Highway 145 Rockslide Mitigation

In 2019, GeoStabilization International® assisted the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in containing a dangerous and widely publicized rockfall that destroyed a large section of State Highway 145 (the San Juan Scenic Byway) and dumped two house-sized boulders on the road.

Dangerous Rockfall Blocks Traffic on Memorial Day Weekend

On May 24, 2019, a sweeping rockslide obliterated a full-width section of Highway 145 between the communities of Dolores and Telluride in Colorado. The origin of the rockfall was an 1,800-foot slope towering above the roadway.

Colorado’s DOT was first on the scene to assess the damage and devise an action plan. Upon arrival, the CDOT teams discovered an eight-foot-deep furrow across both lanes and a large mass of debris on the road, including two huge boulders. The house-sized rocks weighed an estimated 2.3 million and 8.5 million pounds, respectively.

Overall, the rockfall had damaged 150-200 linear feet of roadway as well as power lines and fencing, rendering the heavily traveled Highway 145 impassable on the Friday before Memorial Weekend. The initial projections indicated that the road would be closed indefinitely.

Safety Rock Scaling for Rockfall Mitigation

After a call from CDOT, rockfall remediation technicians from GeoStabilization International® visited the site to assess the situation.

Working with the CDOT’s Geohazards Program and Yeh and Associates, a Colorado-based geotechnical engineering and construction firm, GeoStabilization developed an action plan that included rock scaling and boulder downsizing.

The GeoStabilization team ascended the crest of the slope by helicopter and started safety scaling operations 1,000 feet above the roadway and down along the path of the rockslide. The scaling was completed in one day.

Scaling is a fundamental part of almost all GeoStabilization rockfall mitigation projects. The company’s rockfall remediation technicians are among the highest-trained experts in the industry and hold rope-access certifications.

Additionally, since 2018, the Association of Geohazard Professionals has recognized GeoStabilization’s Rope Access Program as the industry’s best-in-class safety program.

Downsizing Massive Boulders Through Controlled Blasts

The following day, GeoStabilization International® and Colorado-based Bedroc Blasting, Inc. deployed controlled blasts to downsize the smaller boulder.

Teams from Williams Construction, Inc. further downsized and removed the rock fragments using excavators, a hydraulic hammer, and a large loader. CDOT decided that the larger boulder would remain at the side of the highway.

With the debris removed, CDOT could reopen traffic on Highway 145 via temporary lanes just three days after the rockfall event.

GeoStabilization International®: The Leader in Rockfall Mitigation and Rockslide Engineering

GeoStabilization International® offers fully engineered services to protect transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from rockslides and other geohazards.

The company maintains a 24-hour emergency response capability and stockpiles materials such as steel mesh and anchor rock nationwide to deliver rapid solutions. GeoStabilization’s highly qualified crews and proprietary equipment for limited-access sites allow it to provide effective solutions where other providers cannot.

Call 855-579-0536 for a no-cost, no-obligation rapid site assessment.

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If you are interested in a no-obligation site visit to determine if our services fit your geohazard mitigation needs, call us at 855-579-0536 or fill out our contact form.

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    How Can We Help?

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    How Can We Help?

    • Personal Info

    • Contact Info

    • Project Info