Rockwheel Saves $600,000 on Roadway Project

Some projects are straightforward. This one wasn’t.

A narrow, winding road in Pennsylvania was failing. On one side, the ground sloped steeply down into a creek canyon. On the other, a solid bedrock wall stood in the way. The conventional recommendation was costly—build a massive retaining wall along the slope to create a wider, stable roadway. While effective, that solution came with a price tag the local government wasn’t eager to swallow.

The winning contractor proposed something different: instead of building out, they would cut back into the bedrock wall to create the additional road width. The catch? The rock had to be removed with extreme care. Hammering was not an option, as the vibration risked fracturing the rock mass, creating dangerous rockfall. This called for a solution that combined raw cutting power with surgical precision.

Enter RockZone. After reviewing the site conditions, the team recommended a D30 Rockwheel twin-drum cutter—150 horsepower—mounted on a Komatsu PC360 excavator. The RockZone team delivered the attachment and assisted with startup to make sure the tool was running at peak performance.

The Rockwheel exceeded expectations. It milled through the hard shale with tight tolerances, leaving behind a clean, smooth, and intact rock surface. Even better, it proved versatile—cutting a drainage swale into the rock while keeping the surrounding mass stable. The millings were repurposed as fill on the downslope side, eliminating the need for offsite hauling and disposal.

The savings were dramatic. Compared to the traditional retaining wall approach, this solution cut costs by over $600,000—while delivering a safer, cleaner, and more efficient outcome.

Precision rock cutting is a Rockwheel superpower. Whether it’s roads, foundations, or sensitive infrastructure like gas lines, Rockwheel attachments deliver the control you need without sacrificing productivity. 

When your project demands both power and precision, RockZone has the answer.