Safety Eligibility Letter WZ - 291

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

New York Division November 2, 2009

Leo W. O'Brien Federal Building Suite 719 Albany, NY 12207 518-431-4127 518-431-4121 (fax) New York. FHWA@dol.gov In Reply Refer To: HTS-NY

John Eberl, Traffic Safety Products
Eberl Iron Works
128 Sycamore Street
Buffalo, NY 14204-1492

Dear Mr. Eberl:

This is response to your letter dated March 8, 2010, requesting Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acceptance of your Telespar square tubular temporary (TSP) sign stand as a crashworthy traffic control device for use in work zones on the National Highway System (NHS).

Your attached drawing of the TSP Sign Stand Option 1 and Option 2 is a retrofit of your previously designed tubular sign support system. Your design nests a 2", 12 gauge x 36" long section of Grade 50 Telespar tubular perforated steel over both 1-3/4", 14 gauge, Grade 50 Telespar tubular perforated steel support legs of a 48" or 36" x 112" plywood sign.

In accordance with the information derived from NCHRP Report 553, as well as the referenced Michigan DOT sign support which has been successfully crash tested (per FHWA Letter WZ149), your design is found acceptable for use on the National Highway System. Your design nests 2",12 gauge Telespar over 1-3/4" 14 gauge to achieve a more rigid sign post that would not yield on impact, but rather engage the breakaway mechanics of your design. This design will meet the requirements of National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 350, Test Level 3 based on the research in Report 553. Retro-fitting existing single post designs using the 1-3/4", 14 gauge design using the 2" 12 gauge x 36" long nested over 1-3/4", 14 gauge is also acceptable and is found to meet the requirements ofNCHRP Report 350, Test Level 3. Comparisons of the successfully crash tested sign support and the proposed sign support can be found in the enclosure.

The cross member shown in your TSP Stand is the same design used in the testing outlined in NCHRP Report 553 which is acceptable for use, and did not adversely affect the outcome of the crash test. Your device will be assigned Acceptance Letter Number WZ-291 for future reference.

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

• Our acceptance letter is limited to the crashworthiness of the device and does not cover their structural features, or conformity with the Manual on Uniformed Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
• Any changes that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the device will require a new acceptance letter.
• Should the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service performance reveals unacceptable safety problems, or that the device being marketed is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, it reserves the right to modify or revoke its acceptance.
• Traffic Safety Products will be expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design and installation requirements to ensure proper performance.
• Traffic Safety Products should supply information to potential users that would allow them to certify that the hardware furnished has essentially the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for acceptance, and that they will meet the crashworthiness requirements ofFHWA and NCHRP Report 350.
• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of acceptance shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter, and the test documentation upon which this letter is based, is public information. All such letters and documentation may be reviewed at our office upon request.

Sincerely, /s/ R. Emmett McDevitt R. Emmett McDevitt Transportation Safety Engineer

Enclosure

cc:	Tom Melander, NYSDOT Construction (via e-mail)
	Nick Artimovich, FHWA (via e-mail)

Click here to see attachments.