A large dryer used in the production of tissue paper is to begin a more than 300-mile journey Thursday from the Port of Erie to the First Quality tissue plant in Lock Haven.

The trip is expected to take until Dec. 13 and impact traffic in nine counties, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The super load, which will travel at less than 15 miles an hour, will move only during daylight hours and the trip could be impacted or delayed by winter weather, PennDOT says.

The transport vehicle is 217 feet long and 20 feet wide. With the dryer, it weighs 628,000 pounds.

State police will accompany the transport and flaggers will be positioned at specific sites including intersections.

There will be locations, like on Route 322 on Port Matilda Mountain in Centre County, where the vehicle will travel in the opposite lane of traffic, PennDOT says.

The load will travel over Interstate 80 between the Milesburg and Lock Haven interchanges. Instead of using the eastbound exit at Lock Haven it will continue on a short distance, make a U-turn and take the westbound off-ramp, PennDOT says.

Because of its 19-foot, 11-inch height there will be places where the load will use exit and entrance ramps instead of going under overpasses, it says.

Roadway message boards will be used to alert drivers of restrictions and travel delays in Erie, Crawford, Venango, Forest, Clarion, Elk, Clearfield, Centre and Clinton Counties, PennDOT says.

Updates will be available on Twitter at www.twitter.com\511PAStateCOLL, www.twitter.com\511PAErie or www.twitter.com\511PAPittsburgh.

Super Load by PennLive on Scribd

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