US. Dep::ir lmenf Memorandum of Transportation 

Federal Highway 

Administration 

t' \I Subject: 	 INFORMATION: AASHTO/FHWA Date: - 7 2016 

Joint Implementation Agreement for 

Manual for Assessing Safety I lardvvare 

From: 	 ~~~ Jn Reply Refer To: 

Director, Office of Progrnm HSST 

Ad ministration 

Michael 

Director, 

S

Office 

. Griffith 

ofSafe ty Technologies 

~ 

To: 	 Division Administrators 


Directors of Field Services 


Federal Lands Highway Division Directors 


Purpose 

The purpose of this memorandum is to share information regarding the American 

Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)fFHWA Joint 

Implementation Agreement for the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware 

(MASH). Recently, the agreement was successfully balloted by AASHTO's Standing 

Committee on Highways and approved by FHWA. 

Information 

On November 12

111, 20 15, FI-I WA issued a memorandum 

(http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway dept/policv guide/road hardware/policy memo/me 

mo 11121 SD indicating that al I modifications to NCHRP 350-tested devices will require 

testing under MASH i11 order to receive a Federal-aid eligibility letter from FHW A. In 

addition, a Federal Register Notice 

(https://www.federalreuister.uov/articles/20 1511 II 13/2015-28753/manual-for-assessingsafety-hardware-mash-transition) was also issued regarding this action. This action 

provided a significant step forward to the implementation of MASH. 

Through the AASHTO/FI-IWA partnership, the agreement was executed to define actions 

needed for full implementation of MASH over the course of several years. Per the 

agreement, the implementation of the fo1thcoming edition (anticipated Spring 2016) of the 

AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) will be as follows: 

• 	 The AASHTO Technical Committee on Roadside Safety will continue to be 

responsible for developing and maintaining the evaluation criteria as adopted by 
2 

AASHTO. FHW A will continue its role in issuing letters of eligibility ofroadside 

safety hardware for federal-aid reimbursement. 

• 	 Agencies are urged to establish a process to replace existing highway safety 

hardware that has not been successfully tested to NCHRP Report 350 or later 

criteria. 

• 	 Agencies are encouraged to upgrade existing highway safety hardware to comply 

with the 2016 edition of MASH either when it becomes damaged beyond repair, or 

when an individual agency's policies require an upgrade to the safety hardware. 

• 	 For contracts on the National Highway System with a letting date after the dates 

below, only safety hardware evaluated using the 2016 edition of MASH criteria 

will be allowed for new permanent installations and full replacements: 

o 	 December 31, 2017: w-beam barriers and cast-in-place concrete barriers 

o 	 June 30, 2018: w-beam terminals 

o 	 December 31, 2018: cable barriers, cable barrier terminals, and crash 

cushions 

o 	 December 31, 2019: bridge rails, transitions, all other longitudinal barriers 

(including portable barriers installed permanently), all other terminals, sign 

supports, and all other breakaway hardware 

• 	 Temporary work zone devices, including portable barriers, manufactured after 

December 31, 2019, must have been successfully tested to the 2016 edition of 

MASH. Such devices manufactured on or before this date, and successfully tested 

to NCHRP Report 350 or the 2009 edition of MASH, may continue to be used 

throughout their normal service lives. 

• 	 Regarding the federal-aid eligibility ofhighway safety hardware, after December 

31, 2016: 

o 	 FHW A will no longer issue eligibility letters for highway safety hardware 

that has not been successfully crash tested to the 2016 edition of MASH. 

o 	 Modifications of eligible highway safety hardware must utilize criteria in 

the 2016 edition of MASH for re-evaluation and/or retesting. 

o 	 Non-significant modifications of eligible hardware that have a positive or 

inconsequential effect on safety performance may continue to be evaluated 

using finite element analysis. 

Division Offices should discuss the MASH implementation agreement with state 

transportation agency partners and monitor the actions taken and progress towards the 

dates established in the agreement. 

Ifyou have any questions or comments, please contact Brian Fouch in the Office of Safety 

at (202) 366-0744.