Aerial View from above I95

November 6 was a challenging day for aerial photographs. The cloud base dictated that our pilot remain at 2,500 feet (rather than the preferred 5,000 feet). However, this view shows very clearly how NCCAR will be accessed from exit 176 of I95, following NC46 to the east and then north on Lowes Boulevard. The dedicated NCCAR entrance road (named Technology Drive) will join Lowes Boulevard adjacent to the water tower. The NCCAR site is visible in the top right corner of the photograph.

Aerial View from South West

This view shows the full extent of the NCCAR site Phase 1A site development of 155 acres. Progress has been very rapid since the last photographs were taken on October 3. PLT Construction are moving about 9,000 cubic yards (600 dump truck loads!) of earth per day, 6 days a week. The gray top soil is exposed to reveal the red clay sub- soils. Take a look at the next two photographs for more detail of the earth works.

Aerial View From East

This is the best view to mentally superimpose the layout of the ride and handling course on top of the site development work – the expose red clay sub-soil at the left of the picture is the southern-most point of the ride and handling course. The copse of trees is a small area of woodland that will move to provide clearance for the north/south straightaway. The central rectangle of sub-soils is the main cut for the drainage swale. The resultant cut soils are being used as fill in the north eastern part of the ride and handling course. See the next photograph for a better view from the north.

Aerial View of Earthworks from North

The Phase 1 A build is developing from the southern part of the site. The northern section is still just top soil at the time of this photograph. Two long berms of top soil are clearly visible in the central part of the site. The long “ribbon” of gray soils is the profiled edge of the run-off area and is already graded and seeded. The next stage of earth works are the drainage features of the two turning circles – these will be present in next month’s photographs.

Aerial View of NCCAR Entrance

The NCCAR entrance is proceeding very well with retention ponds completed, landscaping and seeding in place and building pads prepared in red sub-soil for both the security kiosk and the Operations and Engineering building. The next step is to place crushed stone on the pads as a precursor to building pads being cast in place. The water table level is lower ,and hence better, than expected from initial exploratory borings conducted in 2007 - it is just possible to see the hint of clear blue water in the permanent retention pond.

Aerial View of NCCAR Site Storm-water Measures

A vital part of the NCCAR site design, function and integration with the local natural environment is the management of storm-water. This photograph shows the retention, sedimentation and erosion control devices that are located at the southern tip of the site development. The larger retention pond in the center right of the photograph with the two berms is the permanent retention pond, whilst the three other ponds with sedimentation traps are temporary devices required during the earthworks. The North Carolina Department of Transport will conducting research into optimal storm-water control measures at NCCAR.