Nov. 2 start date for Second Ave. controlled blasting

After months of wrangling with landlords and the city, the MTA last week decided to fork over $500,000 to shore up the shaky buildings along Second Ave. The start of these buildings, structural deficient since before the start of Second Ave. Subway construction, had been holding up the controlled blasting needed to get the Upper East Side launch box ready for the tunnel-boring machine.

Well, the wait is finally over. With a tip of the hat to Ben at The Launch Box, we learn that the MTA has been issued its FDNY permit, and controlled blasting along Second Ave. will start on November 2. The MTA’s SAS construction website features a notice about the blasting. It says:

The Second Avenue Subway project will be using a well established excavation technique called controlled blasting to facilitate the excavation of the Tunnel Boring Machine Launch Box. We have used this technique at many of our projects in Manhattan.

Controlled blasting activities are scheduled to begin the week of November 2, 2009.

The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has approved a controlled blasting plan for the area of Second Avenue between 91st and 93rd Street which will be carried out in coordination with the MTA and S3 Tunnel Constructors. All blasting will be conducted under the direction and regulations of the FDNY. Blasting is permitted to take place during the approved Second Ave Subway working hours of 7 AM to 10 PM, although, every effort will be made to limit blasting to daylight hours.

Blasting Procedures

• All pedestrian and vehicle traffic will be temporarily stopped during each blast occurrence. Blasting will occur approximately 4 to 5 times daily, with each blast lasting no more than one minute.
• There will be a warning whistle before each blast
  • 1 whistle as a warning sound
  • 2 whistles indicate the blast is imminent
  • 3 whistles indicate the blast is complete and all is clear.
• Flagging personnel will be positioned at the north, south, east and west corners of the blast zone to inform and direct pedestrians.
• Signs will be posted around the work site that will state: DANGER BLASTING- NO RADIO TRANSMITTING

As required by New York State regulations, and monitored by FDNY, all explosive materials are delivered to and from the work site daily.

Vibration and noise limits have been established by the MTA and the project designer. The vibration and noise readings will be monitored by the construction management team.

Please direct any questions or concerns to Marcus Book, Assistant Director, MTA NYC Transit Government and Community Relations at 646-252-2675 or Claudia Wilson at the work site at 212-792-9716.

For the MTA, this blasting will be a major step forward in Second Ave. subway construction. Those of us eagerly anticipating whatever part of this line will arrive in the next seven or eight years have been awaiting the blasting stage. Hopefully, the residents and businesses already impacted by the construction can take some solace in the fact that the MTA is moving ahead with this project.