The Holliday Rock Pit operates July 17, 2025, in Grant County, The county court has approved a plant o blast away large rocks overhanging the pit due to safety concerns. (Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle)

JOHN DAY — Large and potentially dangerous overhanging rocks at the Holliday Rock Pit between John Day and Prairie City soon will be a thing of the past.

The Grant County Court at its meeting June 26 approved a proposal from Grant County Road Master Alan Hickerson that calls for the blasting and removal of the large overhanding rocks that could pose a danger to crews in the Holliday Rock Pit.

“After years and years of crushing in there, they’ve taken out of the middle of this rock quarry,” Hickerson said. “Right now there are some over hangers, a lot of big rocks overhanging the pit — big rocks, big as this room.”

At the meeting, Hickerson said the original plan for the overhanging rocks was to have them taken care of while Hueckman Contracting was removing brush and building a road to the quarry. It was quickly realized the plan was not feasible, however.

“They went in and looked at it, not close enough, we have to have a whole separate blast plan,” he told the county court.

Hickerson said he was quoted for two blasts. The first blast is intended to gain better access to the overhanging rocks. The second blast would remove those rocks.

Initially three blasts were planned to deal with the overhanging rocks but the cost of that job was more than Hickerson was comfortable with. The work at the rock pit will cost $56,250 and will be paid for out of the road construction fund.

“I’m not excited about this but it has to be done,” he said.

Hickerson said he hopes removing the rocks leads to a better pit that can be used for years to come. The project has no hard start date yet, although Hickerson said he expects the work to be done sometime next week.

Hickerson said he won’t know if a third blast is needed until after the initial effort is completed.