Highway roadsides prone to landslides and rockfalls must be regularly maintained to minimize the likelihood of hazards and road closures, particularly in rural areas where access to essential services and resources is critical. However, mountainous routes without telecommunications can be especially challenging to monitor.
To explore possible new technologies and detection systems that could be used in these rural areas, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) conducted a research synthesis to identify current practices and pilot projects in place at other transportation agencies across the country.
Read the report: Slide Detection, Monitoring and Alerting Preliminary Investigation, June 2025.
Image source: Caltrans