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Overnight load hampers traffic
Published November 19, 2009
Three large pieces of equipment traveling through Del Rio hampered northbound traffic on Veterans Boulevard for several hours overnight.
The three metallic objects, which were described as infrastructure for natural gas extraction, were en route to Fort Stockton.
Del Rio Police Department Capt. Bill Rattay said each of the three units measured 22 feet tall, 19 feet wide and 150 to 180 feet long, which made traversing city streets a challenge.
The units also weigh more than 400,000 pounds apiece, said Rattay.
Because traffic lights are typically 18 feet tall, Rattay said crews had to manipulate the base of signals along Veterans Boulevard so the entire arm could be raised, allowing room for the trucks to fit underneath. This was done with the oversight of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Rattay said trucks began moving through town around 10 p.m., after all the logistics of moving such a large load through city streets were worked out.
“There were a lot of phone calls made to get this coordinated,” said Rattay, explaining that the trucks as a rule are forced to park at night for safety reasons.
Because of the size of the cargo, and the manipulation of traffic signals, Rattay said northbound traffic was blocked for hours.
Having the load come through town during daylight hours was not an option, said Rattay.
“It would have been a major traffic issue,” said Rattay.
Once the trucks got through town, Rattay said they would park along the highway and wait until daybreak before continuing on to Fort Stockton.
The trucks were initially set to come through Del Rio Tuesday night, but were held up when a fire at a Uvalde recycling center closed U.S. Highway 90 for several hours Tuesday afternoon.
Rattay said two more trucks with similar cargo would be coming through Del Rio in the next few days.
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