Safety Eligibility Letter WZ - 310

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

November 30, 2011

In Reply Refer To: HSST/ WZ-310

Jan Miller
Business Development Manager
160 Ave. La Pata
San Clemente, California 92673

Dear Mr.Miller:

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. 

Name of system:	Quad-Drop Aluminum Sign Stand
Type of system:	Compact Sign Stand
Test Level:	NCHRP Report 350 TL-3
Testing conducted by:	N/A
Date of request:	March 7, 2011
Date initially acknowledged:	April 1, 2011

You certify that the device described herein meets the crashworthiness criteria of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features."  Based on your evaluation, you asked that we find the device 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 was found eligible, with details provided below:

• Quad-Drop Aluminum Sign Stand

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 hardware.

Description
The Quad-Drop Aluminum Sign Stand is a variation of the many TrafFix Devices Inc. (TDI) and industry standard sign stands known as "compact stands" for exclusive use in displaying roll-up signs, up to 48" diamond or 16 sq. ft. or smaller, of standard configuration.

Based on the data, drawings and images provided, you requested we find the Quad-Drop Aluminum Sign Stand eligible for Federal-aid funding because it meets the defined product class of Compact Signs Stand as described in FHWA HSA-10/WZ-85:

"Compact" sign stands are "X-Footprint" sign stands of steel or aluminum with a short mast…the mounting height of a 1220 mm × 1220 mm (48"x48") diamond sign is  300 mm to 450 mm (12" to 18") only…with no metal elements at a height that can impact the windshield during a crash."

Per Drawing 1, enclosed for reference, the Quad-Drop compact aluminum sign stand has a standard type of "mini mast" allowing for display of standard sizes and configurations of roll-up sign at 12" above grade.  The entire mast extends to approx 14" above grade allowing for no mass of steel to extend above bumper height which could potentially contact a vehicle windshield upon impact.

The TDI proprietary design feature involves the leg releasing and securing mechanism which facilitates the rapid deployment and retrieval of the sign stand and roll-up sign.  The Q-D2 sign and stand system replaces the typical hard-locking pull-pin leg deployment system widely used today.  Functionally, the mechanisms are equivalent as all stands have leg-locking systems.  We concur that this modification from the "industry-standard" approach is not a factor regarding impact performance.

Findings
We concur that the Quad-Drop Aluminum Sign Stand meets our criteria for a "compact sign stand" per FHWA Acceptance Letter WZ-85.  Therefore, the system described in the request above and detailed in the enclosed drawings is form is eligible for reimbursement and should be installed under the range of conditions such stands are tested, when such use is acceptable to a highway agency.

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

• This finding of eligibility is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the systems and does not cover their structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
• Any changes that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the system will require a new letter.
• Should the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service performance reveals unacceptable safety problems, or that the system being marketed is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, we reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter.
• You will be expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design and installation requirements to ensure proper performance.
• You will be expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has essentially the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for review, and that it will meet the crashworthiness requirements of the FHWA and NCHRP Report 350.
• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of eligibility is designated as number WZ-310 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 finding of eligibility is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the candidate system, and the FHWA is neither prepared nor required to become involved in issues concerning patent law.  Patent issues, if any, are to be resolved by the applicant.
• TrafFix Devices Aluminum Sign Stands are patented products and considered proprietary.  If proprietary systems are specified by a highway agency for use on Federal-aid projects, except exempt, non-NHS projects, (a) they must be supplied through competitive bidding with equally suitable unpatented items; (b) the highway agency must certify that they are essential for synchronization with the existing highway facilities or that no equally suitable alternative exists; or (c) they must be used for research or for a distinctive type of construction on relatively short sections of road for experimental purposes.  Our regulations concerning proprietary products are contained in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 635.411.

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 eligibility letter is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the candidate system, and the FHWA is neither prepared nor required to become involved in issues concerning patent law.  Patent issues, if any, are to be resolved by the applicant.

Sincerely yours,

Signature of Mike S. Griffith

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