WASHINGTON — On Monday and Tuesday nights, trucks moving massive parts for a power plant could clog traffic in Southern Maryland.
Most of the slowdowns will affect U.S. 301 northbound.
Because the convoy of nearly two dozen trucks will take up both lanes of northbound traffic, moving at a pace of about 5 mph, state officials are asking drivers to avoid the rolling roadblock by avoiding the area.
Here are the specific locations and nights when drivers could encounter the convoy:
- Monday, Aug. 1 into Tuesday morning: About 35 miles
When: 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. or 5 a.m.
Where: Starting at the Aqualand Marina in Newburg at the Nice Bridge until just north of the Charles County/Prince George’s County line to the Panda Energy Brandywine on Mattawoman Drive.
- Tuesday, Aug. 2, into Wednesday morning: About eight miles
When: 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. or 5 a.m.
Where: Starting just north of the Charles County/Prince George’s County line to Brandywine Road, then moving off U.S. 301 onto east Md. 381 to just north of North Keys Road about 1.25 miles east of Brandywine.
The equipment being moved is for the PSEG Keys Energy Center project. It will be used to build a clean, natural gas-fired power plant that is expected to be up and running in 2018.
Each of the routes has locations where the snail-paced convoy might be stopped to allow any backed-up traffic to pass, if necessary.
“State police will do everything they can to keep the traffic moving as expeditiously as possible,” said Maryland State Highway spokesman Dave Buck.
At two spots along the journey, there are small bridges over creeks that could potentially be damaged by such heavy equipment.
“Both nights, a jump bridge has to be built,” Buck said. “It actually takes the weight off of the bridge and puts it onto a different structure.”
At those locations, the left lane on U.S. 301 northbound will remain open because the convoy will be on the jump bridge in the right lane.
