CALGARY -- Residents of southwest Calgary who are concerned about the construction work being done to build the final section of the city's ring road got to meet with developers Saturday.
The public information session was held at Winsport at 10:30 a.m. and gave people the opportunity to voice their concerns.
One of the main issues they have has to do with the excavation being done at the site.
Crews need to clear out about 20 m of bedrock for the highway's expansion and they say they can't use conventional equipment, so they're using controlled explosions instead.
As a result, residents who live closest to the blasting area are raising concern about the vibrations being caused by the work as well as the dust and increased rodent activity in the area.
The blasting process began in early November and is required to bring the hill down to the grade needed for cars and trucks to travel on said Shane De Lorey, project director with Alberta Transportation.
"Rippers and heavy equipment most likely wouldn't work so we use small charges."
The explosions are controlled and very small, he says.
"They cause the rock to break and fall off into the valley and then the trucks scoop it up and take it away."
He adds the blasting process is much more efficient than using equipment and the operation is a fair distance away from any homes in the area.
"It is quite a ways away from any homes and it is not even close to the velocity required to cause structural damage," De Lorey said.
"They'll hear it and they'll feel the blast but none of that will be indicative of causing structural damage to homes."
The activity had been suspended over the holiday season, but is expected to resume later this month.
