Press Release
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – A 420, 000 pound transformer load is scheduled to begin a trip from Rome, Georgia, heading for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 10 p.m., Friday, December 11, The 209-foot long, 12-foot wide and 15-foot tall rig mega load will leave the GE plant in Rome on a tactical route that will take it to State Route (SR) 1 in Floyd County and turn left onto SR 53/New Calhoun Highway. It will then travel on SR 140/Adairsville Road into Bartow County and enter I-75 South. It will continue on I-75 southbound until it exits at Wade Green Road (Exit 273). The route will continue on George Busbee Parkway in Cobb County to Frey Road then it will continue on Chastain Road and get on I-75 southbound. The mega load will travel through downtown Atlanta on I-75/I-85 and continue on I-75 southbound to Charles Grant Parkway (Exit 239) until it arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Night traffic on Friday in the Northwest and Metro-Atlanta regions will be impacted, slowed or even stopped at some points due to the excessive size of extremely oversized load. Two Georgia State Patrol officers with blue lights and marked cars will be accompanying the load to pace traffic, when so warranted by the traffic control. The mega load will also feature moving message boards warning of traffic interruptions at key bridges and/or intersections. Normal travel speed is 45 mph but it slows to 5 mph when crossing certain bridge structures. Narrow bridge locations will require escorts to restrict the passing of other vehicles, while the permit vehicle is crossing.