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The Unofficial |
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The Unofficial |
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The project between Mars Hill and US 19 is complete. All the signs, paint striping, fencing and paving has been finished and traffic is now using the road. Except for an inch of pavement that will be added on the northbound lanes south of US 19, everything is completed on this project.
A-10C
As of April 2000, 20,036,400 cubic yards of excavation has been moved since October 1996. This is about 85% of the total amount on the project.
Over 43,500 tons of erosion control stone has been used so far, which is far over the amount originally estimated. This is due in part to the rainy winters in the region, but also because the sheer size of this project was difficult to comprehend initially.
The presplitting quantity (the creation of smooth finished planes in solid rock by blasting) is now up to over 103,100 square yards. Much of this has been done in Buckner Gap and the big cut just to the south of the Gap. Over 360,000 square yards of erosion control matting has been used on this project, a increase over the estimated amount by 10 times (estimated amount of 36,000 sy). The reason for the enormous overrun is simple; every soil slope has had erosion control matting placed on it when it was completed to hold it in place, and the initial estimate did not provide for this use.
The contractor is now working along the entire project to complete his excavation and embankments. Material is being removed from three locations, at the second escape ramp, Area #2 north of Sprinkle Creek, and Area #5 at the north end of the project. This material is being hauled to the Bear Branch interchange, Waste Area #1 (where the rest area will go), and to the valley just north of Jarvis Road.
The fill north of Jarvis Road is being rapidly constructed, but still has about 50' to go to bring it up to the proper elevation. This is the last major embankment on the project to be constructed and one of the largest ones. An escape ramp has yet to be constructed just south of the first major cut on the project as well.
Material is being added to the first waste site to make it ready for the construction of the rest area. The design of the rest area has begun and will provide parking for personal vehicles, RV's and trailers, and commercial vehicles. The welcome center building itself will be elevated above the parking areas and a scenic overlook will be constructed along the ridge behind it to provide a great view of the Black Mountains and Mount Mitchell. The excavation at Area #2 is reaching a conclusion. The contractor is about 50' from reaching the final elevation, and he is hauling this material south to the fills around the rest area. The escape ramp south of there is under construction as well, with about 500,000 cubic yards of material to be removed. Buckner Gap is essentially completely excavated out now. The left and right hand rock faces are down to the proper grade and only finishing up is needed now. The rock patterns are very impressive on these rock faces. North of Buckner Gap, the excavation and construction of the Bear Branch interchange is continuing. The bridge over Bear Branch Road is under construction. The bridge will be a one span structure and looks very nice as you approach it from US 23. The repairs of the Bear Branch Creek relocation have been made and it looks much like the rest of the stream now, with rocks creating pools and ripples along the repaired section.
A-10D
As of April 2000, about 6,570,000 cubic yards of excavation has been removed since 1997. This is 80% of the total amount for the whole project. Over 950,000 cubic yards of undercut excavation has been removed so far.
Over 200,000 square yards of erosion control matting has been used on this project, a large increase over the 11,000 square yards estimated to be required. Like A-10C, all soil cuts and fills when completed have erosion control matting placed on them, which has tremendously increased the use of this quantity.
The Laurel Creek Bridge now shows a lot of progress. All four columns are either completed or near completion, and the tallest one has had the cap added to it. Another column (#1) has had its cap just poured and temperature monitoring of the concrete as it cures is going on now. The hope is that all the caps will be poured by October 2000 and the hanging of the steel can begin late this year.
North of the bridge, Wright Brothers has very nearly completed the excavation on this project. Only the massive cut just north of the Laurel Creek Bridge and some minor excavation near the TN State Line remains to be finished. The other cuts and fills appear to be completed and have been seeded and revegetated. Many of these can be seen from US 23 as you come down from the TN State Line. The US 23 bridge near the TN line has begun construction, with one of the inner bents already poured.
Previous Project Updates:
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