State highway 133 from Milepost 47 through Redstone, CO to Milepost 59 is a high-volume stretch of highway located in an environmentally sensitive area along the Crystal River Corridor. Meridian Engineering was bid-awarded the task of implementing a safety factor on this roadway to mitigate falling rock and debris flows during rain event to uphold the safety of the traveling public.

Due to highway 133 being just a two-lane road, the project posed a rock scaling hazard. To solve this critical infrastructure concern without compromising the security of travelers, we developed a tailored solution. We installed rockfall netting in conjunction with a GeoBrugg VX140-H4 debris flow barrier to mitigate water runoff. We then excavated the hillside areas with high-runoff potential to enable CDOT maintenance crews’ swift storage of sediment. This specialty project was completed on-time and within budget, resulting in a safer roadway by reducing the risk of falling rock, safety hazards, and water runoff that could otherwise block or delay traffic.