GA DOT: Blasting in Watkinsville today

Damn, I like climaxes with my explosions. Watch out for debris and noise>

Sincerely, 
Dan Matthews










BLASTING IN WATKINSVILLE TODAY

Watkinsville, Ga. – A controlled blast to remove rock alongside Mars Hill Road up the hill from the Humane Society is scheduled for today at 11:30 am in Watkinsville.

"Controlled blasting is anticlimactic; the dynamite is covered by tons of dirt and blast mats allowing only a puff of dirt, without much sound. We will stop traffic for about five minutes on Mars Hill Road just before and during the blast to ensure no one is within 500 feet of the blast area. Businesses in the area have been notified and we have also notified the Oconee County Fire Department of the plans. Depending on the amount of rock removed during each blast, there could be fewer blasts or more," explained Harold Mull, Georgia DOT District Construction Engineer.

The project will widen Mars Hill Road/Oconee Connector from State Route 316 to State Route 53/Hog Mountain Road improving mobility locally in Watkinsville and for the region in to and out of Clarke County. The new road will have four lanes that are 12 feet wide with a 20 feet wide grassy median. It will also have bike lanes and a sidewalk in each direction. As part of the project, a new bridge will be built over Barber Creek, replacing the existing bridge was built in 1944.

G.P.'s Enterprises of Auburn, Georgia is the Project's Contractor. The contract completion date for this 3.299 mile long project is May 26, 2018 - 56 days were added to the overall completion date because of the delay in issuing the notice to proceed to the Contractor. The contract cost is $26.3 million.

If you would like to receive email updates on the project please call Teri Pope at 770-718-3924 or email her at tpope@dot.ga.gov

The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment.  For more information on Georgia DOT, please visit www.dot.ga.gov or subscribe to our Press Release RSS feed.  You also may follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GDOTNE ) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/GDOTNE).




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Teri N. Pope
Georgia Department of Transportation
District One - Northeast Georgia
Communications Officer
770-531-5756 office
404-274-6436 cell

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Traffic fatalities are on the rise since the beginning of 2015 and Georgia could see the first increase in nine years! Many of these fatalities are the result of distracted driving. DriveAlert ArriveAlive implores motorists to drive responsibly. 1—buckle up; 2—stay off the phone/no texting; and 3—drive alert. Visit www.dot.ga.gov/DS/SafetyOperation/DAAA. #ArriveAliveGA




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