If you have never been to the mountains, that is gravel.
That is why the new Federal regulations require that the rock wall is 40' back from the roadway on Interstate Highways. Some states have started cutting back the rock walls.
They paved the same interstate three or four times in a 6-7 year time frame. That money was put to good use.I thought all the roads were fixed with those shovel ready jobs Obummer created!!