AEDC’s Wattendorf Highway commuters alerted to traffic precautions Published Feb. 1, 2013 By Raquel March AEDC/PA ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Commuters are instructed to be cautious of unexploded ordinance (UXO) investigative field work being conducted beginning Feb. 7 and continuing for approximately three weeks along AEDC's Wattendorf Highway. The work will take place within a 15-acre area between Hap Arnold Drive and UTSI Road intersections. A UXO team will conduct operations Wednesdays through Sundays between 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. to minimize the impact on traffic. Commuters may experience some delays in traffic flow during the period of work and should slow down and use caution when approaching the area. This work is part of the Air Force's Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP) continuing effort to investigate historical training ranges. "The Air Force goal is to make historical ranges, or munitions response areas (MRA), safe for reuse and protect human health and the environment," said Denny Timmons, AEDC's installation restoration program manager. "As part of AEDC's continuing effort under the MMRP process to investigate and remove risk posed by suspected munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) and munitions constituents (MC) associated with past military training by the Army at Camp Forrest during WWII, the EA Engineering UXO team will be conducting an investigation to characterize the nature and extent of sub-surface MEC and MC contamination." The UXO team will also work in additional one-acre grid areas on three Camp Forrest historical ranges; the northern artillery impact area, the old impact area south and the machine gun range. Wattendorf Highway area is on part of the old impact area south historical range. There is no danger for commuters traveling through this area.