The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page A2

40 30 20 10 5 TennesseanBroadsheet Master Temp lateRevised 110100 1 II 40 30 20 10 5 10 20 30 40 TennesseanBroadsheet Master TemplateRevised 110100 5 MO 20 Lo Lo lllllll OVIAI 2A Sunday, August 22, 2004 THETENNESSEAN www.tennessean.com FROM PAGE ONE Project facts 1 The project is ahead of schedule but could face delays in the coming months because of shortages in steel girders, caused by intensive building demands in China. Traffic counts for 2003 show that an estimated 1 47,500 vehicles a day traveled the I-40I-24 split area. That number is projected to hit more than 1 68,000 a day by 2015 and nearly 193,000 by 2025. Total project cost estimates: $5.2 million for land right of way, $6 million for engineering, and $52.4 million for total construction. Biggest project challenges: blasting and removing limestone rock because the rock walls are so close to the interstate pavement.

That closeness was standard procedure for interstate construction in the 1960s, but it leaves little room for the work so interstate closings are needed. As many as 1 8 police officers are required to monitor traffic and safety during each blasting. Approximately 1 00 people have full-time jobs relating to the project, including drivers, construction workers, consultants and environmental specialists. This project is not on the state Department of Transportation Web site because of a lack of Web-related resources. Only selected projects are posted.

NINA LONG STAFF Orlando Sierra works on the overpass bridge at Spence Lane as westbound traffic on 1-40 heads toward the split between interstates 24, 40 and 440. The project is one of several causing traffic delays in Nashville. Traffic information Want to avoid construction traffic delays? TDOT advises motorists to consult newspaper, radio and TV updates, watch the interstate message boards, or for current SmartWay camera views of the interstate traffic, visit www.tennessean.com or www.tdot.state.tn.us. At left, a SmartWay traffic camera A Nashville crayfish The Mill Creek area of the I-40 project is home to the endangered Nashville crayfish, a tiny, lobster-like creature that lives only in Davidson and Williamson counties. Construction work in the area has been limited to mid-May through September to minimize impact on mating and habitat.

Biologists round up the animals and move them upstream before work begins. The project includes 1 8 retaining walls and 1 0 new or reconfigured bridges, which will vary in number of lanes. Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation and consultant information. Blasting blocks interstate for 124 hours Road work: Delays to lead to better flow Safety checks, clean-up require time, so traffic diverted to alternate routes I-24A-440 split to Donelson Pike. With the additional lane, 1-40 will go from three lanes to four in each direction.

Between Briley Parkway and Donelson Pike, there will be five lanes each way. The busy interchange, where 1-40 and Briley Parkway meet, will get new ramps, eliminating the need for traffic signals. "Briley to 1-40 will have constant movement without any lights," said Amy Fiscor, construction supervisor on the 1-40 work for the state Department of Transportation. "The signals will be taken out north and south of the bridge at the 1-40 off ramp." The project has been characterized by a series of rock blasts that have forced temporary interstate shutdowns and detours lasting almost a day. Workers are flatten FISCOR By RACHEL STULTS For The Tennessean A rocky bluff near the Interstate 40 overpass at Spence Lane crumbled in seconds after a 10 a.m.

blast yesterday sent plumes of smoke and debris across the highway. Tennessee Department of Transportation officials said the blast, the last big one of the year, makes way for more construction on a $63.6 million road widening on Interstate 40 east of downtown. That project began in January and will continue through May 2007. "This bluff is so close to the interstate that we can't widen it without blasting out the rock," said Joe Epley, project manager for H.W. Lochner, and the TDOT engineer consultant.

On what is usually one of the city's busiest stretches of highway, motorists piled up throughout the day as traffic was diverted off of eastbound 1-40 from the I-40I-24 split to Briley Parkway. That stretch of highway was closed about WA hours, said Julie Oaks, TDOT community relations officer. Larger blasts, such as the one yesterday, will continue next summer, while smaller blasts, which cause traffic delays of as much as 15 minutes, will continue throughout the year, Oaks said. Residents, motorists and businesses are warned about the blasts days in advance. Traffic must be stopped for blasts as a safety precaution.

Thousands of pounds of rock and dirt crumble to the ground, often shooting debris into the interstate. A blast consists of drilling holes as deep as 35 feet into the rocky cliff and filling them with dynamite. Ammonium nitrate "This bluff is so close to the interstate that we can't widen it without blasting out the rock." Joe Epley, project manager for H.W. Lochner is placed on top of the dynamite, followed by stone to help keep everything from shooting out, Oaks said. A construction worker then pushes a button on a battery-operated, hand-held device, which detonates the explosives.

Crews spend hours cleaning up the debris and making sure roads and bridges are safe before they can be re-opened, a process that Oaks said is the biggest reason that delays are so long. Oaks said no blasting accidents have occurred on this project so far. Although motorists consider blasting a hassle, there are others, such as 83-year-old Herman Blanton, who enjoy the event. Blanton has lived next to the interstate for 30 years and in that time, he has seen about 20 blasts. "I watch 'em all the time," he said.

"I don't miss a trick." Still, Blanton said, he's not one to take any chances. He stays a safe distance away from the blast. "I get outta the way," he said with a laugh. "I run." Rachel Stults can be reached at rcstultsyahoo.com. ing the limestone to expand the interstate, but because the road is so close to the rock wall (a characteristic of early interstate construction from the 1960s era), workers have to shut down traffic or the debris would hit passing cars.

The last big blast of the year was yesterday to relocate a large water line and handle other utility and bridge work nearby. Delays can range from a few hours to all day. TDOT officials recommend checking media updates, the TDOT SmartCams for traffic views, or watching for the interstate message boards to alert you to individual work. Although some smaller, 15-minute delays will occur in the coming months, motorists can expect the next major blasting with lengthy interstate shutdowns to be in spring 2005. Those involved with the project say that they know motorists are frustrated but that the work will help in the long run.

"The only other alternative would be doing nothing and the motorist continuing to experience delays for years to come," said Joe Epley, project manager with H.W. Lochner, which handles the construction engineering inspection for TDOT. Construction details also are -STJSTTVi ESS i-v EPLEY PHOTOS BY NINA LONG STAFF Charles Gilliam, left, uses a powder pole to pack explosives while his brother Henry Gilliam pours ammonium nitrate into a hole during preparations for a blast to clear space for a highway-widening project on Interstate 40 east of downtown Nashville. Blasting 16 being scheduled with weekend football traffic in mind, so getting to those Titans and University of Tennessee home games shouldn't involve problems because of construction-related delays. Despite the challenges, TDOT has kept open the same number of lanes during rush hours to help reduce problems, Fiscor said.

They might be narrower than a standard lane, though. Drivers can expect some changes as they drive 1-40 near the 1-24 split. Traffic soon will be shifted to the newly built outer lanes while workers focus on the inside lanes and median construction, Epley said. The bridge that takes Spence Lane over 1-40 just east of the split is being rebuilt. In the next few weeks, traffic on the bridge itself will be restricted to northbound only, toward Elm Hill Pike.

Traffic headed toward Murfreesboro Pike will be detoured. Despite months of traffic delays, the construction hasn't harmed traffic to Nashville International Airport, situated near the heart of the road work. "Our numbers have continued to increase," said Kelly Watson, spokeswoman for the Nashville Airport Authority. "We haven't seen it impact our traffic levels." In fact, there's been a benefit. Blasted limestone has been trucked to the airport to fill a large hole on the site.

That's been a benefit to both the construction project and the airport. Kelli Hewett Taylor can be reached at 726-5938, or khewetttennessean.com. $59,830 approximate cost of blast 6,200 cubic yards blasted away from the bluff (equivalent to 500 dump truck loads) 30 workers needed for this blast 500 yards distance from blast considered safe for workers police officers used to direct traffic 12 hours the eastbound lanes of 1-40 were closed 15 minutes westbound lanes of 1-40 were closed 6,200 pounds of explosives used Smoke rises from a pile of collapsing rock during a blast to clear space for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2007. The interstate is being widened at the 1-401-24 split. Jerry Lee Bates uses radio traffic reports to navigate his commute from Dickson County to Nashville for a sprinkler installation job.

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The 'pop' and 'smash' that you hear when dirt clods and rocks hit your vehicle are unnerving to say the least to the point that I am surprised that more accidents don't occur." Valerie Broadway has seen her 20-minute commute increase to 40 minutes from Bellevue to Elm Hill Pike for her job with Community Education Partners. "There have been many days over the past three years that it has taken at least an hour to get to work and sometimes to get home. I've even been suspended from work for three days because of it. I know good things come to those who wait, but my goodness, hurry up already. It's very scary driving alongside a tractor trailer truck and you're beside the wall." Maria D'Amico takes 1-40 and Interstate 440 from Donelson to her job in Green Hills.

"I hate my commute, and the bumper-to-bumper traffic is wreaking havoc on my car's brakes and transmission. I've tried using the bus line, but Metro doesn't offer service that is convenient or quick enough. Perhaps TDOT should invest some of its money into expanding and improving the mass transit system." LOTTERY TENNESSEE Tennessee Cash 3 5-8-7 Prize: up to $500 www.tnlottery.com "I think it wi seems to me it wi be a lot better. I've been around it too long to get upset about it." Get state-by-state lottery results at www.tennessean.com Join the discussion How has the road construction affected your daily travel? Go to Tennessean.com and type in keyword CONSTRUCTION to share your story..