Saturday, Feb 17, 2018 at 20:10
BIL (ex-copper) works as a Main Roads wide load escort (Traffic Warden) - and I've hauled earthmoving equipment up to 132 tonnes gross with a widening float, around W.A., since 1966.
The BIL escorts loads up to several hundred tonnes and up to 8 and 9 metres wide.
He even gets his mugshot on the Main Roads W.A.
information booklet, "Sharing the Roads with Oversize Loads"!
https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Documents/Brochure_OSOM%20v1_horizontal.RCN-D17%5E23688925.PDF
I've never heard of a wide load holding up traffic for an extended period - unless it has come to grief (lost its load, had an accident, had a mechanical failure, or the driver has had a "medical episode").
And yes, I've had my fully loaded 132 tonne, 4.5M wide float come to a complete stop, because a dill of a woman lost control of her vehicle when overtaking it - ran into the prime mover (doing serious damage to it), and rolling her car and caravan in the process!
That most certainly did close the (Gt Eastern) highway for several hours, until the wreckage was cleared.
If traffic is going to be adversely affected by a wide load movement, then Main Roads W.A. will put out a traffic advisory, which is widely disseminated.
About the only reasons for wide load, minor traffic disruption, is when power lines have to be lifted, for seriously overheight equipment - or when bridges have to be crossed by the oversize rig.
When a
bridge has to be crossed with an exceptionally heavy rig, the
bridge must not be occupied by any other vehicles, and the oversize rig is limited to a speed of 10kmh.
This is to protect the
bridge structure and pylons, as the
bridge is often near its engineered load limit.
This disruption is only minor and rarely involves any more than a 20 min wait.
In the case of oversize loads that are too heavy for bridges, the oversize rig is detoured via a ground route that avoids bridges.
You are more likely to encounter a delay on the Nullarbor due to some tourist rolling their car and caravan and blocking the highway - or incurring serious injury in a traffic accident, that results in an RFDS aircraft being called in - whereby the Eyre Highway is closed, while the RFDS aircraft lands on the highway and takes off again.
There are about 4
places along the Eyre Hwy that are dedicated temporary airstrips, for landing aircraft on the highway.
Any major accident on the highway - particularly one involving road trains - can see the highway closed for up to 8 or 10 hours until specialist lifting equipment can be brought in to clear the wreckage.
Enjoy your trip, and don't get uptight about any delays, it's just all part of long-distance travel.
Cheers, Ron.
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