AA-2026-51C344
On the image
Building a road sometimes meant carving a path directly through geology, exposing millions of years of compressed earth for travelers to contemplate at 55 miles per hour. The different rock layers, some dark and crumbly, others lighter and more solid, hint at ancient processes nobody considered when the engineers just needed to get from point A to point B.
A simple log guardrail, held together with modest bolts, served as the primary defense against gravity and poor driving decisions. It was an era when such a barrier seemed perfectly adequate for stopping a Buick, or at least giving it something to bounce off before the long drop.
The historian's note
This image depicts a typical road cut through a rocky hillside, likely part of a highway or scenic route constructed during the 1970s. Such engineering projects were common as road networks expanded, often involving significant excavation to create traversable grades through challenging terrain.
The visible geological strata reveal different rock types and formations, providing an exposed cross-section of the local geology. The log guardrail along the roadside was a standard safety feature for the period, offering a physical barrier for vehicles in areas where steep drop-offs or obstacles were present.
These cuts often served practical purposes in transport infrastructure but also inadvertently exposed geological features for study, becoming informal open-air laboratories for geologists and an aesthetic feature for travelers.
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Rocky Road Cut with Timber Guardrail, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-51C344. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/rocky-road-cut-with-timber-guardrail-1970s.
@misc{aaAA202651C344,
title = {Rocky Road Cut with Timber Guardrail, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-51C344},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/rocky-road-cut-with-timber-guardrail-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Rocky Road Cut with Timber Guardrail, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-51C344 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/rocky-road-cut-with-timber-guardrail-1970s ER -
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