Unannounced blasting in Westbard area of Bethesda

Around 1:47 PM yesterday, horns sounded in the Westbard area of Bethesda. Moments later, explosives were detonated, shaking the ground and rattling nearby homes and businesses. That was followed by an all-clear horn. This was presumably related to the Westbard Avenue realignment project, as that is the only project of the scale that would require blasting in the area, but that is not confirmed. The explosions took the community by surprise, as whoever detonated the charges did not issue a public announcement beforehand. Neither did Montgomery County.

The vibrations of these blasts can damage nearby properties, and the parties involved can be held liable for such damages. As such, the surrounding property owners must be notified in advance of such blasting. When the Fourth Presbyterian Church at 5500 River Road required blasting for their addition, they advised the community of this in advance. It's not unusual to blast during large-scale construction excavation in Bethesda, as the soil is known to be very rocky here. What is unusual, is for residents to suddenly hear and feel a blast they were given no warning of.

Will more blasting be heard around Westbard today or in coming days? We don't know, because there's been no public announcement. 

Blasting necessary at Stonehall Bethesda construction site

BA-ROOOOM!

The construction team building the Stonehall Bethesda luxury condo building has run into the same problem as Flats 8300 did across Woodmont Avenue - Bethesda's rocky soil. Once again, blasting will be part of the solution to provide sufficient excavation for the project.

Hydraulic rock breaking will also be employed to remove the offending bedrock. If the contractor receives the expected approval from Montgomery County, it will be allowed to exceed the standard noise limit during daytime hours.

Blasting would take place through the end of May, if all goes according to schedule. The work would be restricted to the hours between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

You can expect there may be vibration monitoring equipment again on site. This is to detect excessive vibration that could damage adjacent structures.

BLASTING TODAY AT 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION SITE IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA

BAROOOOOM!

Contractors will be blasting today at the 4500 East-West Highway construction site, former home of the Bethesda McDonald's.

Detonations will occur between 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM.

If you are within 300 feet of the site, you can expect to hear an underground roar, and feel vibrations. (In my experience, it can be heard further than that!).  There will be an audible alert prior to blasting, a second alert just before detonation, and an all-clear signal after detonation. You know the drill.

Blasting is expected to resume again on Monday, same Blast time, same Blast channel. This will likely go on all next week.

What's going on, is that excavators struck an area of solid rock at the southern end of the site when digging. This is not unusual, given the geological makeup of the ground under Bethesda, or Montgomery County, in general. Blasting is now necessary to complete excavation.

4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE - FORMER BETHESDA MCDONALD'S SITE (PHOTOS)

Excavation and grading continue at the Carr construction site at 4500 East-West Highway in Bethesda. Formerly a McDonald's restaurant, the site will now house a Class A office building.

It amazes me how these unwieldy machines work on and near these steep grades without ever taking an accidental tumble.

Contractors have been blasting a layer of rock on the south end of the site.

BLASTING TO BEGIN MONDAY, MARCH 18, AT 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION SITE

EXCLUSIVE

Crews will begin blasting through a layer of rock Monday at the 4500 East-West Highway construction site.

As I reported previously, a horn system will signal each detonation in advance, the moment before, and right afterwards.

BLASTING REQUIRED AT 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY SITE, W LANE OF PEARL ST. TO CLOSE MARCH 12

The office building project at the former Bethesda McDonald's site (4500 East-West Highway) is about to get complicated.

If you work in one of the many office buildings nearby, or live in the Topaz House or Riviera and are at home during daytime hours, it's also going to get loud.

Workers excavating at the south end of the site have struck a layer of solid rock. An engineering study has clarified that blasting is necessary to continue excavation.

Blasting will begin in the coming weeks. If you live around Bethesda Row, you know the drill.

If not, here is the signal code explosive technicians will use during blasting at this site:

° Long horn blast warning, 5 minutes before detonation

° 3 short horn signal immediately before detonation

° "All Clear" long horn blast after explosion

Isn't that going to be fun?

The other big news, is that the western lane of Pearl Street will close "on or around" Tuesday, March 12, 2013.  Pearl Street, as I reported a few weeks ago, will become a southbound-only, one-way street for the duration of the building construction.

That western lane of Pearl will be sealed off with jersey barriers. And driver information signage will be placed along East-West Highway and Montgomery Avenue.

Support pile installation is now complete, and excavation will continue concurrent with blasting operations.

BETHESDA ROW LOT 31 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Blasting at the Lot 31 construction site at Bethesda Row is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, says Tom Pogue of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.  However, given that that assumes good weather - and rain is forecast all day today - there's a chance it could end Thursday instead.

Three construction cranes will be erected in the pit next week, and then concrete-pouring work will begin. Throughout next month, crews will construct foundations, footings and a drainage system.

During this, a new Bethesda Avenue entrance to the site will be utilized. Cement mixers and other trucks will enter and exit there, so be alert for flagmen while driving on Bethesda Avenue or Woodmont Avenue.

All of this work is to build The Darcy, The Flats, and a 900-space public parking garage at Bethesda Row.