Work crews will begin blasting along I-85 South just south of Clark Road in Davidson County, starting today at lunchtime. The blasting is a necessary step to widen 3.8 miles of I-85 to eight lanes from just north of N.C. 150 to just north of I-85 Business, which is part of the northern segment of the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project.
During the blasts, rolling roadblocks will be in effect. Law enforcement vehicles will pace traffic in each direction to create a buffer zone separating the traffic from the blasting locations, so the work can safely occur. Crews will inspect the interstate for rock and debris before the rolling roadblocks will be released, and traffic can flow freely again.
Blasting is expected to occur each day around lunchtime for the next two-three weeks. No blasting will occur during the Labor Day holiday weekend.
The blasting is necessary in the areas where crews will build the new lanes of I-85. The blasts will break up the hard bedrock that is close to the surface. Once the rock is fractured into smaller pieces, it can be removed with trackhoes, and the road base can then be built.
The blasts will not emit more than a low popping sound and should not be felt at nearby homes or businesses. Traffic moving in the rolling roadblocks is urged to go slow and follow the pace of the law enforcement vehicles to ensure safety.
This work is part of the long-term effort under way to widen I-85 to create four lanes in each direction. The N.C. Department of Transportation broke ground in the fall of 2010 on the southern segment of the project, which involves replacing eight bridges and widening 3.3 miles of I-85. The northern segment extends the reach of the interstate widening 3.8 miles from north of N.C. 150 to just north of I-85 Business.
Work on both phases is concurrent and scheduled to be complete by May 2013. When completed, the project will help reduce congestion, improve safety and ensure that this important piece of the region’s transportation system meets the needs of drivers into the future.
For more information on both phases of the $201.5 million project, visit www.i-85yadkinriver.com. To receive instant updates on traffic pattern changes, construction-related congestion and project milestones, follow NCDOT’s I-85 Twitter feed, https://twitter.com/NCDOT_I85.