Day 4 (continued): Into Richland

Night had fallen by the time the melter assembly pulled away from the Washington-Oregon border at 6:30 p.m. But even under the cover of darkness, it was quite a parade. A state patrol car was in the lead; pilot and follow vehicle lights were flashing; and the giant melter, consuming almost two lanes of traffic, advanced down the freeway and into Richland.

Traveling at an average of 24 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 43 miles per hour, the spectacle continued down the bypass and onto Stevens Drive. At approximately 7:50 p.m., the entire caravan came to rest in a large parking area across the street from the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) offices in north Richland.

The melter assembly will proceed to the WTP construction site Friday morning, where it will be offloaded and rolled into the Low-Activity Waste Vitrification Facility. Continue to check back for more updates and photos!

Starting point: Pendleton, Oregon
Ending point: Richland, Washington
Miles traveled: 80
Hours traveled: 4.75
Average speed: 25 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 43 miles per hour

The melter caravan crossed Van Giesen in Richland after 7:00 p.m. (View larger image.)

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