Quarrying of Juslenia Causes Special Arrangements at University Hill
The quarrying of Juslenia will begin with test blastings on Thursday, 27 September at 8.30–8.45am and on Friday, 28 September at 8.30–8.45am. The actual blastings will begin on Monday, 1 October 2018. During the blastings, students and staff are asked to take extra caution near the construction site. The blastings will be finished by the end of January 2019.
The construction site of Juslenia next to Horttokuja photographed on Friday, 21 September.
The blastings will be carried out on weekdays twice a day during 8.30–8.45am and 1.30–1.45pm. In case of technical issues or external disturbance, the time reserved for the blasting may be exceeded.
The upcoming blasting will be announced with a three-minute long continuous quickening signal. Also, the ending of the blasting will be announced with a continuous long signal.
After the signal, those working in the buildings next to the construction site (Zoological Museum, Natura, Feeniks, and the houses located next to the construction site of Henrikinkatu) must immediately move away from the windows.
– The users of the buildings and the Facility Services have been informed beforehand about the special arrangements. This is purely a precautionary measure to maximise the safety of staff and students, says responsible site manager of the construction site Ari Ahlqvist.
The immediate surroundings of the construction site will be closed during the blastings by guards. During the blastings, moving around the construction site is absolutely forbidden. The area that will be closed and the places of the guards will be presented during week 39 when the safety plans of the quarrying have been finished.
Construction Traffic Increases with Quarrying
It is estimated that transporting the rock cuts resulting from the quarrying takes approximately 4,000 loads of lorries.
– According to preliminary plans, we will transport six loads of rock cuts per hour. There has already been a lot of lorry traffic around the construction site and in the campus area, but with the quarrying, the traffic will continue to increase to some extent still, says Ahlqvist.
The construction traffic is planned to drive down Henrikinkatu and further via Kerttulinkatu to Hämeenkatu. In some situations, Rehtorinpellonkatu might have to be used as well. However, the route will mostly be avoided due to the narrowness of the street and student traffic.
More information:
Two briefings on the quarrying will be held in the lecture hall on the first floor of Fennicum on Monday, 24 September at 3pm and 4pm.
Text and photos: Heikki Kettunen
Translation: Aura Jaakkola