Super-heavy loads to slow traffic in Edmonton region
Posted February 20, 2026 3:45 pm.
Last Updated February 21, 2026 10:45 am.
Drivers in the Edmonton region should prepare for delays over the next week as two super-heavy industrial loads make their way north and east under controlled convoys.
According to Alberta Transportation, the oversized loads will travel below posted speed limits and, at times, use the full width of the highway, including shoulders, accompanied by guide vehicles.
The first load, a de-methanizer pressure vessel used in natural gas processing, departs south Edmonton late Feb. 22 en route to Fort McMurray. Due to its size and weight, it will travel at a maximum speed of 50 km/h.
The massive unit measures 6.5 metres wide, 7.92 metres high and 104 metres long, weighing in at 563,600 kilograms including support equipment. The specialized trailers hauling it are equipped with 352 wheels.
The convoy will move in stages over seven days, travelling along Highway 14, Highway 36, Highway 28 and Highway 63 before arriving at its final site north of Fort McMurray on Feb. 28. Several legs of the trip will take place overnight to minimize disruptions, including through parts of Edmonton.
A second oversized load, a purge bin used in the oil and gas industry as a rinsing station, is scheduled to depart Edmonton on the night of Feb. 24, heading to Fort Saskatchewan.
That load will move at a maximum speed of 40 km/h and measures 9.3 metres wide, 10 metres high and 96 metres long. It weighs 600,844 kilograms, with its trailer assembly supported by 384 wheels.
The two-day move will see rolling closures and counterflow traffic along Whitemud Drive, Anthony Henday Drive and highways 14, 834 and 15 before reaching its destination on Feb. 26.
Officials are advising motorists to plan ahead, expect intermittent delays and use caution when approaching the slow-moving convoys.
