Long, steep slopes along I-76 along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Route 22 through the Lehigh Valley, I-80 across the Allegheny Plateau, and I-99 through the Ridge and Valley allow rockfall to build energy over hundreds of feet of vertical fall — reaching velocities and impact forces that exceed the capacity of any single containment barrier. Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt sandstone, limestone, and shale beds along highway rock cuts on these slopes require a system that reduces energy incrementally rather than absorbing the full impact at one point.
Access Limited designs and installs rockfall attenuation systems across Pennsylvania for corridors where fall height and block size combine to produce energy levels that single-barrier solutions cannot handle.
Curtain attenuators consist of mesh panels suspended from horizontal cables across the slope face. Falling rock hits the curtain, transfers energy to the cable system, and drops to the slope surface at reduced velocity — repeating the process through multiple curtain stages.
Hybrid systems combine attenuator curtains on the upper slope with a flexible rockfall barrier at the base — the curtains reduce the energy so the terminal barrier can be sized for practical installation rather than the full unattenuated impact.
Access Limited's Cementon Road Bridge project showcased the specialized capability PennDOT corridors demand.
See why PennDOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Norfolk Southern and CSX rail, mining operators, and utility providers trust Access Limited for rockfall attenuation systems and rockfall mitigation across Pennsylvania.
Access Limited delivers specialized rockfall attenuation systems across Pennsylvania's rockfall corridors. Complete the form to request an assessment or call our team directly.