Refer to: HSA-10/WZ-116

Mr. Randy Morse

Trafcon Inc.

P.O. Box 80268

Lincoln, Nebraska 68501

Dear Mr. Morse:

Thank you for your letter received on March 5 requesting Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) acceptance of your company's Type III barricades
as crashworthy traffic control devices for use in work zones on the
National Highway System (NHS). Accompanying your letter were drawings
and specifications of your barricade. You requested that we find this
device acceptable for use on the NHS under the provisions of National
Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 "Recommended
Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features."

**Introduction**

The FHWA guidance on crash testing of work zone traffic control devices
is contained in two memoranda. The first, dated July 25, 1997, titled
"[INFORMATION]{.underline}: Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety
Features," established four categories of work zone devices: Category I
devices were those lightweight devices which could be self-certified by
the vendor, Category II devices were other lightweight devices which
needed individual crash testing, Category III devices were barriers and
other fixed or massive devices also needing crash testing, and Category
IV devices were trailer mounted lighted signs, arrow panels, etc. The
second guidance memorandum was issued on August 28, 1998, and is titled
"[INFORMATION]{.underline}: Crash Tested Work Zone Traffic Control
Devices." This later memorandum lists devices that are acceptable under
Categories I, II, and III.

Your company's Type III barricade consists of 63-inch tall, 6 gage hot
rolled, high carbon steel angle upright members, 1.5 x 1.5 x 3/16 in.
The horizontal feet are similar steel angles that are 60 inches long. A
five inch long 2 x 2 x 0.25 in square steel tube is welded to each of
the feet and support the uprights with no additional fasteners. The
horizontal rails are Davidson Plastics hollow High Density Polyethylene
extrusions fastened to the uprights with 0.25 inch diameter x 2.25 inch
long carriage bolts. Lightweight warning lights, weighing up to 3.3
pounds, are bolted to the upright members. The barricade is shown in the
enclosed drawings for reference.

**Findings**

These details conform to the "generic" type III barricades discussed in
our Acceptance Letter WZ-85 dated November 15, 2001, and therefore are
acceptable for use on the NHS under the range of conditions tested, when
proposed by a State.

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

-   Our acceptance is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of
    the devices 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
    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.

-   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 acceptance, and that they will
    meet the crashworthiness requirements of FHWA and NCHRP Report 350.

-   To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of acceptance,
    designated as number.

-   WZ-116 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.

Your company's Type III barricade may include patented components and if
so are considered \"proprietary.\" The use of proprietary work zone
traffic control devices in Federal-aid projects is generally of a
temporary nature. They are selected by the contractor for use as needed
and removed upon completion of the project. Under such conditions they
can be presumed to meet requirement \"a\" given below for the use of

proprietary products on Federal-aid projects. On the other hand, if
proprietary devices are specified for use on Federal-aid projects,
except exempt, non-NHS projects, they:

\(a\) must be supplied through competitive bidding with equally suitable
unpatented items; (b) the highway agency must certify that they are
essential for synchronization with

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, a copy of
which is enclosed.

> Sincerely yours,
>
> A. George Ostensen

Program Manager, Safety

Enclosure