Wide Load Causing Traffic Jams Here was Nuclear Reactor Part

A massive nuclear reactor vessel blocked roadways and slowed traffic as it crawled through Fayette County Monday, May 6 and Tuesday May 7

Edwards Moving and Rigging of Shelbyville, Kentucky, transported the heavy equipment from Aransas Pass to its destination in Eunice, New Mexico, according to the oversize load permit issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. The rig had to traverse the state on a meandering route to avoid sharp turns, weak bridges and overhead obstacles

It entered Fayette County on SH 95 in Flatonia. It traveled up FM 609 to La Grange and then got onto the SH 71 bypass. From there it turned north on US 77 and then northeast on FM 2145. It headed through Warrenton on FM 237 and then exited the County before turning onto US 290 towards Brenham

The rig came through La Grange during the noon hour Monday. Lots of eastbound traffic on SH 71 exited at La Grange and attempted to drive through town on Travis St. to avoid the slow-moving convoy. But that caused a major traffic jam in downtown.

According to the permit, the rig was 303 feet long, 24 feet wide and more than 17 feet tall. The vessel weighed more than 1.5 million pounds. It took 32 axles and 232 tires to support the gargantuan load

A small army of transport personnel and law enforcement officers accompanied the vessel as it traveled across Texas.