Officials with Nunn Construction Inc. issued the warning this week, indicating the company needed to blast rock from the 35-acre site in order to pour concrete foundations for the proposed two-story 152,500-square-foot school.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope to begin blasting next week,\u201d said company spokesperson Ralph Wegner.<\/p>\n
Officials said blasting would occur twice daily at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., requiring the closure of eastbound traffic on 7th Street starting at South Madison Street as well as southbound traffic on Sligo Street starting from the south entrance of Wal-mart.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe road closures will last 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon,\u201d Wegner said.<\/p>\n
Expected to take up to two weeks, the blasting operations will be closely monitored and choreographed with city police, fire, engineering and code enforcement officials.<\/p>\n
A sub-contractor will drill holes, load and shoot the dynamite charges, Wegner added. Non-construction personnel will not be allowed on or near the area during blasting.<\/p>\n
The new $33.7 million high school is expected to open in fall 2015.<\/p>\n