U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
November 23, 2011
In Reply Refer To:
HSST/SS-174
T.J. Aslin
Trinity Highway Products, LLC
2525 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75207
Dear Mr. Aslin:
This letter is in response to your request for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) determination of eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program for highway safety products formerly manufactured by Northwest Pipe Company.
Name of system: | Breakaway Sign Support Systems of Northwest Pipe Company |
---|---|
Type of system: | Breakaway Sign Supports |
Test Level: | NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 3 |
Testing conducted by: | NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 3 |
Date of request: | October 10, 2011 |
Date initially acknowledged: | November 3, 2011 |
You certify that the devices described herein meet the crashworthiness criteria of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350. Based on the testing previously conducted you asked that we find the device(s) 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.
Decision:
The following devices are eligible, with details provided in the referenced letters:
Requirements
Roadside safety devices should meet the guidelines contained in the NCHRP Report 350 or the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The FHWA Memorandum "Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features" of July 25, 1997 provides further guidance on crash testing requirements of roadside safety features. Requirements for breakaway supports are those in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaries and Traffic Signals.
Discussion
On June 1, 2011, Trinity Highway Products, LLC purchased the Sign Support business segment from Northwest Pipe and has subsequently moved the manufacturing from Houston, TX to the Trinity facility located in Fort Worth, TX. Trinity will begin producing product from this facility and you requested that the below referenced letters be transferred to Trinity Highway Products, LLC. The current letters are:
Letter Number | Date | Principal product covered by the letter |
---|---|---|
SS-164 | 6/18/2010 | Poz-Loc 10 inch square slip base system |
SS-152 | 8/23/2007 | PSST posts with 30-inch anchors |
SS-150R | 9/5/2008 | Poz-Loc 8 inch square slip base system |
SS-130 | 1/5/2006 | Triangular slip base casting 16819 |
SS-128R | 9/5/2008 | Poz-Loc slip base casting 28339 |
SS-126A | 11/24/2010 | "Performance Post" |
SS-126R | 9/5/2008 | PSST posts |
SS-119 | 2/27/2003 | (Correct letter numbering) |
SS-117 | 11/13/2003 | Poz Loc S-Q Post; PozLoc system with extended anchor; PozLoc breakaway mailbox system for snow regions |
SS-88 | 8/15/2000 | PSST posts |
SS-65B | 12/3/1997 | Poz Loc Slip Base System |
SS-65A | 6/25/1997 | Poz Loc Slip Base System and Poz Loc yielding system |
SS-65 | 9/5/1996 | Poz Loc Slip Base System |
SS-01A | 7/14/1986 | Poz Loc anchor system |
SS-Ol | 5/13/1986 | Poz Loc anchor system |
These letters detail breakaway sign support systems that have been found crashworthy, and are eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. As Trinity Highway Products now owns the sign support business segment of Northwest Pipe, these products will continue to be eligible if they meet the same specifications, dimensions, material chemistries and mechanical properties as the crash tested devices.
Findings
The systems detailed in the letters listed above continue to be eligible for reimbursement and should be installed under the range of conditions tested, when such use is acceptable to a highway agency.
Please note the following standard provisions that apply to FHWA eligibility letters:
Sincerely yours, /* Signature of Michael S. Griffith */ Michael S. Griffith |
Enclosures