1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

 Washington, D.C. 20590

September 23, 2013

FHWA:HSST:NArtimovich:sf:x61331:9/19/13

File: s://directory folder/hsst/nartimovich/HSST/CC115H_VLT_SS_25footPanels.docx

cc: HSST (Reader, HSA; Chron File, HSST; NArtimovich, HSST), BFouch, HSST 

In Reply Refer To:

CC-115H

Mr. Don Gripne

Trinity Highway Products

5216 Brassfield Dr. SE

Olympia Washington 98501

Dear Mr. Gripne:

This letter is in response to your request for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to 

review roadside safety systems for eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway 

program. 

Name of system: Vertical Loading Terminal (VLT)/Soft Stop with 25-foot panels

Type of system: Energy absorbing guardrail terminals

Test Level: MASH Test Level-2 and Test Level-3

Testing conducted by: Original testing by Texas Transportation Institute

Task Force 13 Designator: SEW22

Date of request: September 3, 2013

Decision:

The following devices are eligible, with details provided in the form which is attached as an 

integral part of this letter:

• TL-2 and TL-3 VLT/Soft Stop energy absorbing guardrail terminals with 25-foot w-beam 

panels.

Based on a review of the analysis submitted by the manufacturer certifying the device described 

herein meets the crash test and evaluation criteria of the American Association of State Highway 

and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), the device is 

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.

The FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do not 

endorse products or services and the issuance of a reimbursement eligibility letter is not an 

endorsement of any product or service.
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Requirements

To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, roadside safety devices should meet the crash test 

and evaluation criteria contained in the American Association of State Highway and 

Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). 

Description

The device and supporting documentation are described in the attached form. The change 

covered by this letter allows the use of 25-foot long w-beam guardrail panels within the limits of 

the VLT / Soft Stop Terminals in lieu of spliced 12-foot, 6-inch long sections. The analysis 

provided shows that the test vehicle would travel less than two feet further after impacting the 

VLT / Soft Stop heads. This distance is still within the design length of the terminals.

Summary and Standard Provisions

Therefore, the system described and detailed in the attached form is eligible for reimbursement 

and may be installed under the range of conditions tested. 

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

• This letter provides a AASHTO/ARTBA/AGC Task Force 13 designator that should be 

used for the purpose of the creation of a new and/or the update of existing Task Force 13 

drawing for posting on the on-line ‘Guide to Standardized Highway Barrier Hardware’ 

currently referenced in AASHTO Roadside Design Guide.

• This finding of eligibility does not cover other structural features of the systems, nor 

conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

• Any changes that may influence system conformance with MASH will require a new 

reimbursement eligibility letter.

• Should the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service 

performance reveals safety problems, or that the system is significantly different from the 

version that was crash tested, we reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter.

• You are expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design and 

installation requirements to ensure proper performance.

• You are expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has the same 

chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for review, and that it 

will meet the test and evaluation critiera of the MASH.

• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of eligibility is designated as number 

CC-115H 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 FHWA does not become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if 

any, are to be resolved by the applicant.

• The Trinity Highway Products VLT / Soft-Stop terminals are patented products and 

considered proprietary. If proprietary systems are specified by a highway agency for use 
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on Federal-aid 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. 

Sincerely yours,

Michael S. Griffith

Director, Office of Safety Technologies

Office of Safety

Enclosures