4![](media/image1.png){width="0.5465277777777777in"
height="0.47638888888888886in"}

> **400 Seventh St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590**
>
> Refer to: HOTO-1
>
> Thank you for your letter of February 10 requesting the Federal
> Highway Administration (FHWA) to consider replacement of the term
> \"breakaway\" with the term \"yielding\" or \"crashworthy\" in the
> Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). For recordkeeping
> purposes, we have assigned your request the following official ruling
> number and title: \"2-547(I)-Relationship of the Terms Breakaway and
> Crashworthy.\"
>
> The definition of crashworthy is contained in Section 1A.13 of the
> MUTCD. This definition reads as follows: A characteristic of a
> roadside appurtenance that has been successfully crash tested in
> accordance with a national standard such as the National Cooperative
> Highway Research Program Report 350, \"Recommended Procedures for
> Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features.\"
>
> The 2002 AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (Chapter 4.1, Acceptance
> Criteria for Breakaway Supports) uses the term \"breakaway\" to
> describe all types of sign, luminaire, and traffic signal supports
> that are designed to yield when impacted by a vehicle. The Roadside
> Design Guide also indicates that the criteria used to determine if a
> support is considered breakaway can be found in the AASHTO Standard
> Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires,
> and Traffic Signals. The AASHTO specifications have been revised so
> that the breakaway requirements are identical to the crashworthy
> requirements in NCHRP Report 350.
>
> Based upon the information provided above, it is our interpretation
> that breakaway and crashworthy are interchangeable terms. When the
> term breakaway is used, it means that the sign support is designed so
> that it breaks away safely-even in the case of a steel post. It is the
> intent of the FHWA for safety purposes to install traffic signs that
> are not only breakaway but to install traffic signs that are. also
> crashworthy. Therefore, we consider the terminology in
>
> the MUTCD to be correct and do not intend to change it at this time.

![](media/image2.png){width="1.5729166666666667in"
height="0.9729166666666667in"}

2![](media/image3.png){width="0.9027777777777778in"
height="0.6395833333333333in"}

> We appreciate your concern for highway safety and encourage you to
> continue making comments on the MUTCD. If you have questions or wish
> additional information, please feel free to call Fred Ranck, Safety
> Engineer, at 708-283-3545 at FHWA\'s Resource Center-Olympia Fields,
> Illinois.
>
> Sincerely yours,

![](media/image4.png){width="2.5in" height="0.47638888888888886in"}

> Regina S. McElroy
>
> Director, Office of Transportation Operations

FHWA:HOTO-1:FRanck/LLBrown:ds:62192:4-1-04 cc: HOTO-1
HOTO-1(FRanck/LLBrown/EHuckaby)

> Mr. David Bartz, HDA-TX HDA-TX(2)
>
> Nick Artimovich - HSA-1
>
> Chron 3408 Reader 3408

DF(official ruling files 2-547(I))

M:\\MUTCD\\official ruling background\\2-547(I) Relationship between
breakaway & crashworthy.doc

> April 2, 2004![](media/image5.png){width="2.3465277777777778in"
> height="2.783333333333333in"}![](media/image6.png){width="0.4263888888888889in"
> height="8.958333333333333e-2in"}![](media/image7.png){width="1.2361111111111112in"
> height="4.10625in"}![](media/image8.png){width="1.3131944444444446in"
> height="0.2in"}![](media/image9.png){width="1.4166666666666667in"
> height="0.2in"}![](media/image10.png){width="1.4027777777777777in"
> height="0.9729166666666667in"}![](media/image11.png){width="2.3465277777777778in"
> height="0.2in"}![](media/image12.png){width="1.3465277777777778in"
> height="0.2in"}

Ms. Sue Reiss

Regional Sales Manager Impact Recovery Systems P.O. Box 12637

246 West Josephine Street San Antonio, TX 78212

Dear Ms. Reiss:

Thank you for your letter of February 10 requesting the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) to consider replacement of the term \"breakaway\"
with the term \"yielding\" or \"crashworthy\" in the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). For recordkeeping purposes, we have
assigned your request the following official ruling number and title:
\"2-547(I)-Relationship of the Terms Breakaway and Crashworthy.\"

The definition of crashworthy is contained in Section IA-13 of the
MUTCD. This definitioi reads as follows: A characteristic of a roadside
appurtenance that has been successfully cra\' tested in accordance with
a national standard such as the National Cooperative Highway Research
Program Report 350, \"Recommended Procedures for Safety Performance
Evaluati of Highway Features.\"

The 2002 AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (Chapter 4.1, Acceptance Criteria
for Breakaw

Supports) uses the term \"breakaway\" to describe all types of sign,
luminaire, and traffic sign supports that are designed to yield when
impacted by a vehicle. The Roadside Design Guid also indicates that the
criteria used to determine if a support is considered breakaway can b
found in the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for
Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals. The AASHTO
specifications have been revised so that the breakaway requirements are
identical to the crashworthy requirements in NCHRP Report 3\_

Based upon the information provided above, it is our interpretation that
breakaway and I crashworthy are interchangeable terms. When the term
breakaway is used, it means that the sign support is designed so that it
breaks away safely-even in the case of a steel post. It is the intent of
the FHWA for safety purposes to install traffic signs that are not only
breakaw,c but to install traffic signs that are also crashworthy.
Therefore, we consider the terminology the MUTCD to be correct and do
not inte \~to change it at this time.

![](media/image13.png){width="2.4763888888888888in"
height="0.9527777777777777in"}

2

We appreciate your concern for highway safety and encourage you to
continue making comments on the MUTCD. If you have questions or wish
additional information, please feel free to call Fred Ranck, Safety
Engineer, at 708-283-3545 at FHWA\'s Resource Center-Olympia Fields,
Illinois.

> Sincerely yours,

Regina S. McElroy![](media/image14.png){width="3.283333333333333in"
height="0.6930555555555555in"}![](media/image15.png){width="1.086111111111111in"
height="0.8298611111111112in"}

Director, Office of Transportation Operations

FHWA:HOTO-1:FRanck/LLBrown:ds:62192:4-1-04 cc: HOTO-1
HOTO-1(FRanck/LLBrown/EHuckaby)

> Mr. David Bartz, HDA-TX HDA-TX(2)
>
> Nick Artimovich - HSA-1
>
> Chron 3408 Reader 3408

DF(official ruling files 2-547(I))

M:\\MUTCD\\official ruling background\\2-547(I) Relationship between
breakaway & crashworthy.doc

![](media/image16.png){width="0.42291666666666666in"
height="0.38958333333333334in"}

+-----------+----------+-------+-------+--------+--------+----------+
| > WRITER  | > NAME   | CO    | DUE   | >      | FINAL  | >        |
| > AND     | > OF     | NTROL |       | STATUS |        |  SUBJECT |
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|           |          |       |       | DATE   |        | INDIV    |
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+-----------+----------+-------+-------+--------+--------+----------+
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|           | >        |       |       |        |        | CROSSING |
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+-----------+----------+-------+-------+--------+--------+----------+

![](media/image17.png){width="7.402777777777778in" height="4.9in"}

**\"** Impacting Today\'s Roads for a Safer Tomorrow\" **uesday,
Februazy** 10, 2004

> Regina. McElroy
>
> Federal Highway Administration HOTO-1, Room 3408 400 Seventh Street,
> SW Washington, DC 20590 United States
>
> Dear Regina:

This letter is written to address an issue contained in the new Section
2B. 12 IN-STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNS (RI-6, RI-6a).

> Said section indicates \"If the In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Sign is
> placed i nthe roadway, the sign support shall comply with the
> breakaway requirements of the latest edition of AASHTO\'s
> \"Specification for Structual Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaries
> and Traffic Signals\".

This wording would necessitate that any in-street pedestrian sign would
be not only \"breakaway\", but by nature, contain a steel post. Such a
requirement could compromise the safety of both the pedestrian and
motorist and virtually eliminate the use of a safer, more commonly used
sign support system.

The term \"breakaway\" normally does not ensure that the sign support is
crashworthy, nor that it would meet NCHRP 350 test requirements.

Therefore, I would request that your Agency reconsider the terminology
in the above-referenced section and consider replacing it with either
\"yielding\" or\'Vashworthy\" in its place.

> I look forward to hearing from you in this regard.

![](media/image18.png){width="1.226388888888889in"
height="1.0166666666666666in"}