BIGBEE VALLEY, Miss.--A wide load bound for the Kemper County Coal Plant that is expected to tie up traffic on several east Mississippi highways has been delayed. We first told you about the expected traffic difficulties last week. The giant, two and a half million pound piece of equipment was expected to begin mving Sunday. Now it's set for 8 p.m. today.

This news release from MDOT has details about where you can expect to see delays and the areas you should avoid.

The previously schedule wide load move has been postponed for 24 hours. The move will instead begin on Monday, October 29, 2012, at approximately 8:00 p.m.
 
Burkhalter Rigging will be moving two pieces of extremely large equipment from Bigbee Valley to the power plant site in Kemper County. Each load will be 21 feet 7 inches wide by 27 feet 11 inches high and 345 feet 9 inches long and will weigh approximately 2.5 million pounds. The convoy will begin its route at a staging area near the Tenn-Tom One Stop on Highway 388 and will travel west to Highway 45.  Highway 388 from Bigbee Valley to Highway 792 will be closed to all traffic between Monday, October 29, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. until approximately 1 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2012.  The convoy will continue to Highway 45 and park overnight at the intersection of Highway 388 and Highway 45.  
 
The two loads will be traveling south in the northbound lanes of Highway 45 to State Route 16 at Scooba, MS. The northbound lanes of Highway 45 will be closed in increments up to five (5) miles. During the closures, all northbound and southbound traffic will be flowing in a head-to-head configuration in the southbound lanes of Highway 45.
 
One load will be parked in Shuqualak while the other load travels west along State Route 16 to Scooba. The first load will require State Route 16 to be closed to all traffic from Scooba to De Kalb, from 7:00 p.m., Thursday, November 1, 2012, until approximately 6:00 a.m., Friday, November 2, 2012. The first load will be parked off the roadway near De Kalb until 7:00 p.m., November 2, 2012.
 
State Route 16 from De Kalb to Highway 493 will be closed to all traffic from 7:00 p.m., Friday, November 2, 2012 until 2:00 a.m., Saturday, November 3, 2012. Highway 493 will be closed to all traffic from 2:00 a.m., until 6:00 a.m., Saturday, November 3, 2012.
 
The second load will travel south from Shaqualak, in the northbound lanes of Highway 45 at approximately 11 a.m., Saturday, November, 3, 2012 to Scooba.  Highway 16 will be closed to all traffic between Scooba and De Kalb from approximately 9:00 p.m., November 3, 2012 until 7:00 a.m., Sunday, November 4, 2012. State Route 16 will be closed to all traffic between De Kalb and Highway 493 from approximately 9:00 p.m., Sunday, November 4, 2012 until approximately 3:00 a.m., Monday, November 5, 2012. Highway 493 will be closed from 3:00 a.m. until 7:00 a.m., Monday November 5, 2012.
 
“It is imperative to get this equipment moved to its destination in a timely manner but even more important to keep motorists safe and aware of the wide load move,” said the Mississippi Transportation Commission in a joint statement.
 
Motorists should be aware and expect traffic delays along this route. MDOT regrets any inconveniences the delays may cause.
 
For more information about this wide load, please contact Chief Willie Huff at 601-359-1707.