specialized truck is hauling a 17 1/2 foot tall, 200-ton cargo that is too large to pass through typical interstate overpasses.


ORIGINAL STORY:
 
An oversized load on its way to Mississippi has created some traffic problems in Crittenden and Webster counties.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says a slow-moving "Superload" that created traffic delays along KY 120 through Webster County and Crittenden County on Wednesday was parked near the Deanwood community in eastern Crittenden County Thursday morning while the crew surveys some alternate routes for getting the load through the area.

The 195-foot long truck with several support vehicles is hauling a 17 1/2 foot tall, almost 400,000-pound load to a destination in Mississippi. The crew plans to make some repairs to the specialized truck while it is parked along KY 120 near the 9 mile marker east of Marion.

The Kentucky State Police Division of Vehicle Enforcement, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and KYTC permitting staff are working with the specialized hauler to help minimize traffic disruptions.

Troopers responded to the area after the load snagged a light pole while traveling on KY 120 through Providence.  As the over-weight/over-dimensional load continued traveling along KY 120 toward Marion, it generated a number of complaint calls about significant traffic delays in eastern Crittenden County.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials anticipate getting an update on the load and planned route before the truck resumes travel sometime during the day on Thursday.