U.S. Department

of Transportation 

Federal Highway

Administration 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington , O.C. 20590 

August 18, 20 17 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/B-216A 

Gary D. Miracle 

Cumberland Barrier, Inc. 

7685 Old Woods Court 

Springboro Ohio 45066 

Dear Mr. Miracle: 

This letter is in response to your March 30, 2016 request for the Federal Highway Administration 

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

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

assigned FHW A control number B-216A and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by 

FHW A that expressly references this device. 

Decision 

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

integral part of this letter: 

• Emergency Median Access Barrier System 

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' 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 FHW A, 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 crash worthiness of the system and does not cover other 

structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 
2 

Eligibility for Reimbursement 

FHW A previously issued an eligibility letter for the roadside safety system described in your 

request. Your request now identifies a modification to that roadside safety system. 

The original roadside safety device information is provided here: 

Name of system: Cumberland Emergency Median Access Barrier 

Type of system: Moveable Steel Median Barrier Unit 

Date of original request: December 21 , 2010 

Original FHW A eligibility letter: March 10, 2011 

FHW A Control number: B-216 

The modification(s) consists of the following changes: 

1. Replace cover plate retention pin with revised cover plate retainer, "dead bolt." 

2. Replace rigid cover plate guides with hinged cover plate guides. 

3. Eliminate external control box by relocating external control box contents to bottom 

horizontal gate member. 

4. Eliminate the 6"x 6"x 0.25" guide tubes, W6x 15 posts extending below the gate, and 

associated pulleys. 

5. Eliminate the 7"x 7"x 0.25" guide tube housings, 7"x7"x 0.25" lift post housings, W5x 19 

stiffeners, and the lower sections of the W 12x40 end posts. 

6. Relocate the counterweight housing. 

7. Revise the vault bottom by adding a platform of W8x 10 beams to aid in transporting and 

installation. 

8. Modify the original sprocket covers mounted on top of the concrete median barrier, to 

accommodate the "two part line" sprocket arrangement in Item 9) and the relocated 

counter weight housing in item 6). 

9. Shorten the counterweight travel distance by replacing the "one on one" sprocket 

arrangement with a "two part line" arrangement between the gate and counterweight. 

FHW A concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory as stated 

within 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 and will need to be tested in accordance with all recommended tests 

in AASHTO's MASH as part of a new and separate submittal. 
3 

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 

co1Tect. 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. 

Standard Provisions 

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

control numbers B-2 l 6A 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 FHW A to use, 

manufacture, or sell any patented system for which the applicant is not the patent holder. 

• Ifthe subject device is a patented product it may be considered to be proprietary. If 

proprietary systems are specified by a highway agency for use 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, 

Robert Ritter 

Acting Director, Office of Safety 

Technologies 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 
Date of Request : March 30, 2016 r. New (' Resubmission - Name : Gary D Miracle - Company : Cumberland Barrier Inc 

Address: 7685 OldWoods Ct. Springboro, 0 H 45066 - Country: USA 

S. Griffith, Director To : FHWA, Office of Safety Technologie s 

-

System Type 

'B': Barriers (Roadside, 

Median, Bridge Ra ilings) 

' 

Submission Type Device Name Variant 

Emergency Median Physical Crash Testing Access Barrier System Engineering Analysis (EMA) 

1est.ng Criterion 

AASHTO MASH

Test 

el Lev

C Contact Name· 

coCompany Name: 

Gary DMiracle 

Cumberland Barrier Inc 

Same as Submitter 

Same as Submitter 

Address· 7685 Old Woods Ct __ Same as Submitter 

Country: USA Same as Submitter 

L 

Version 9.1 (11 / 15) 

Page of 3 

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

of Highway Safety Hardware 

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, Icertify 

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. 

Identifica ti on of the Individual or organization responsio'e for the product. 

Enter below all disclosures of financ ial interes s as required by the FHWA ;FederalAid Reimbursement 

El igibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices document. 

Transportation Research Center ,QF (TR(), the r employees, any other testing facility including their employees, 

have no financial interest in the Emergency Median Ac<.ess System (EMA) or Its manufacturer, Cumberland 

iBarrier Inc. 
Hardware or 

Significant Modification 

PROD8CT DESCRJPTION 

Modification to 

Existing Hardware Non-Significant J On March 1 o. io1 1, Cumberland Barrier, Inc received a letter of acceptance from FHWA for its Emergency 

Median Access Barrier System HSST/B-216. In an attempt to provide a unit easier to install, maintain and 

operate. Cumberland Is considering certain modifications to the onginal crash tested unit. At the request of 

TRC. those modifications have been reviewed by the Ohio State University Center for Automotive Research and 

determined to be non- signifcant". See anachments for greater detail. Those modifications are 

1l ) Replace cove' plate retention pin with revised cover plate retainer, 'dead bolt" 

2) Replace rigid cover plate guides with hinged cover plate guides 

3). Eliminate external control box by relocating external control box contents includinq winch. batteries and 

solar charge controller, to bonom horizontal gate member Wl 6x26 

4) Eliminate the 6"x6"x0 25· gu ide tubes. W6x1 5 lift posts extending below the gate and associated pulleys. 

The liftposts are el iminated by redesigning the drive system to include drive shafts, bearings sprockets and 

roller chain attached to the bonom horizontal gate member W1 6x2G and gate end posts W12x40 The guide 

tubes are ehminated by utilizing ultra high molecular weight (UHMW, strips located on the gate. or optionally. 

replace 6x6x 0.25 gate end tubes with 1 0x6x 0.25 inch end tubes and install UHMW strips RQ the flanges of the 

Wt 2x40 end posts.

5) Since the lift posts and guides posts have now been ehmlnated (from 4 above). the / 'x [ 25"guide tube 

housings, 7"x7"x0 25 " lift post housings. W5x 19 stiffeners, and the lower sections oIthe Wl 2x40 end posts are 

no longer needed DQd may be eliminated. 

6) Relocate the counter weight housing hy detaching it from the Wl 2x40 end posts DQd make it a separate 

ully concrete encased housing This will contribute to requirements for a shallower installation and allow a 

non-level installation 

7) Revise the vautt bottom by adding a olatform of W8x10 beams to aid in transporting and installation 

8) Modify the originial sprocket covers. mountec on :op of the con cret e r1ed ian barrier, to accommodatet he 

"two part line" sprocket arrangement in item 9) and the relocated counter weight housinginiitem 6) 

) To saisfy the f nal requirement for decreasing installation depth, the cnunterwe ght travel distance must be 

hortened The travel distance can be cut in half by replacing the "one to one" sprocket arrangement with a 

two-part line" arrangement oetween the gate and counterweight 

, ' 

'

f

9

1

s

"

_J 

CRASHI TESTING 

A brief description of each crash test and its result: 

Version 9 .1 ( 11/15) 

Page 2 of 3 
Version 9.1 (11/15) 

Pdge 3 of 3 

Required Test 

Number 

Narrative 

Description Evaluation Results 

On Dec 6, 201 O. TRC issued a report describing the details and 

results of a full scale crash test performed on the Cumber1and 

Barrier, Inc Emergency Median Access (EMA). The crash test 

101015 performed was MASH test designation 3-21 involving a 2004 

Dodge Ram 1500 at a normal speed of 100 km/h and nominal PASS 

angle of 25 degrees. On March 10, 2011 , Cumberland Barrier, 

Inc received a letter of acceptance from FHWA for its 

Emergency Median Access Barrier System HSS_T,_'B_-_2_16_. __________ 

Full Scale Crash Testing was done compl iance with by the following accredited 

crash test Laboratory. By signature below, the Laboratory agrees in support of this submission that all 

critica l and relevant crash tests for the device listed above were conducted. (cite the laboratory' s 

accreditation status as noted in the crash test reports): 

LQ AASHTO MASH 

Testing Laboratory's signature concurs that these modifications are considered Non Significant 

Laboratory Name· Transportation _Research Center,Inc 

Laboratory Signature 

Address : tate Route 34 7. East Liberty. OH 43319 

Country ,_ ------- Accreditation Certificate 

Number and Dates of current L

2181 

Jan 26, 2018 

Accreditation period : -----

ame H Submitter 

Submit Form 

HHUU

/\I TAC+M(NTS

AWWDFh to this form . S

1) Additional dLVFlos XUHV of related financ ial iQterest as indicated abovH. 

A copy of the fulO test report, YLdeo. and a Test Data Summary heet for each test c.:onducted in 

asupport of thisa request. 

 )A drawLng, or draZ inga of the deYiice(s) that confonn to the Task Force- 3 Drawing 6SHFLILFDWLRQV

>++ardZare Guide: 'UDZLQJJ Standa.rds@a- for proprLHWDU\ products, a LQJOH isometric LQHG raZina g is i, 

usually acceptable to illustrate tKe product. with detai ed specitications, intcndHG use. and contact 

information pro' idedon the reverse . Additional drDwings (not in TF-1 fom1at showLng details that 

are relevant to understanding the dLPHQVLons and performance of the device shRuld aO be suhmitted 

to faFilitate our revieZ

)+:A Official %%usiness Onlya· 

El ig bility Letter - AASHTO TFBJ 

__ N_u_m_b-er Date _t Designator_____  ___ _ 
SUMMARY ORIGINAL CRASH TEST REPORT 
0.000 s 0.025 s 0.50 s 0.75 s 0.100 s 

2. Plan View 3. Cross-sectional View 

....-

-·-- .•r -----~--------

, 5.5 

-

.

. 

met

--

ers

---- ----------------- ·- . ---- ·- --· -------·-. ------- -...i 

POl~Teal ....... 69.6 meters 

·, ~ .. @IJ;~!(t,i.J> 

4. General Information: 9. Exit Conditions: 

• Test Agency Transportation Research Center Inc. • Speed 100.1 km/h (estimated) 

• Test Number 101015 •Angle 5 degrees (estimated) 

•Date October15,2010 • Exit Box Criterion Met 

5. Test Artide: Emergency Median Access 10. Post-Impact Trajectory: 

• Type Longitudinal Barrier Gate • Vehicle Stability Satisfactory 

• Installation Length 18 feel • Stopping Distance 69.6 m downstream; 5.5 m laterally left 

• Key Elements Steel Barrier Gate, concrete foundation 11 . Occupant Risk: 

6. Soil Conditions: • Longitudinal OIV 6.43 g 

• Type of Soil Not applicable • Lateral OIV 10.64 g 

• Soil Strength Not applicable • Longitudinal RA 4.76 mis 

7. Test Vehicle: • Lateral RA 9.28 mis 

• Type/Designation Production Model 2270P 12. Test Article Damage: Slight 

• Make and Model 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 13. Test Article Deflections: 

• Test Inertial 2294.2 kg • Permanent Set O.Omm 

• Gross Static 2294.2 kg •Dynamic O.Omm 

.... 8. Impact Conditions: • Working Width 762mm 

.... 

0 • Speed 100.1 km/h 14. Vehicle Damage: Moderate 

0 •Angle 25 degrees •VOS N/A 

01 • Location/Orientation 1.3 m upstream from the inside edge Of •CDC 01FZEW2 

::0 

CD the gate's steel end post • Maximum Deformation 329mm 

:c:: 

Figure 35. Summary of results for test 101015 
ISOMETRIC LINE DRAWINGS 

AND 

TF-13 DRAWINGS 
CUMBERLA ND BARRIER, INC . 

EMERG ENCY MED IAN ACCESS 

(EMA) 

LEGEND: 

CN5018-01-XX GENERAL ARRANGEMENT 

CN5018-02-XX AULT ASSEMBLY 

CN5018-03-XX 

CN5018-04-XX 

CN5018-05-XX 

CN5018-06-XX 

CN5018-07-XX 

CN5018-08-XX 

CN5018-09-XX ONCRETE I REBAR 

CN5018-10-XX ELECTRICAL I CONTROLS 

041( CUMBERLAND BARR IER, INC. 

Hl[f?GENCY l.IEDIAN ACCfSS 

DEPLOYED BARRIER 

~ N.l .S. CN501B-01 - 01 
CUMBERLAND BARRIER, INC . 

EMERGENC Y MED IAN ACC ESS 

(EMA) 

OAll "'"""'" CUMBERLAND BARRIER, INC.

EMERGENCY UEDIAN ACCESS 

OPEN BARRIER 

CN501B- 01 -02 
: 

38'-0" l.O 

I 

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2'-2" 

L ._ 33'-s·_ _ 

2'-2"

_J 

ELEVATION 

-SCiu: l/1~ s \'- 0" 

T/PAVEMENT 

CONCRETE 

ENCASEMENT 

-

.'£! 

l.O 

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lo 

SIDE 

SC"1..E: J/8• • 1·- 0• 

CUMBERLAND BARRIER, INC. 

£M£f?GOICY /tl[f)/AN ACCESS 

DEPLOYED f:lARIER 

CNSOl 8-01-0.3 
50[i270 ] 

CONCRETE 

TRANSITION 

WALL 

·. -.~ 

EMERGENCY MEDIAN ACC ESS 

CUMBERLAND BARRIER, INC. SHEET NO. DATE: 

1 of 2 02-22-2016 
SPECIFICATIONS 

The Emergency Median Access (EMA) steelwork shall be Grade A36 or Grade A992. Welding shall 

be in eonformance with the American Welding Society (AWS) code (dl.l). The (EMA) shall be 

powered by·a non-hydraulic winch rated at not less than 8,000 pounds. CRncrete and concrete 

reinforcing shall conform to the state highway requirements ofthe state in which the (EMA) is 

installed. Likewise, joining or splicing newly created concrete barrier wall, immediately adjacent to 

the (EMA), to existing concrete barrier wall, shall eonfonn to the state highway requirements ofthe 

state in which the (EMA) is installed. 

INTENDED USE 

The Emergency Median Access (EMA) is intended to provide vehicular access across highway 

medians that are blocked with concrete barrier walls. When the (EMA) is in its raised position. it 

assumes the profile ofthe existing concrete barrier wall and performs as a longitudinal bDUrier. The 

(EMA) may be lowered wirelessly by a number ofsignal sending devices thereby allowing vehicles 

to pass through the wall. The same wireless signal would then raise the (EMA). The (EMA) may be 

powered by AC electrical power when available or by DC batteries that are rechargeable utilizing

solar energy. The (EMA) may be installed as a part ofnew construction or can be "cut into" an 

existing barrier wall. (EMA) uses: 

1) Shortens emergency response time. 

2) Allows rerouting oftraffic as needed including accidents, weather, and construction. 

3) Facilitates highway maintenance. 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

Cumberland Barrier, Inc. 

7685 Old Woods Ct 

Springboro, Ohio 45066 

Telephone: 513-267-5143 

Email: gary.miracle@sbcglobal.net 

EMERGENCY MEDIAN ACCESS (EMA) 

CUMBERLAND BARRIER, INC. 

DATE 

2of2 

SHEETNO. 

02-22·2016