Convoy will travel 5 mph on 20 miles of US 301 in Charles County
(August 24, 2015)—The first of 28 overnight hauling operations begins tomorrow 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 large cargo to the St. Charles facility that is under construction. Each 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.
Transports will be scheduled between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday night through early Friday morning over the next few weeks until all of the cargo is transported. Motorists will encounter delays on northbound US 301 during the hauling operation. SHA and law enforcement suggest travelers avoid the area. If roadways remain 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 are in place along US 301 and Billingsley Road to advise motorists to expect delays during the heavy haul convoys. Roll-Lift USA coordinated the 28 hauls 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 that each haul is conducted safely and with minimal impacts to the community and traveling public.
The largest pieces of equipment arrived at Aqualand Marina by ship. From there, they 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 at http://cpvstcharles.com/.