Heaviest Load Ever To Move Through Gorge

Photo: Washington State Patrol

The heaviest load ever to move on a Washington highway is prepared for its journey.

A windmill transformer will be moved this week.

The transformer weighs 944,800 pounds. It’s 360 feet long and 21 feet tall.

Travelers in the area of State Route 14 and US 97 should be prepared for some delays and quite a visual starting tonight.

Omega Morgan – Portland, in conjunction with the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Washington State Patrol and the Klickitat County Sherriff’s Department, will move the massive piece of equipment over two nights.  

SR 14 will be fully closed from 10 p.m. Monday until 4 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18 between Roosevelt and the SR 14/US 97 interchange. There will also be intermittent closures with flagger-controlled traffic on eastbound SR 14 near Dallesport and on both directions of US 97 between Toppenish and the SR 14/US 97 interchange during those hours. 

From 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18 until 4 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, both directions of US 97 between the SR 14/US 97 interchange and Hoctor Road in Goldendale will have intermittent closures with flagger-controlled traffic. 

Moving one of the largest pieces of commercial equipment in state history is no easy task, and has been scheduled overnight to reduce the effect on traffic. It requires careful planning and choreography between all the agencies involved. We’ve also ensured that emergency response vehicles will be able to get around the load.

WSP troopers in partnership with Klickitat County Sherriff’s will escort the trailer and transformer from the city of Roosevelt to its final destination on the Goldendale windfarms Rock Creek Substation.  

Closure details: 

  • 10 p.m., Monday, Sept. 17, through 4 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18
  • Both directions of SR 14 between Roosevelt (milepost 133.0) and the SR 14/US 97 interchange (SR 14 milepost 100.6/US 97 milepost 0.17) will close. 
  • Eastbound SR 14 at Dallesport (milepost 84.0) will close intermittently with flaggers controlling traffic. 
  • Both directions of US 97 between just south of Toppenish and the SR 14/US 97 interchange will close intermittently with flaggers directing traffic. 
  • 10 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18, through 4 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19
  • Both directions of US 97, between the SR 14/US 97 interchange and Hoctor Road (milepost 9.32) will close intermittently with flaggers directing traffic. 

Travelers can visit the WSDOT construction updates & travel advisory webpage to stay up to date on future closure details.  


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