April 25, 2008
Ontario

OPP dismisses pitch for nighttime hauling

Essex OPP Insp. Rick Derus says it’s too dangerous and contrary to Ontario Ministry of Transportation regulations to wait until the evening to move the oversized trucks carrying wind turbine parts to Port Alma.

The trucks carrying the parts from Windsor’s waterfront are more than twice as long as the MTO would allow at night, said Derus.

He was responding to a request initiated Monday by Town of Essex Coun. Randy Voakes, who wants the MTO to authorize shifting the truck movements to the evening, as a way of avoiding daytime traffic jams.

Other municipalities are being asked to support the resolution.

But on Thursday, Derus said moving such large loads at night would be “very dangerous and clearly not acceptable.”

Motorists have to be able to clearly see the trucks, and see how long they are, in case they pull out to pass, Derus said.

The MTO also restricts nighttime movement of oversized loads to multi-lane highways with a median, he said.

Derus said the traffic disruptions have been minimal and no complaints have been received from the public.

Daily movement of wind turbine parts from Windsor to Kruger Energy’s Port Alma wind farm began Monday and will last another three months.

The MTO, Essex County and City of Windsor have approved the OPP’s plan for daytime movement of the oversized loads.

The Windsor Star

25 April 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/04/25/opp-dismisses-pitch-for-nighttime-hauling/