The loads — measuring 146 to 175 feet long, 18.5 feet wide and 19.5 feet high — will be on the move from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day Wednesday through Friday and May 21 and 22. The last load will be on the roadways May 24 and 25, according to ODOT.
Impacted areas of the county are Ross, Hanover, Milford, Wayne, St. Clair and Madison townships; villages of Millville and Seven Mile; and cities of Trenton and Middletown.
Lyle McDaniels, plant manager at Air Products, said the four cold boxes are an $80 million investment to replace the existing operations and increase capacity.
McDaniels said the cold boxes are used in the process of cryogenics, or temperatures of minus 300 degrees, to compress and produce liquids and gases, including nitrogen and argon. Customers include AK Steel and companies making food, electronics and medical applications.
“If there are inconveniences (with the haul) we apologize, but it’s good for business in terms of jobs and the facility in the area,” said Art George, spokesman for Air Products.
The travel route is as follows: Depart Anderson Ferry to west U.S. 50; north on Ohio 128 into Butler County; north on U.S. 27 entering from the southbound ramp to Ohio 128; north on U.S. 27; east on Stahlheber Road; north on Morman Road; east on Ohio 130; north on Ohio 177; east on Ohio 73; south on U.S. 127; east on Ohio 73; north on Ohio 4 using the southbound ramp to Ohio 73; at top of ramp, crossover the median into north Ohio 4 lanes; east on 14th Avenue to the destination on Yankee Road.
“You won’t be able to pass it on two-lane roads so that’s why we’re asking people to avoid those routes,” Smigielski said.
The loads will be accompanied by four private bucket trucks to move overhead power lines, as well as four Ohio State Highway Patrol vehicles, an escort from ODOT, and two private escorts. Smigielski said no taxpayer dollars will be used, with the hauler assuming costs for fuel, vehicles or overtime of ODOT workers.
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