WASHINGTON — Rock clearing work this week near Washington Dulles International Airport will result in loud explosions and periodic road closures.
Through Friday, March 18, explosions could happen between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. along Route 606 near Mercure Circle, which is about two miles south of the Dulles Greenway.
If the rock blasts are close to Route 606, the road will be closed to traffic for 2 to 3 minutes at a time.
Warning alarms will be sounded 5 minutes before any detonation.
If traffic needs to be stopped, warning alarms also will sound 1 minute before the detonation.
In every case, the alarm will go off for 60 sounds.
If blasts are far enough away from the road to occur without impacting traffic, only one alarm will sound — five minutes before the blast.
On Friday, no explosions will occur if it would require stopping traffic in an effort to minimize inconvenience to area drivers.
The explosions will remove rock where rail yard facilities are being built to serve Metrorail’s Silver Line.
Rail stations planned for that area include the Dulles Airport, Route 606 and Route 772 station capping the end of the Silver Line.
Silver Line construction is expected to be complete in 2019-2020.
