0 

U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Federal Highway 

Administration 

July 21, 2021

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/SS-185 

Mr. Nate Kolmodin 

Allied Tube and Conduit 

16100 S. Lathrop Ave. 

Harvey, IL 60426 

Dear Mr. Kolmodin:

This letter is in response to your March 1, 2021 request for the Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) to review a roadside safety device, hardware, or system for eligibility for 

reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. This FHWA letter of eligibility is 

assigned FHWA control number SS-185 and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by FHWA 

that expressly references this device. 

Decision 

The following device is eligible within the length-of-need, with details provided in the form 

which is attached as an integral part of this letter: 

• Telespar Sign Support 

Scope of this Letter 

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

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

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

However, the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do 

not regulate the manufacture of roadside safety devices. Eligibility for reimbursement under the 

Federal-aid highway program does not establish approval, certification or endorsement of the 

device for any particular purpose or use. 

This letter is not a determination by the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, or the United 

States Government that a vehicle crash involving the device will result in any particular 

outcome, nor is it a guarantee of the in-service performance of this device. Proper 

manufacturing, installation, and maintenance are required in order for this device to function as 

tested. 

This finding of eligibility is limited to the crashworthiness of the system and does not cover other 

structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 

Eligibility for Reimbursement 

Based solely on a review of crash test results and certifications submitted by the manufacturer, 

and the crash test laboratory, FHWA agrees that the device described herein meets the crash test 

and evaluation criteria of the AASHTO’s MASH. Therefore, the device is eligible for

reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program if installed under the range of tested 

conditions. 

Name of system: Telespar Sign Support 

Type of system: Sign Support 

Test Level: TL 3 

Testing conducted by: Texas A&M Transportation Institute 

Date of request: March 1, 2021 

FHWA concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory on the 

attached form. 

Full Description of the Eligible Device 

The device and supporting documentation, including reports of the crash tests or other testing 

done, videos of any crash testing, and/or drawings of the device, are described in the attached 

form. 

Notice 

This eligibility letter is issued for the subject device as tested. Modifications made to the device 

are not covered by this letter. Any modifications to this device should be submitted to the user 

(i.e., state DOT) as per their requirements. 

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

maintenance 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 criteria of AASHTO’s MASH.

Issuance of this letter does not convey property rights of any sort or any exclusive privilege. This 

letter is based on the premise that information and reports submitted by you are accurate and 

correct. We reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter if: (1) there are any inaccuracies in 

the information submitted in support of your request for this letter, (2) the qualification testing 

was flawed, (3) in-service performance or other information reveals safety problems, (4) the 

system is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, or (5) any other 

information indicates that the letter was issued in error or otherwise does not reflect full and 

complete information about the crashworthiness of the system. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 

Standard Provisions 

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

control number SS-185 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 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. 

• This FHWA eligibility letter is not an expression of any Agency view, position, or 

determination of validity, scope, or ownership of any intellectual property rights to a 

specific device or design. Further, this letter does not impute any distribution or licensing 

rights to the requester. This FHWA eligibility letter determination is made based solely 

on the crash-testing information submitted by the requester. The FHWA reserves the 

right to review and revoke an earlier eligibility determination after receipt of subsequent 

information related to crash testing. 

Sincerely, 

Michael S. Griffith 

Director, Office of Safety Technologies 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 
Page 1 of 4 

March 01, 2021 I 

Nate Kolmodin 

Allied Tube & Conduit 

16100 S. Lathrop Avenue, Harvey, IL 60426 

U.S.A. 

Device & Testing Criterion - Enter from right to left starting with Test Level I ' - ' - ' I 

System Type Submission Type Device Name/ Variant Testing Criterion Test 

Level 

'SS': Breakaway Sign  Physical Crash Testing AASHTO MASH TL3

Supports, Mailboxes, &  Engineering Analysis Telespar Sign Support

other small sian sunnorts 

Contact Name: Nate Kolmodin Same as Submitter 

Company Name: Allied Tube & Conduit Same as Submitter [8J 

Address: 16100 S. Lathrop Avenue, Harvey, IL 60426 Same as Submitter 

Country: U.S.A. Same as Submitter 

Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) was contracted by Allied Tube & Conduit to perform full-scale crash 

testing of the Telespar Sign Support. There are no shared financial interests in the Telespar Sign Support, or 

between Allied Tube & Conduit and TTI, other than the costs involved in the actual crash tests and reports for 

this submission to FHWA. 

690900-XSD 4-9 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

Submitter

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility

of Highway Safety Hardware

 Date of Request: New Resubmission

Name:

Company:

Address:

Country:

Michael S. Griffith, Director To: FHWA, Office of Safety Technologies 

I request the following devices be considered eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid 

highway program.

By submitting this request for review and evaluation by the Federal Highway Administration, I certify 

that the product(s) was (were) tested in conformity with the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety 

Hardware and that the evaluation results meet the appropriate evaluation criteria in the MASH.

Individual or Organization responsible for the product:

Enter below all disclosures of financial interests as required by the FHWA `Federal-Aid Reimbursement 

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document.
Page 2 of 4 

 New Hardware or

 Significant Modification

 Modification to

Existing Hardware 

The Telespar sign support system consists of a 2-inch x 14 gauge perforated square steel tube (PSST) support 

post inserted 8 inches into a 21⁄4-inch x 12 gauge PSST anchor. Both the PSST support and anchor had 7 /16-

inch diameter pre-punched holes spaced on one inch centers along the length of all four sides. The PSST 

support is secured to the PSST anchor using a 5/16-inch diameter corner bolt and nut. The PSST anchor tube 

was 30 inches long and embedded in soil such that it protruded 2 inches above grade. Two 3⁄4-inch diameter 

aluminum drive rivets secured a 12-inch x 18-inch x 0.080-inch thick aluminum sign panel to the PSST support 

post at a mounting height of 7 ft above grade to the bottom of the sign panel. The top of the PSST support 

post was flush with the top of the sign panel. The PSST support and anchor are fabricated from ASTM A 1011 

steel and are galvanized in accordance with ASTM A653. 

By signature below, the Engineer affiliated with the testing laboratory, agrees in support of this submission that 

all of the critical and relevant crash tests for this device listed above were conducted to meet the MASH test 

criteria. The Engineer has determined that no other crash tests are necessary to determine the device meets 

the MASH criteria. 

Roger Bligh 

Engineer Signature: Roger Bligh Digitally signed by Roger Bligh 

Date: 2021.03.10 10:44:50 -06'00' 

TTI, 1254 Avenue A, Bldg. 7091, Bryan, TX 77807 Same as Submitter D 

U.S.A. Same as Submitter 

Required Test Narrative Evaluation 

Number Description Results 

MASH Test 3-60 was successfully performed 

on the Telespar sign support system at both 

0 and 90 degrees. In both tests (690900-XSD 

4&5), the support yielded and was 

overridden by the vehicle. The vehicle 

remained stable and upright. The support 

post was partially fractured, but the 

components of the sign support system 

3-60 (11 OOC) remained intact. The vehicle sustained a PASS 

small indentation at the at the location of 

impact, but it was so minimal as to be not 

measurable. Occupant risk indices 

(occupant impact velocity and ridedown 

acceleration) were within MASH thresholds. 

No occupant compartment deformation or 

intrusion was observed. 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

CRASH TESTING

Engineer Name:

Address:

Country:

 A brief description of each crash test and its result:
Page 3 of 4 

Required Test Narrative Evaluation 

Number Description Results 

MASH Test 3-61 was successfully performed 

on the Telespar sign support system at both 

0 and 90 degrees. In both tests, the support 

yielded and was overridden by the vehicle. 

The vehicle remained stable and upright. 

In the a-degree test (690900-XSD 6), the 

support post was partially fractured at 

several locations, but the components of 

the sign support system remained intact. 

The vehicle sustained minor damage, 

including a 1.5-inch deep indentation in the 

hood. Occupant risk indices were within 

3-61 (11 OOC) MASH thresholds. No occupant PASS compartment deformation or intrusion was 

observed. 

In the 90-degree test (690900-XSD 7), the 

support post fractured and separated into 

two pieces. The lower 4 ft of the support 

remained with the anchor post. The sign 

detached from the upper section of the 

post. The vehicle sustained minor damage, 

including a 2-inch deep indentation in the 

hood. Occupant risk indices were within 

MASH thresholds. No occupant 

compartment deformation or intrusion was 

observed. 

MASH Test 3-62 was successfully performed 

on the Telespar sign support system at both 

0 and 90 degrees. In both tests, the support 

yielded and was overridden by the vehicle. 

The vehicle remained stable and upright. 

In the 0-degree test (690900-XSD 8), the 

support post was partially fractured at 

several locations, but the components of 

the sign support system remained intact. 

The vehicle sustained minor damage, 

including a 1.5-inch deep indentation in the 

hood. Occupant risk indices were within 

3-62 (2270P) MASH thresholds. No occupant PASS compartment deformation or intrusion was 

observed. 

In the 90-degree test (690900-XSD 9), the 

support post fractured and separated into 

two pieces. The lower 4.5 ft of the support 

remained with the anchor post. The sign 

detached from the upper section of the 

post. The vehicle sustained minor damage, 

including a 2-inch deep indentation in the 

hood. Occupant risk indices were within 

MASH thresholds. No occupant 

compartment deformation or intrusion was 

observed. 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)
 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 4 of 4 

Texas A&M Transportation Institute 

Laboratory Signature: Digitally signed by Darrell L. Kuhn 

'Date: 2021.03.01 14:01 :06 -06'00 b~ 

1254 Avenue A, Bldg. 7091, Bryan, TX 77807 Same as Submitter 

U.S.A. Same as Submitter 

ISO 17025-2017 Laboratory 

A2LA Certificate Number: 2821.01 

Valid To: April 30, 2021 

Digitally signed by Kolmodin, 

Submitter Signature*: Kolmodin, Nate Nate 

Date, 2021.04.14 15:48:12-05'00' 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

Full Scale Crash Testing was done in compliance with MASH by the following accredited crash test

laboratory (cite the laboratory’s accreditation status as noted in the crash test reports.):

Laboratory Name:

Address:

Country:

Accreditation Certificate

Number and Dates of current

Accreditation period :

ATTACHMENTS

Attach to this form:

1) Additional disclosures of related financial interest as indicated above.

2) A copy of the full test report, video, and a Test Data Summary Sheet for each test conducted in 

support of this request. 

3) A drawing or drawings of the device(s) that conform to the Task Force-13 Drawing Specifications 

[Hardware Guide Drawing Standards]. For proprietary products, a single isometric line drawing is 

usually acceptable to illustrate the product, with detailed specifications, intended use, and contact

information provided on the reverse. Additional drawings (not in TF-13 format) showing details that

are relevant to understanding the dimensions and performance of the device should also be submitted

to facilitate our review.

FHWA Official Business Only:

Eligibility Letter

Number Date Key Words
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
APPENDIX A. DETAILS OF TELESPAR SIGN SUPPORT 

TR No. 690900-XSD4-9 59 2019-06-13