A bulldozer-sized rock crashed onto Highway 4 in the early morning hours of July 9, shutting down the road in both directions for over 12 hours as crews worked to remove it.
A look at the rock debris that has closed at Kennedy Hill. These photos are from 7:39 and 8 am. Progress continues as rock is drilled, blasted and cleared. Updates via :
B次元官网网址� BC Transportation (@TranBC)
A rockface along the side of the highway is being blasted in order to widen the roadway as part of the provincial and federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 $38 million highway improvement project, but a scheduled blast around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning brought down more rock than expected, according to B.C. Ministry of Transportation Vancouver Island District Manager Mike Pearson
B次元官网网址淲e apologize for the inconvenience caused today and we sincerely appreciate everyoneB次元官网网址檚 patience while we clean this up,B次元官网网址� Pearson told the Westerly B次元官网网址.
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Pearson said the blast occurred as planned, but a second area of rock was unexpectedly dislodged.
B次元官网网址淲e had some additional rock come down that we had not anticipated,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 that the blast was too big, it just hit the other rock and caused that rock to slide out from where it was sitting.B次元官网网址�
He said the road would likely reopen around 4 p.m.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been working throughout the day here with equipment on site to bust up the rock and get it out of the way so that we can get the road reopened,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淔or context, the size of these rocks are the size of a bulldozer or a very large pickup truck, so theyB次元官网网址檙e not small rocks by any means.B次元官网网址�
He added that the projectB次元官网网址檚 blasting work began in May, 2018, and over 200 blasts have been conducted.
B次元官网网址淲ith every blast, we do our due diligence to assess the rockface, take note of any risks and then make a call based on the conditions that day and that time before doing any blasting. With todayB次元官网网址檚 incident, there will be, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a requirement for, a full investigation of what happened and why and what, if anything, needs to change in our processes,B次元官网网址� he said.
He said the $38 million project is on schedule to be completed in the summer of 2020 and that about 50 per cent of the rock-blasting work is finished.
Ryan Wackett operates Westcoast Connect, a transportation company that delivers goods to and from the West Coast daily, and Wackett told the Westerly he had three, three-ton, trucks stuck in the highway closure as of 2 p.m.
B次元官网网址淥ne since 6:30 a.m., one since 8:30 a.m. and one since about 11 a.m.,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f my three trucks donB次元官网网址檛 make it out there today, then IB次元官网网址檓 really in a pinch tomorrow because I have the same three full trucks running everyday.B次元官网网址�
He said the closure has B次元官网网址渕assivelyB次元官网网址� impacted his business, delaying deliveries and increasing his costs and added some of the goods his company delivers is time-sensitive for customers.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e in touch with our customers and thankfully we have amazing customers on the West Coast that understand that theyB次元官网网址檙e in an [isolated] place and things like this can happen,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 have an incredible team and incredible customers.B次元官网网址�
He added though that he has concerns over what caused such a long delay.
B次元官网网址淔irst of all, that scares me because did they even know what they were doing if they blasted off that much extra rock? WhatB次元官网网址檚 going on there? Is it safe?B次元官网网址ow do you make that kind of a mistake?B次元官网网址� he said.
He noted there has been other incidents related to the construction work being done, including a tree falling onto traffic and a boulder crashing into a power pole last summer and said travelling through the highway construction zone has become B次元官网网址渘erve-wrackingB次元官网网址� for him and his employees.
He said TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 closure has also highlighted that there is only one road in and out of the West Coast and brought to mind the importance of area residents being prepared for an emergency.
B次元官网网址淚n light of recent earthquakes, it makes me think about the West Coast being cut off. This here is a huge disruption just for one day, but what if itB次元官网网址檚 a week? What if itB次元官网网址檚 30 days?B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou guys are cut off, literally, right now and this is just a small incident. So, I think of bigger situations, especially in light of earthquakes in the region, how prepared is the West Coast? People should be talking about that and thinking about it. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big deal.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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