Rockfall is a major problem along roads, especially in mountainous regions. As the states’ roads age, and with the repeated freezing and thawing events, the different rock cuts are starting to deteriorate. The devoted road workers dedicate their time to keeping the roadways safe by proactively addressing hazardous rock cuts. The agency employs rockfall mitigation services to help mitigate the risk of these rocks falling.
One of the strategies many roadway construction companies use is high scaling, where specialty contractors use ropes to rappel down slopes and check for loose rocks.
If they find any, they can pull them off with a pry bar or use airbags to push the rock off the slope.
High scaling is a more proactive approach as it is used to prevent rocks from falling in the first place. It is also less expensive and disruptive than blasting, and workers can keep roads open while they work on making the rock cuts safe. In other cases, rock nets or other barriers are installed to catch falling rocks. This approach is used in areas where workers cannot divert traffic, such as busy highways.
Ultimately, the best rockfall mitigation services will depend on the individual situations. Specialty contractors need to consider factors such as the type of rock, the slope of the land, and the budget. This enables them to develop the most effective plan to prevent rock falls.
