Megaload to Travel Through Missoula – Will Spend Two Weeks in Bonner [AUDIO]
The megaload of oil equipment headed from Oregon to Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, is now resting at a turnout by the Lolo scales on Highway 93 South between Missoula and Lolo.
Omega Morgan spokeswoman Holly Zander said on Tuesday, January 21, that the over-sized load will be traveling through Missoula between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on its way to Bonner.
"Once the load is delivered to Bonner, they'll be offloading it from the current trailer to a different trailer, and the trailer it's on now will be headed back to Oregon, and the new trailer will be what they use to get the shipment into Alberta, Canada," Zander said. "It will take about two weeks to reconfigure the trailer. As far as the travel schedule goes, that's all weather-dependent. Since the weather's always changing, we're pretty much at its mercy."
Zander said there are strict guidelines as to when the load can be moved on public roadways.
"For example, we' won't be traveling between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. or over the weekends or holidays," Zander said. "We don't travel during bad weather, either, so if there's low visibility, snow, ice or things like that, we won't be driving."
Zander said the megaload has been the target of protesters since it left Oregon.
"I actually haven't heard of any specific protest plans in Montana," Zander said. "We did have some protests in Oregon and Idaho, so I assume protesters are planning something for Missoula, but I don't have anything specific, or where they might be planning that."
Zander said she has heard some reports that this load of oil equipment is headed to the Kearl Oil Sands in Alberta, Canada, but that information is incorrect.
"What we're hauling is a heat exchanger, and it's part of a water purification unit that's actually headed to Fort McMurray, in Alberta Canada, not the Kearl Oil Sands," Zander said.
Omega Morgan Spokeswoman Holly Zander
Following, find documents that show the route the megaload will take on Reserve Street, and a traffic control plan.
Omega Morgan has provided a travel schedule for the continuing route to Bonner, and on into Canada.
- From the border on US93 to MP23.5 we are able to travel 10pm - 6am MST.
- From the MP23.5 on US93/Reserve St. to MP87 (Old Lolo Scale) we are able to travel 10pm - 5am MST.
- From the Old Lolo Scale on US93/Hwy200 to MP .25 (Stimson Mill) we are able to travel Midnight - 5am MST.
- From the Stimson Mill on Hwy200 to MP77 we are able to travel 10pm - 5am MST.
- From the MP 77 on Hwy200 over Hwy89 and then Hwy 44 we are able to travel 10pm - 5am MST.
- From Valier to Cnty 214 we are able to travel from 10pm - 6am MST.
- From there we travel over the border into Alberta.