| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Lou Hatter 540-829-7537 Louis.Hatter@VDOT.Virginia.gov Odile Brookings 540-829-7394 |
CULP-0632 April 11, 2006 |
FINAL COORS CONVOY SET FOR TONIGHT
Four tanks will travel overnight, leaving King George staging area at 11 p.m. Tuesday
Pictures of fermenting tanks
CULPEPER – The final transport convoy of oversized fermenting tanks will travel Central Virginia’s roads overnight on Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12. Motorists are advised to expect delays during the transport operation on Routes 3, 29 and 33.
To date, 10 convoys have moved 36 of the 40 tanks from King George County to Elkton. The giant fermenting tanks, each of which is approximately 70 feet long, 21 feet in diameter and weighs 70,000 pounds, are part of Coors’ project to transform the Elkton facility from a packaging and distribution center into the company’s East Coast brewery.
After leaving the staging area in King George County at 11 p.m. tonight, the convoy of four tanks will travel west on Route 3 through Fredericksburg to Culpeper, then south on Route 29 to Ruckersville in Greene County. From Ruckersville, the tanks will travel west along Route 33, crossing the mountains to Route 649 in Rockingham County. The convoy will then travel Route 649 to Route 340, where it will turn onto Route 340 and continue to the Coors facility.
Motorists who travel the transport route should expect delays as the tanks travel through in the early morning hours Wednesday. When the tanks cross the Blue Ridge Mountains on Route 33 beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Route 33 will be intermittently closed until the tanks clear the mountain crossing. Anyone who uses Route 33 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. should consider an alternate route on Wednesday.
Background information on transport operation
Lockwood Brothers, Inc. is moving 40 stainless steel fermenting tanks from King George County to the Coors Brewing Co. facility in Elkton, a distance of approximately 100 miles. Each of the tanks is approximately 70 feet long, 21 feet in diameter and weighs 70,000 pounds.
The size of the tanks and their transport vehicles required extensive planning prior to the transport operation to ensure the safety of those in the convoy as well as others traveling the convoy route, and to avoid as much as possible disruptions to traffic along the transport route. The tanks have been moved in convoys that traveled through Central Virginia during the early morning hours on Sundays and Wednesdays throughout March and early April.
Portable message boards on the two-lane section of Route 3 east of Culpeper, on Route 33 west of Stanardsville and on Route 33 east of Elkton have advised motorists of traffic delays during the transports. The signs have been updated throughout the operation with information about the next scheduled transport. Information about the final transport operation will be posted on Virginia’s 511 system, which is available by dialing 511 on any telephone in Virginia and on the 511 Web site, www.511Virginia.org.
The transport plan has been carefully coordinated to minimize the effects on local schools, businesses and commuters. Virginia State Police will accompany the trucks to provide an escort and traffic control. In addition, a contingency plan has been developed to ensure that the transport does not interfere with morning commuter traffic along the Route 3 corridor.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is responsible for ensuring that the transport complies with all regulations and assisted with the coordination of the operation to reduce travel impacts.
Any questions about the transport operations should be directed to Diana Jennings, Coors Plant Communications Manager, (540) 289-8211; or Lou Hatter, VDOT Public Affairs, (540) 829-7537.
Page last modified: Tuesday, April 11, 2006
