Published: 4:21 PM, 11/06/2009

Last updated: 12:54 PM, 11/17/2009

By: community report

Submitted by the N.C. Department of Transportation
Construction workers from contractor Phillips & Jordan today worked to bring down loose rock along the rockslide slope and broke up the boulders along the bottom of the slope in preparation for hauling it away.

Workers used track hoes perched on the west side of the rockslide about 50 feet up a ramp created by breaking up the debris. The track hoes pushed the loose rock down to the bottom of the slide, where hoe rams broke up the rock. There are four track hoes, a bulldozer and a front end loader currently on site.

A track hoe is an excavator that consists of an articulated arm, a bucket on the end of the arm and a cab for the operator mounted on a rotating platform. A hoe ram replaces the bucket and is a powerful percussion hammer â€" much like a jackhammer â€" that is used to break up large rocks.

Over the weekend, crews will continue this work. Hauling operations of the debris are tentatively scheduled to begin next week. The plan will continue to be evaluated to ensure safety.