How to Choose Highway Fencing?

When driving down the highway, most motorists don’t think about the fencing structures built to enhance safety, reduce noise, deter animals and generally mitigate other risks. But the design and implementation of highway fencing is both essential and complex.

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Constructing effective fencing along a traveled highway requires a well-thought-out approach and precise knowledge of the materials and specifications related to the project.

To help highlight the different purposes, forms and considerations for highway fencing, this article provides a number of informative insights.

Highway Fencing Needs & Applications

Highway fencing is employed in various types of settings and for a multitude of different reasons. Generally speaking, it is intended to separate the drivable roadway from the surrounding area, though there are more granular requirements at play. Here are some of the most common functions: 

• Sound barrier: Typically applied in urban and suburban areas, fencing in the form of sound barriers (or sound walls) is erected to contain noise stemming from vehicular traffic. There are two types of sound barriers used along highways. One is a reflective wall, which serves to block sound waves and reflect them back to the area from which they came. The other is an absorptive wall, constructed from porous and textured materials to help intercept and absorb the sound waves.
• Right-of-way: Many interstate, state and local roadways implement highway fencing to control access to or restriction from the path of traffic. These fencing structures can serve as crash barriers, reducing the risk of collision between oncoming lanes, and they create a perimeter delineating the boundaries of the roadway. 
• Rockfall protection: In areas along highways where sloped ground poses the risk of falling rocks, fencing is often applied to protect the roadway and prevent rockfall from reaching potential traffic. Fencing or walls designed with this purpose in mind mitigate the risk of falling rocks causing damage to a vehicle, person or structure. 
• Fauna protection: The presence of animals on a highway can be particularly dangerous to both the animals themselves and the people driving along the road. Fencing is commonly utilized to alleviate this hazard and deter animals from accessing the highway. 
• Bridge safety: Some states have passed legislation to address protective fencing on bridges over highways so as to protect pedestrians and motorists. In response to dangerous (and even lethal) incidents of rocks or other projectiles being thrown over bridges or overpasses onto the highway below, fencing has been erected to thwart this type of activity. 

Popular Types of Highway Fencing Materials

The design and use of materials for constructing highway fencing should be determined based on a multitude of factors, including the type of need or application (like those listed above), the highway setting, the flow of traffic, the surrounding landscape, access specifications, governing laws and regulations, and more. To create a more robust understanding of these dynamics, following are some of the most common material and structural choices for building highway fencing.

• Chain link and woven wire mesh: Multi-level chain link fencing systems are widely used to help reduce accidents. Chain link can be applied either independently or in connection with other barriers to create an effective fencing structure. It is a cost-effective option and features both the flexibility and visibility to support risk prevention along highways. It is particularly useful at deterring wildlife while maintaining the local ecosystem. 
• Precast concrete: This type of highway fencing is especially effective in terms of minimizing sound pollution. It can lessen perceived noise by as much as half, and it features both the strength and durability required in certain highway settings. Steel rebar or reinforcing mesh can be applied to create greater bonding of the material and prevent cracks. By adding absorption materials or texture, there is even greater capacity to block highway sounds from the surrounding areas. Color additives and textures can also be used to help the structures either blend in or stand out, depending on specific needs.  
• Steel or aluminum guardrails: Guardrails along a highway serve to form a protective barrier and mitigate the danger to motorists who veer, swerve or drift off the roadway. When stopping the vehicle unimpeded is not a viable option, guardrails can help lessen the severity of a crash by deflecting, slowing or stopping the vehicle. Constructed from either steel or aluminum, guardrails are built and secured based on a post-and-beam model.

Compliance & Specifications for Highway Fencing Construction

As you can imagine, the many requirements and potential risks related to highway fencing mean that constructing them requires a specialized approach. In addition to the many specific needs of various settings and highway nuances, there are always regulatory and compliance issues to factor into the equation. 

It is of the utmost importance to understand and construct in accordance with governances on the local, state and federal level. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), for example, publishes a list of all specifications to which any contractor must adhere with regard to materials used for their projects. The vendor or manufacturer who supplies the fence materials to the contractor must be an approved PennDOT supplier. 

Given these challenges, it is necessary to contract the services of a highly experienced and knowledgeable professional in these areas, one who can recommend the right kind of highway fencing to meet unique needs and specifications, as well as carry out a high-quality installation process based on industry best practices for safety, reliability and compliance.

Link to Dishun

Rutkoski Fencing, Inc. is a pre-approved business partner for Pennsylvania highway projects and a registered business partner for state turnpike projects.

Privacy fences are a wonderful way to help keep your backyard and property concealed from the world or your neighbors. But what about blocking out noise? If you are wanting not only a barrier to eyes, but also want to help protect your own ears from too much noise, then there are fencing options for you. While no type of fencing can block out sound, there are some tips to follow for a more peaceful setting in your own personal outdoor oasis.

Material Impact: Obviously, if you are looking to soften sound, you are not going to install a wrought iron or chain-link fence on your residential or commercial property! First and foremost, a solid fencing panel can be a better barrier to sound. Our team at Fence Masters can install a wood fence or vinyl/PVC fence that is a solid barrier to help with privacy and sound.

Height Matters: Depending on an HOA or your city’s ordinances, you want a higher height to help block out road noise and beyond. A solid fence that is tall can be a good way to buffer your family and guests to the noise of what is happening outside your yard.

Where it Goes: If you are concerned about noise from your neighbors, a road or more, that will impact the best place on your property to install a new fence. Our team of experts can come out and see where the best placement is to absorb some of the noise that can impact your life. We will consider the source of the sounds that are cutting into your quiet time when we help with your decision. If you have a particular outdoor oasis area, then it can be beneficial to place your fencing closer to this area as a sound buffer.

Solid Construction: Our experts will professionally install your fence with the idea in mind that you are wanting to have a more peaceful space. There should not be gaps or spaces to help absorb unwanted noise.

Soft Surfaces: Once your fence is in place, you can add even more noise absorption with landscaping, canopies or a covered porch where you are hanging out. If you enjoy spending time on your patio, you can consider installing a mesh screen to let in light but absorb sound.

Contact Our Team for a Quiet Space