By Cory Smith
Lexington residents should expect to hear loud blasts from Washington and Lee University’s campus beginning Wednesday morning around 11 a.m.
Construction is already underway for Washington and Lee University’s new Center for Global Learning, but the next phase involves blasting away rock at the site. The blasts will take place between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the weekdays over the next six weeks, weather permitting.
There will be two to four blasts that are “carefully controlled and closely monitored” each day, the Alert Rockbridge notification said in its email to the city of Lexington, Virginia Military Institute, and Washington and Lee. The construction company will restrict access to the site prior to blasting times and will transmit audible warnings before any blast takes place.
The order for blast warnings will proceed as follows:
WARNING SIGNAL – 3 long horn signals 3 minutes prior to the blast.
BLAST SIGNAL – 1 long horn signal 1 minute prior to the blast.
ALL CLEAR SIGNAL – 1 short horn signal following the blast.
The alert also said construction personnel will be position in various locations around the blast zone to keep pedestrians and vehicles out of harm’s way and to reopen normal traffic flow once the ALL CLEAR signal has been given.
Construction for the new center began in May 2014. According to W&L’s website, the $13.5 million renovation and addition to Dupont Hall will house classrooms, seminar rooms, offices and instructional labs while also including an atrium, garden, courtyard and international tea shop. It will also serve as the location for the Office of International Education.