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NCHRP Report 350: Devices in Work Zones

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Prepared: February, 2004
Revised: April 5, 2004

Prepared By
Nicholas Artimovich
FHWA Office of Safety Design
Washington, DC
nick.artimovich@fhwa.dot.gov

Crash Testing Guidance

National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 350 "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features"
Published in 1993
Implementation began in 1998
Report 350 is guidance for testing

Crash Testing Policy

Report 350 is part of FHWA policy. Federal register announcement in 1993 gave 5 years to implementation. In 1998 FHWA and AASHTO reached agreement on final deadline dates, most of which have now passed.

AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals - 1985
FHWA Policy Adopted NCHRP Report 350 for National Highway System (NHS) - 1993
Millennium MUTCD Extends Crashworthiness to all roads - 2000

If a device has been successfully crash tested by a reputable test house, and certified to have meet the Report 350 Evaluation Criteria, then it may be used whether or not the FHWA has written an Acceptance Letter.

FHWA policy now requires crashworthy devices to be used within the clear zone on all projects on the National Highway System.
"Crashworthy" means they have met the test and evaluation criteria of Report 350 and/or have received a "Letter of Acceptance" from the FHWA

FHWA Procedures

As a service to industry, FHWA reviews crash tested products and issues Letters of Acceptance
Devices meeting NCHRP Report 350 guidelines posted on FHWA Safety Web: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/