Will there be blasting on the No Business Creek tunnel project?

Yes. Blasting will be used to excavate the shafts for the tunnel. This will occur at the entrance shaft at the No Business Creek pump station site, the Jacks Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) site as well as the two access shafts along the route. One is located behind the CVS near the intersection of Springdale Road and Centerville Highway; the other one will be at a location off of Everson Road. Once excavation work begins at these locations, blasting will occur daily until the rock is cleared. Two to three blasts are expected per day.

What is the specific process for blasting the shafts?

When blasting for the access shafts at No Business Creek and Jacks Creek, small diameter holes will be drilled into the solid rock face in an engineered pattern. Explosive charges will be placed in these holes and detonated in a carefully controlled and timed sequence. The engineered pattern will cause the blast to crack the rock and uplift it so that it can be removed with excavation equipment. Blast shields are used to keep rock and debris contained to the area of work. Blast monitoring will be performed using seismographs, similar to equipment used throughout the world to detect movement in the earth's crust. The seismographs measure ground acceleration in a horizontal direction. These seismographs may be placed on the ground next to neighboring structures. Typically, the seismographs record negligible or undetectable accelerations during shaft blasting operations.

Will I feel any kind of shock during the blasting?

It is possible you may feel minor vibrations. To provide reassurance and offer protection for property owners, the County will conduct pre-construction and post-construction surveys of homes and businesses within 1000 feet of the shaft locations. Seismic monitoring will also be conducted during blasting activities to ensure minimal vibration levels are maintained. Furthermore, the contractor will be required to adhere to tightly controlled blasting specifications and the County's noise ordinances.

How will homeowners and businesses in the area know when blasting is going to happen?

The contractor is required to notify businesses and residents in the area prior to beginning work. This is typically done through doorhangers. Additionally, the industry standard alert system will be in place. This consists of a series of signals issued before a blast is shot.

Warning Signal	A long, sustained siren will be activated 5 minutes prior to the blasting signal.
Blast Signal	A short siren will be activated one minute prior to the shot (blast) being fired.
Blast	Shot firer will give three verbal warnings of "fire in the hole" prior to blast.
All Clear Signal	A prolonged siren will be activated following the inspection of the blast area.

It is possible at some of the excavation locations, that traffic may be stopped during blasting activity. However, this will only occur if the roadway is within the 1000 foot blast radius and flagmen will be in place as traffic control.

How are blasting activities regulated in Georgia?

The Georgia Blasting Standards Act regulates blasting operations. The County requires that contractors fully comply with this Act. The Act specifies limits on the severity of vibrations at your home caused by blasting. You can view these regulations online at http://www.ganet.org/cgi-bin/pub/ocode/ocgsearch?number=25-8-1

What assurance do I have that my home will be protected during blasting?

The construction contractors are required to have a pre-construction survey done by a qualified technician furnished by the insurance underwriter. The pre-blast survey documents by notes and photographs, the condition of structures within 1000 feet of the site perimeter, prior to any blasting occurring. If a property owner reports damage, then a post-blast survey will be conducted of the reported damage and will be compared to the pre-construction survey.

Can anybody in the area get a pre-blast survey?

The contractor will arrange for a survey of any home or other structure within 1000 feet of the site where blasting is to occur. Depending on the intended severity of the blasting, properties further than this may also be surveyed.

What do I do if the blasting damages my home?

If you believe the blasting damaged your home, please contact Manoj Bhimani of Gwinnett County's Department of Water Resources at 678.376.7117.

If the analysis shows that the blasting did damage my home, how long will it take for me to get reimbursed for these damages?

This process will work through the individual contractor's insurance providers and will depend on their claims procedures. The County will impress upon all contractors the importance of getting such matters processed quickly.

Can residents get a seismograph at their house?

Not as a rule. Seismographs will be used to measure vibrations from blasting to make sure they remain within specified limits. Seismographs will be placed at locations close to the blast in order to provide measurements that indicate the severity of the blast and which allow for adjustments to be made in future blasts if necessary. The results obtained from the seismographs may be used to estimate the severity of the vibrations at locations further away.