**NCHRP Report 350 Hardware Compliance**

**August, 2001**

On August 28, 1998 the Federal Highway Administration\'s (FHWA)
Executive Director,

Anthony R. Kane concurred in the proposed AASHTO-FHWA Agreement on the
NCHRP

Report 350 Implementation that was prepared by the AASHTO 350 Task Force
and

submitted to him on July 1. In this document the task force recommends
that the

October 1, 1998, deadline for the use of NCHRP Report 350-tested
roadside

hardware on the National Highway System (NHS) be extended for selected
hardware

categories. A summary table showing extended implementation dates for
several

categories of roadside appurtenances, including some work zone hardware,
is

attached. The information in this memorandum, as it relates to
implementation

dates for complying with NCHRP 350 testing and evaluation criteria,
supercedes

such information in the July 25, 1997, memorandum on \"Identifying
Acceptable

Highway Safety Features.\" Division offices should work with their
States to

update the State standard drawings, specifications and policies to
ensure crash

worthy barriers will be incorporated into NHS projects in accordance
with the

attached implementation schedule.

Although the table and the accompanying footnotes are generally

self-explanatory, there are several items that warrant special
attention. The

implementation date for the NCHRP Report 350-tested guardrail to bridge
rail

transitions has been extended to October 1, 2002. However, all new
transitions

must continue to satisfy NCHRP Report 230 evaluation criteria. Design
details

for several NCHRP Report 230 transitions have previously been
distributed via

FHWA Technical Advisories T 5040.26, dated January 28, 1998, and T
5040.34,

dated June 8, 1993.

Although in most cases, the AASHTO-FHWA agreement states that upgrading
of

existing hardware that meets NCHRP Report 230 requirements is not
required on 3R

projects, an exception is made for w-beam guardrail terminals and cable

guardrail terminals. Specifically, it should be noted that although the

agreement provides considerable flexibility in retaining existing
hardware

meeting NCHRP Report 230 criteria on 3R projects, such flexibility does
not

exist for w-beam guardrail terminals. Also, please note that an
extension or

exception may be made in the future for the 3-strand cable anchor if
planned

NCHRP Report 350 tests of the current design are unsuccessful.

Also, a change from the guidance in the FHWA memorandum \"Traffic
Barrier Safety

Policy and Guidance\" dated September 29, 1994, is that existing
Breakaway Cable

Terminals (BCT\'s) should now be replaced with end treatments meeting
NCHRP 350

criteria in conjunction with 3R work. A recent NCHRP Report 350 head-on
test of

the BCT with an 820-kg car at the test level 2 (TL-2) impact speed of 70
km/h

resulted in unacceptable passenger compartment intrusion indicating
clearly that

the BCT is too stiff to accommodate end-on hits, even at reduced speeds.

Regarding work zone devices, the implementation date for Category II
devices

(portable sign stands with signs, Type I, II and III barricades,
vertical

panels, intrusion alarms and other devices not expected to cause
significant

velocity change) has been extended to October 1, 2000. Under Category
III, the

implementation date for truck mounted attenuators and work zone crash
cushions

remains at October 1, 1998, but is extended until October 1, 2002, for
other

devices within the category. Other such devices include portable
concrete

barriers and devices similar to Category II but with masses that could
cause

significant velocity change. Portable concrete barriers with joints that
fail to

transfer tension and moment from one segment to another must be phased
out by

October 1, 2000, unless an engineering study or in-service performance
study

demonstrates the barrier will provide the performance requirements of
the site

where it is to be used. Also note that other Category III devices (other
than

portable concrete barriers, work zone crash cushions and truck mounted

attenuators), such as portable signs with hard (plywood, aluminum)
substrate,

that have not been demonstrated to be crash worthy must be phased out on
a

system wide basis by October 1, 2002. Details on acceptable work zone
hardware

are contained in my August 28 memorandum, \"Crash Tested Work Zone
Traffic

Devices.\"

Implementation dates for Work Zone Category IV devices (arrow panels,
variable

message boards, and portable traffic signals/lighting equipment) and for

Miscellaneous Hardware (see Footnote 18) have been extended indefinitely
pending

the results of additional research and analysis. Appropriate dates are
expected

to be announced within 2 years.

Original Signed By

Henry H. Rentz

Please see the following web page for additional information and to
access the attached table showing implementation dates for various
hardware etc.

<http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/fourthlevel/memo.htm>

**For more information please contact:**

Dick Powers, FHWA

202-366-1320

Richard.Powers@fhwa.dot.gov