NC Education Campus Blasting Updates

Construction crews working for the Legislative Services Office report that the third and final phase of rock blasting at the New Education Campus site began Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. This final round of blasting will occur in the southern half of the block in the footprint of the former Administration Building. Blasts will occur once daily until complete.

Dec. 23, 2024 Blast Map

Blasts are planned for 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. on Monday, December 23.

December 23, 2024 Blast Map

 

FAQs

Tab/Accordion Items

  • ⚠️ Expect traffic delays due to road closures.
    For safety, roads surrounding the construction site will be shut down 15 minutes prior to a blast and will remain closed up to 5 minutes after the blast to verify the area is clear. This may lead to traffic backups along Jones, McDowell, Salisbury and Lane streets, as well as roads that feed into the area.
  • ⚠️Periodic closures of some sidewalks & walkways
    Access to sidewalks and walkways along Jones, McDowell, Salisbury and Lane streets, as well as building entrances close to the blasting site, will be closed for 15-20 minutes during each blast period. Flaggers (yellow/green dots in the map above) will be stationed in the shaded red area in the map above to indicate when sidewalks/walkways/building doors are closed.
  • ⚠️ Be aware of extra noise & vibration
    Air horns and announcements will precede each blast. People immediately adjacent to the site may experience a loud noise and rumbling during the blast.

The old Administration Building is being deconstructed so that a new Education Campus can be built.  In 2022, the NC Legislature allocated about $400 million to build a new campus to house the headquarters for the UNC System, NC Community College System and the Department of Public Instruction. The NCGA tasked Legislative Services Office with overseeing the construction project. 

  1. Check the blasting schedule for the days you'll be working downtown. 

  2. Plan ahead to avoid the area around the old Administration Building (the block surrounded by Jones, McDowell, Lane and Salisbury streets) 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the scheduled blast time. 

    NOTE: Employees and visitors who park in decks 65, 75, 76 or 77 may need to adjust the time and/or way they enter/exit the parking deck to avoid traffic backups. 

     

DOA has been told that air horns will sound three prolonged times at five minutes and one minute before each blast. The horns are 115 decibels (similar volume to a rock concert, motorcycle or bulldozer). 

Anticipated volumes for the blasts have not yet been provided, but DOA has been told they will not be as loud as the air horns.  

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