Huge wind turbine parts continue to move through Lompoc streets

LOMPOC, Calif. -- The City of Lompoc continues to have large wind turbine parts move through many of its streets.

On Thursday, three more components of the Strauss Wind Project arrived just after 2 p.m.

"I think it was fun to bring the grandkids out, watch the trucks, watch how much work goes into these rigs and what it takes to get in here," said Lompoc resident Ed Glaze, who watched the transport with his family at the intersection of South I Street and West Cypress Avenue.

The now-under-construction wind farm is described by the company as the first wind project on the California coast.

When completed, it will generate enough clean, renewable energy to power nearly 44,000 homes.

The first parts traveled through Lompoc on Sept. 24. Massive blades measuring 220-feet long were delivered to the project site, located about 3.5 miles southwest of the city.

Thursday's delivery included two nacelles and one complete tower. A nacelle is an enclosure that houses an engine or generator.

"Something that big, holy cow!" said Lompoc resident Ernie Talavera. "You don't see anything like this. The way they maneuver, it is quite interesting."

The company is planning to transport more than 200 oversized loads through Lompoc for the next two months, lasting until late November or early December.

"I don't think it will get old," said Glaze. "I think we will probably be out here several more times watching it because it is something to see. It's almost like a fanfare for our small town here."

Project parts will be initially transported to the western edge of the city to a staging area located along West Ocean Avenue at a site about a mile west of V Street.

On Thursday morning, Lompoc resident Gene Marsh stopped by the staging area to get a first-hand look at workers preparing equipment for transport.

"It's kind of cool," said Marsh. "I've never seen them up close like this, so it's really cool how it looks like they're a couple hundred feet long at least."

Once the trucks enter the city, the delivery moves east along West Ocean Avenue, to South F Street, to Cypress Avenue, to I Street, to San Miguelito Canyon Road.

With the delivery a slow moving process due to the size and scope of the parts, traffic impacts will take place along the travel path.

"Community members in Lompoc can expect some traffic delays," said Lompoc public information officer Samantha Scroggin. "We want to keep people as informed as possible, so we have information up on our website, cityoflompoc.com, click under news, and we do have information there about what generally you can expect as far as detours. We have some maps outlying what parts of town will be affected and we expect it will be minimal."

For more information on the Strauss Wind Project, click here.