1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, DC 20590

May 5, 2008 

 

In Reply Refer To: HSSD/LS-66 

Mr. Greg Mercier 

Director of Design Engineering 

Hapco 

26252 Hillman Highway 

Abingdon, VA 24210 

Dear Mr. Mercier: 

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

acceptance of a roadside safety device for use on the National Highway System (NHS). 

 Name of device: Hapco decorative pole, breakaway B13163 and 13164 

 Type of device: Luminaire Support 

 Test Level: Test Level 3 (TL-3) 

 Testing conducted by: Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) 

 Date of request: March 23, 2008 

 Date of follow-up: April 8, 2008 

You requested that we find this device acceptable for use on the NHS under the provisions of 

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 “Recommended 

Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features.” 

Requirements

Roadside safety devices should meet the guidelines contained in the NCHRP Report 350, 

"Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features". 

FHWA Memorandum “ACTION: Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features” of July 25, 

1997, provides further guidance on crash testing requirements of luminaire supports. 

Description 

The following two 20 ft (6.1 m) HAPCO decorative luminaire supports were tested at the TTI 

outdoor pendulum testing facility: 

1) HAPCO Georgetown (B13163) with cast base assembly 72133. The base of the lighting pole 

was cast aluminum (alloy 356-T6) with a 10-1/8 inch (257.18 mm) round base tapering to a 

fluted shape for a base height of 42-5/8 inches (1082.68 mm). A 6 inch (152.4 mm) outside 
2

diameter tapering to a 3 inch (76.2 mm) outside diameter aluminum tube (alloy 6063-T6) with 

1/4 inch (6.35 mm) wall thickness and 16 foot 7 inch (5.05 m) long was welded to the base, 

giving a total height of 20 feet (6.1 m). A cast aluminum adapter ring was placed on top of the 

pole to accommodate the round light. The weight of the pole with base was 134 pounds and the 

round light was 17 pounds, totaling a weight of 151 pounds. The 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) base plate 

was bolted to a steel reaction plate using 3/4 inch (19.05 mm) anchor bolts on a 7 inch 

(177.8 mm) diameter bolt circle. Drawings of the HAPCO Georgetown (B13163) decorative 

luminaire support with cast base assembly 72531 are enclosed. 

2) HAPCO Embedded Pedestal (B13164). The base of the lighting pole was cast aluminum 

(alloy 356-T6) with a 10-1/8 inch (257.18 mm) round base (72133) tapering to a fluted shape for 

base height of 42-5/8 inches (1082.68 mm). A 6 inch (152.4 mm) outside diameter tapering to a 

3 inch (76.2 mm) outside diameter aluminum tube (alloy 6063-T6) with 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) wall 

thickness and 16 foot 7 inch (5.05 m) long was welded to the base, giving a total height 20 feet 

(6.1 m). A cast aluminum adapter ring was placed on top the pole to accommodate the round 

light. Weight of the pole with base was 156 pounds and the round light was 14.6 pounds, 

totaling a weight 170.6 pounds. The base was welded to a 6 inch (152.4 mm) diameter 

aluminum tube (12315) with 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) wall thickness, 4 feet (1.22 m) long and 

flattened the lower 1 foot (0.305 m) to close the opening at the bottom to 2 1/2 inches (63.5 mm), 

and embedded in NCHRP Report 350 standard soil. Two slotted holes were positioned at 

180 degrees to each other in the aluminum ground tube with centerline at 2 feet (0.61 m) below 

the base. Drawings of the HAPCO Embedded Pedestal (B13164) decorative luminaire support 

are enclosed. 

Crash Testing

Your company’s decorative lighting poles were tested at TTI’s outdoor pendulum testing facility, 

as a surrogate for full-scale crash testing. The pendulum bogie was built according the 

specifications of the Federal Outdoor Impact Laboratory's (FOIL) pendulum, and the frontal 

crush of the aluminum honeycomb nose of the bogie simulated the crush of an actual vehicle. 

Tests with pendulums are acceptable for most breakaway supports, exceptions being base 

bending or yielding supports. 

Two low speed pendulum tests were conducted on your company’s decorative lighting supports, 

one test on each of the poles. Summaries of test results are enclosed. All Decorative Lighting 

Poles met the NCHRP Report 350 occupant risk criteria. In addition, TTI extrapolated the 

high-speed performance of these four lighting poles installation from the low speed pendulum 

tests. I agree that the test articles appear to perform appropriately to make such high-speed 

extrapolations. All high speed extrapolations yield lower change in velocity values than the 

paired low speed pendulum test. 

In tests with HAPCO B13163 and HAPCO B13164 decorative lighting poles the base separated 

from the ground and the lighting pole separated from the decorative base section. The base 

fractured at ground line and this performance satisfies the FHWA limit of maximum 3.9 inch 

(100 mm) stub height remaining after a support breaks away. 
3

Findings

In summary, the HAPCO Georgetown (B13163) and HAPCO Embedded Pedestal (B13164) 

20 ft (6.1 m) decorative lighting poles as described above, meet the appropriate evaluation 

criteria for a NCHRP 350 TL-3 device and may be used at all appropriate locations on the NHS 

when selected by the contracting authority, subject to the provisions of Title 23, Code of Federal 

Regulations, Section 635.411 as they pertain to proprietary products. The HAPCO Georgetown 

(B13163) is accepted with luminaire mounting heights up to 20 feet (6.1 m) with shafts up to 

1/4 inch (6.35 mm) wall thickness with diameters up to 6 inches (152.4 mm). The HAPCO 

Embedded Pedestal (B13164) is accepted with luminaire heights up to 20 feet (6.1 m), shafts up 

to 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) wall thickness with diameters up to 6 inches (152.4 mm), and embedment 

lengths not less than 4 feet (1.22 m). Furthermore, the embedment tube wall thickness must be 

equal to the shaft wall thickness. 

Standard provisions 

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

• This acceptance is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the device and does 

not cover their structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic 

Control Devices. 

• Any changes that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the device will require 

a new acceptance letter. 

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

performance reveals unacceptable safety problems, or that the device being marketed is 

significantly different from the version that was crash tested, we reserve the right to 

modify or revoke our acceptance. 

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

installation requirements to ensure proper performance. 

• You will be expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has 

essentially the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for 

acceptance, and that it will meet the crashworthiness requirements of the FHWA and the 

NCHRP Report 350. 

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

LS-66 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. 

• The HAPCO decorative luminaire supports are patented products and considered 

proprietary. If proprietary devices are specified by a highway agency for use on Federalaid projects, except exempt, non-NHS projects, they: (a) 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. 
4

• This acceptance letter shall not be construed as authorization or consent by the FHWA to 

use, manufacture, or sell any patented device for which the applicant is not the patent 

holder. The acceptance letter is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the 

candidate device, and the FHWA is neither prepared nor required to become involved in 

issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if any, are to be resolved by the applicant. 

Sincerely yours, 

David A. Nicol, P.E. 

Director, Office of Safety Design 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 

FHWA:HSSD:MLupes:tb:x66994:4/8/08 

File: s://directory folder/mlupes/LS66-Hapco.doc 

cc: HSSD (Reader, HSA; Chron File, HSSD; M.Lupes, HSSD 

 M.McDonough, HSSD) 
2/21/2008

APPENDIX C. DETAILS OF TEST ARTICLES

16'-6"

20'-0"

3'-6 5/8"

NO. RE'llSIONS

3" 0.0.

Tapered Alum. Tube

.250" Wall Allay 6063-T6

Satin Ground Finish

(TT63FA186006198)

...

7" Dia.

Bolt Circle

3/4" Anchor Bolts

cb

Cast Alum. Decorative Base

(72133) Alloy J56-T6

IV)

~

..-.

IV)

..-.

ca

Bose Plate~8ase

I I ---SeeDet0l1A-A 1/4J=, I--~ 10 1/8" Dia. ~

~ Detail A-A

~1/2" Alum. Base Plate (72531)

Alloy 6061-T5 REF:Sample-342 WARNING: 00 NOT INSTAll. UGHTINGPOLES WITHOUT LUMINAIRES

I mu: GEORGETOWNLIGHTINGPOLE

hapcoOJSTOMER

AbinSdon, Va. B13163

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CHK'D

Page 6 of 23
NO.

2/21/2008

16'~6"

20''-0"

I

3'-6 5/8"

j

I

2'-0'

4''-0' LIO

. r-- 12 Flattened

!

3' 0.0.

Tapered Alum. Tube

.250' Wall Alloy 6063-T6

Satin Ground Finish

(TT6JFAI86006198)

... (78498)

1/2" N=. ::~Cast 8as--.. 60£1-'$

2 1/2" x 8' LongSlotted

Hale (2 @ 180;

r2 1/2'

g= !

REF: Sample-343

WAANING:DO NOT INSTALLLIGHTINGPOLES WITHOUTLUMINAIRES

REViSIONS ".. I TmEEMBEDDED PEDESTAL

hapco Abingdcm Va.

Page 7 of 23

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Table Dl. Summary of results for pendulum test 400001-HAP PH.

2/21/2008

0.1365

General Information

Test Agency Texas Transportation Institute

Test No. 400001-HAP P11

Date ,..." , , , ,01-02-2008

Test Article

Type, ".,."",..,.,...,., Boltdown Lighting Pole

Name HAPCO Georgetown (B13163)

Installation Height (m) 6.1 m (20 ft)

Material or Key Element ""'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Aluminum

Soil Type ". Reaction Plate

Test Vehicle

Type... ,..., , ".. ". Bogie

Designation Pendulum

Test Inertia Mass 839 kg

Impact Conditions

Speed ..34.7 km/h

Angle... " , "'"'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 90 deg

Occupant Risk Values

Impact Velocity

Longitudinal direction 3.5 m/s

Ridedown Accelerations

Longitudinal direction " , , " ..-0.8 g's

Maximum Change in Velocity 3.1 m/s

Predicted High-Speed Change in Velocity 2.1 m/s

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Table D2. Summary of results for pendulum test 400001-HAP P12.

0.158 s

2/21/2008

General Information

Test Agency Texas Transportation Institute

Test No. 400001-HAP P12

Date 01-02-2008

Test Article

Type Lighting Pole

Name HAPCO Embedded Pedestal (B13164)

Installation Height (m) 6.1 m (20 ft)

Material or Key Element Aluminum

Soil Type Standard Soil

Test Vehicle

Type Bogie

Designation Pendulum

Test Inertia Mass .839 kg

Impact Conditions

Speed ...34.9 km/h

Angle 90 deg

Occupant Risk Values

Impact Velocity

Longitudinal direction ..4.5 m/s

Ridedown Accelerations

Longitudinal direction .-1.2 g's

Maximum Change in Velocity 3.5 m/s

Predicted High-Speed Change in Velocity 2.4 m/s

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Page 15 of23 ~~JCJJS 'on ~.JI1ijjj,==-