Safety Eligibility Letter B-114A

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590

Jun 13, 2013

In Reply Refer To: HSST/B-114A

Mr. Ernest Knight
NPCG, LLC
P.O. Box Z
Carlisle, Iowa 50047

Dear Mr. Knight:

This letter is in response to your request for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to review a roadside safety system for eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program.

Decision:
The following device is eligible, with details provided in the form which is attached as an integral part of this letter.

• DuroBlock Spacer Recycled Rubber Spacer Block for Guardrail

Based on a review of crash test results submitted by the manufacturer certifying the device described herein meets the crash test and evaluation criteria of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350, the device is eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. Eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program does not establish approval or endorsement by the FHWA for any particular purpose or use.

The FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do not endorse products or services and the issuance of a reimbursement eligibility letter is not an endorsement of any product or service.

Requirements
To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, roadside safety devices should meet the crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the NCHRP Report 350 or the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH).

Description
The device and supporting documentation are described in the attached form and previous FHWA Letter B-114 to Welch Products, Inc. dated March 27, 2003, copy enclosed for reference. We understand you have acquired the rights to manufacture the Welch offset block.

Summary and Standard Provisions
Therefore, the system described and detailed in the attached form is eligible for reimbursement and may be installed under the range of conditions tested.

Please note the following standard provisions that apply to FHWA eligibility letters:

• This finding of eligibility does not cover other structural features of the systems, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
• Any changes that may influence system conformance with NCHRP Report 350 criteria will require a new reimbursement eligibility letter.
• Should the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service performance reveals safety problems, or that the system is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, we reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter.
• You are expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design and installation requirements to ensure proper performance.
• You are expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for review, and that it will meet the crash test and evaluation criteria of the NCHRP Report 350.
• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of eligibility is designated as number B-114A and shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter and the test documentation upon which it is based are public information. All such letters and documentation may be reviewed at our office upon request.
• This letter shall not be construed as authorization or consent by the FHWA to use, manufacture, or sell any patented system for which the applicant is not the patent holder. The FHWA does not become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if any, are to be resolved by the applicant.

Enclosures

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Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility
Of Highway Safety Hardware

I request the following devices be considered eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program.

System Type	Submission Type	Device Name/Variant	Testing Criterion	Test Level
'CC': Crash Cushions, Attenuators, &	Physical Crash Testing  FEA & V&V Analysis	DuroBlock Spacer	NCHRP Report 350	TL3

By submitting this request for review and evaluation by the Federal Highway Administration, I certify that the product(s) was (were) tested in conformity with the NCHRP Report 350 (Report 350) and that the evaluation results meet the appropriate evaluation criteria in the Report 350.

Identification of the individual or organization responsible for the product:

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

New Hardware	Modification to Existing Hardware	Non-Significant – Effect is positive or Inconsequential
Requesting company and product name change from Welch Products recycled rubber spacer block to NPCG, LLC , DuroBiock Spacer

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CRASH TESTING

A brief description of each crash test and its result:

Full Scale Crash Testing was done in compliance with MASH by the following accredited crash test laboratory (cite the laboratory's accreditation status as noted in the crash test reports.):

ATTACHMENTS

Attach to this form:

1. 1) A copy of the fu ll test report, video, and a Test Data Summary Sheet for each test conducted in support of this request.
2. 2) A drawing or drawings of the device(s) that conform to the Task Force-13 Drawing Specifications [Hardware Guide Drawing Standards]. For proprietary products, a single isometric line drawing is usually acceptable to illustrate the product, with detailed specifications, intended use, and contact information provided on the reverse. Additional drawings (not in TF-13 format) showing details that are key to understanding the performance of the device should also be submitted to facilitate our review.

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