CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Today crews with Charles Blalock & Sons worked to extend the crane pad located on the west side of the slide area to allow the 275 ton crawler crane to move further to the east for more drilling and trim blasting operations. The pad, constructed of approximately 90 tons of rock and crushed stone, is necessary to ensure the crane and its 300’ long boom operate on a level and stable surface. Workers also continued working along the face of the slope using hand tools to remove loose rocks and debris that would otherwise present a hazard to workers and equipment that will be operating on the roadway surface below. 

 

Hand scaling, drilling, and trim blasting operations are expected to continue through Sunday as weather permits.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Crews with contractor Charles Blalock & Sons today set off explosive charges on the western portion of the slope in order to remove a seam of unstable rock as part of the overall remediation plan.  The contractor drilled a series of holes through the unstable rock layer to the desired depth, set off the explosive charges, and successfully exposed a stable layer of rock that is less susceptible to future slides.  The contactor plans to continue working from the west side of the slope to the east with drilling and trim blasting operations and will begin hauling away slide debris this week as work progresses to the east. The larger debris will be broken into a manageable size using a hoe-ram, loaded on to dump trucks and removed from the site.

 

Hand scaling, drilling, and trim blasting operations are expected to continue through Sunday as weather permits.

 

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Transportation Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole joined numerous state and local law enforcement agencies and safety advocates today to remind Tennesseans about the dangers of driving impaired this holiday season. 

 

As a visual reminder of the severe result of impaired driving, 327 teddy bears lined the lobby of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in remembrance of those killed in alcohol related crashes in 2008. After the ceremony the bears were given to Tennessee Child Passenger Safety Centers where they will be distributed to needy children.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Today, crews continued the scaling operation on the east side of the slide area to remove loose boulders and debris as workers on the west side of the slope constructed a crane-mounted work platform and began drilling the west slope with a track mounted hydraulic drilling machine.  Drilling is scheduled to continue through tomorrow and Thursday, weather permitting, in preparation for a scheduled trim blast on Thursday afternoon. Holes will be drilled to a depth where there is a stable layer of rock, cleaned out, loaded with TNT and blasted. This will remove the unstable rock and leave a stable layer that is less likely to slide in the future.

 

Hand scaling, drilling, and trim blasting operations are expected to continue through Sunday as weather permits.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – US-64 in Polk County continues to be closed at mile marker 17.6 due to a major rockslide near the Ocoee 2 Dam. A portion of Little Frog Mountain slid into the roadway on November 10, 2009. The project to remove the rockslide debris and repair the roadway is underway and expected to take at least eight weeks.

 

 

 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Workers with Charles Blalock & Sons Construction continued assembly of the 275-ton crawler crane and the construction of a crane pad on the west end of the project as blasting crews began drilling an outcropping of large rock formations in preparation of spot blasting operations that are scheduled to take place tomorrow. The contractor also hauled in approximately 200 tons (ten truck loads) of aggregate on the east end of the project which will be spread across US-64 in a 2’ to 3’ thick blanket and serve as an energy dissipater for falling rocks. The blanket is intended to absorb the energy of the falling rock and reduce the distance which they would otherwise travel.

 

NASHVILLE –Thanksgiving travelers will enjoy a smooth drive through Tennessee during the busy travel holiday. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is once again halting all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways in anticipation of higher traffic volumes across the state.  
 
Construction crews will pack up their tool belts and all lane closures will be removed beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 25 until 6:00 a.m. Monday, November 30.