TIFTON – Two oversized loads en route to Procter & Gamble in Albany will travel through Tifton on Tuesday, but aren’t expected to make it much farther due to the number of utility lines and the number of low lines that will have to be raised for the trucks to safely pass.

The loads, which arrived last week at the port of Brunswick, are escorted by Georgia State Patrol and accompanied by utility pickup and bucket trucks. The width of the loads will require use of two lanes, but the convoy periodically pulls over to allow traffic to pass. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the route if possible; otherwise, please be patient and do not try and pass the convoy.

The first oversized load weighs 150,000 pounds, is 83 feet long, 20 feet high and a little over 20.5 feet wide. The second load weighs 74,000 pounds, is 83 feet long, 18 feet 9 inches high and 16 feet 10 inches wide.

The convoy stopped Monday afternoon at U.S. 82 and Tift Avenue and will begin moving again at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The route through Tifton is as follows:

U.S. 82 West
Ridge Avenue North
Second Street West
I-75 South
Exit 62 to U.S. 82 West

When the convoy enters I-75, law enforcement will pace traffic to allow the trucks to safely move to the inside (left) lane; this is necessary for the trucks to avoid low overhead signs. The convoy will move to the outside (right) lane as it approaches Exit 62.

The trucks most likely will not get much farther than a bit west of the I-75 overpass Tuesday. Travel through this area is restricted to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The trucks are not expected to arrive at P&G until Thursday. Travel through the city limits of Albany is restricted to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. so the current plan is for the convoy to stop on U.S. 82 at state Route 300 on Wednesday and then continue on to P&G the following day.