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FHWA Home / Safety / Roadway Departure / Safety Eligibility Letter CC-128

Safety Eligibility Letter CC-128

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

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

August 16, 2016

In Reply Refer To:
HSST-1/CC-128

Mr. Jeffery D. Smith
Work Area Protection Corporation
2500 Production Drive
St. Charles, Illinois 60174

Dear Mr.Smith:

This letter is in response to your April 20, 2015, and July 28, 2016 requests for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to review a roadside safety device, hardware, or system for eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. This FHWA letter of eligibility is assigned FHWA control number CC-128 and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by FHWA that expressly references this device.

Decision

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

Scope of this Letter

To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, new roadside safety devices should meet the crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). However, the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do not regulate the manufacture of roadside safety devices. Eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program does not establish approval, certification or endorsement of the device for any particular purpose or use. 

This letter is not a determination by the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, or the United States Government that a vehicle crash involving the device will result in any particular outcome, nor is it a guarantee of the in-service performance of this device. Proper manufacturing, installation, and maintenance are required in order for this device to function as tested.

This finding of eligibility is limited to the crashworthiness of the system and does not cover other structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Eligibility for Reimbursement

Based solely on a review of crash test results and certifications submitted by the manufacturer, and the crash test laboratory, FHWA agrees that the device described herein meets the crash test and evaluation criteria of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). Therefore, the device is eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program if installed under the range of tested conditions.

Name of system: SCI SmartCushion® SCI100GM
Type of system: Permanent Crash Cushion for concrete or asphalt pavements.
Test Level: MASH Test Level 3 (TL3)
Testing conducted by: KARCO Engineering
Date of request: April 20, 2015, and May 18, 2016
Date of completed package: July 28, 2016

FHWA concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory as stated within the attached form.

Full Description of the Eligible Device

The device and supporting documentation, including reports of the crash tests or other testing done, videos of any crash testing, and/or drawings of the device, are described in the attached form.

Notice

If a manufacturer makes any modification to any of their roadside safety hardware that has an existing eligibility letter from FHWA, the manufacturer must notify FHWA of such modification with a request for continued eligibility for reimbursement. The notice of all modifications to a device must be accompanied by:

FHWA's determination of continued eligibility for the modified hardware will be based on whether the modified hardware will continue to meet the relevant crash test criteria.

You are expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design, installation and maintenance 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 test and evaluation criteria of the MASH.

Issuance of this letter does not convey property rights of any sort or any exclusive privilege. This letter is based on the premise that information and reports submitted by you are accurate and correct. We reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter if: (1) there are any inaccuracies in the information submitted in support of your request for this letter, (2) the qualification testing was flawed, (3) in-service performance or other information reveals safety problems, (4) the system is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, or (5) any other information indicates that the letter was issued in error or otherwise does not reflect full and complete information about the crashworthiness of the system.

Supplemental Information

The SCI Smart Cushion® was developed by companies within the Stabler Companies Inc. family. Stabler Companies was purchased by New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., Inc. in January of 2008. Stabler Companies Inc. was the parent company of SCI Products Inc. and Work Area Protection Corp. The first FHWA letter on the Smart Cushion®, CC-85, was issued to Stabler Companies Inc. while CC-85A and CC-85B were issued to SCI Products Inc. Although SCI Products Inc. is still in existence, it is not the manufacturing and marketing arm for the SCI Smart Cushion®. Work Area Protection Corp. which is a subsidiary of New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., Inc. manufactures and markets the SCI Smart Cushion®.

This letter acknowledges the Smart Cushion® is manufactured and marketed by Work Area Protection.

Standard Provisions

Our regulations concerning proprietary products are contained in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 635.411.

Sincerely yours,

Signature of George E. Rice, Jr.

Michael S. Griffith
Director, Office of Safety Technologies
Office of Safety

Enclosures

Page last modified on March 28, 2019
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