Major traffic impacts expected across 3 western Pennsylvania counties as "superloads" move through

This morning marked the first of many "superloads" that will be moving super slowly while traveling from Armstrong to Indiana County, carrying parts for the building of a new, natural gas-powered data center and generating station in Homer City. 

The journey begins in Schenley, Armstrong County, and will end near Homer City, Indiana County. 

"We're excited; it's just a major technical feat that we're excited to watch," said Anita Bafik, one of the people watching at a spectator camp in Kiski Township. 

The superload is expected to snarl traffic for the next four months as 50 loads will make the trip. 

"That first move will go from Schenley to Blairsville, and then we'll have to park for the night," explained Tim Ernst of Edwards Moving and Rigging. "The second load is going to go from Blairsville to Homer City." 

These loads are 205 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 381 tons, moving at just three to four miles per hour. While on the highway, they're only moving 18 miles per hour, carrying the parts for the data center. 

Simply put, it's a trip you don't want to get stuck behind. The company behind the journey said you can follow the updates on their Facebook page.

"If you go to Facebook, just search for Edwards Moving and Rigging," Ernst said. "If you follow our page, you should get that notification, and it will come out at 7:00 every night. The intent is to say, 'Here's the plan for the following day.' Even on days when we will not be moving anything, we are planning to make sure that we let the monitoring public know what is going on." 

Bridge crossings will also be a meticulous process and could prompt closures of up to three hours. Those bridges are on U.S. 22 over the Union Pacific Railroad and Highway 217, and the other bridge is on Campbell's Mill Road over Blacklick Creek. 

"All of our intersections, we will close down," said Willie Sanford, the large project manager with Edwards. "We will not stop at the red lights and things like that. Our state troopers who are working with us, they will come up to an intersection, they will close it down, and we'll travel through it. Our goal is to not stop." 

The load will travel with escort vehicles, state police cruisers, and bucket trucks.