0 

U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Federal Highway 

Administration 

May 29, 2020 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/WZ-407 

Mr. Henry A. Ross 

Plasticade 

100 Howard Avenue 

Des Plaines, IL 60018 

USA 

Dear Mr. Ross: 

This letter is in response to your February 24, 2020 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 WZ-406 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: 

• Plasticade® Econocade® Type I and Type II Barricade 

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: Plasticade® Econocade® Type I and Type II Barricade 

Type of system: Work Zone 

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3 (TL3) 

Testing conducted by: Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). 

Date of request: February 24, 2020 

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 FHW A 

control number WZ-407 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 selfany 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 ofvalidity, 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 
I   Resubmissio

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Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 1 of 5 

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

of Highway Safety Hardware 

Submitter 

Date of Request: February24,2020 New 

Name: HenryA.Ross 

Company: Plasticade 

Address: 100HowardAvenue,DesPlaines,IL60018 

Country: U.S.A. 

To: Michael S. Griffith, Director 

FHWA, Office of Safety Technologies 

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

highway program. 

Device&TestingCriterion-Enter from right to left starting with TestLevel ! -! - ! ! -! -! 

SystemType SubmissionType DeviceName / Variant TestingCriterion Test 

Level 

'WZ':CrashWorthyWorkZon PhysicalCrashTesting 

Engineering Analysis 

Plasticade®Econocade® 

TypeIandTypeII 

Barricade 

AASHTOMASH TL3 

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: 

Contact Name: HenryA.Ross SameasSubmitter 

CompanyName: Plasticade SameasSubmitter 

Address: 100Howard Avenue,DesPlaines,IL60018 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A. SameasSubmitter 

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

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document. 

TexasA&MTransportation Institute(TTI)wascontracted byPlasticade®toperform full-scalecrash testing of the 

Plasticade®Econocade®. There are no shared financial interests in the Plasticade®Econocade®by TTI, or 

betweenPlasticade®andTTI,other than costsinvolved in theactual crash testsand reportsfor thissubmission 

toFHWA. 

690900-PLP3&4 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 2 of 5 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

TheEconocade®TypeIandTypeII barricadeis40 inchestall,24 incheswideand 28 incheslong.Thetestarticle 

consisted of two main components made from HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastic connected at the 

hingeswith steel hardware.Each top board measured12 inches× 24 inches× 0.6inchesthick. Each bottom 

board measured6 inches× 24 inches× 0.6inchesthick.Asafetylight (Empco-LiteModel 2006 with 4D-Cell 

Batteries) wasattached to the testarticle, bringing the barricadeheight to 47.5inchesto the top of thesafety 

light.Thetestarticle weighed 15.5lb (including the3-lbsafety light) and a35 lb sand bag wasplacedover one 

lower leg. 

CRASH TESTING 

Bysignaturebelow, theEngineeraffiliated with the testing laboratory, agreesin support of thissubmission 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 testsare necessary to determine the device meets 

theMASH criteria. 

Engineer Name: D.LanceBullard,Jr.,P.E. 

EngineerSignature: 

Address: 3100SH47,Bldg 7091,Bryan,TX,77807 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A. SameasSubmitter 

D.LanceBullard,Jr. Digitally signed by D.LanceBullard,Jr. 

Date:2020.03.02 08:35:52-06'00' 

I 

  New Hardware or

Significant Modification  Modification toExistingHardware 

I l A brief description of each crash test and its result: 

RequiredTest 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-70(1100C) 

MASHstatesthat Test3-70 forsmall 

vehiclesisconsideredoptional for workzone trafficcontrol devicesweighing less 

than 220 lb, because velocity changes 

during low-speed impactswith freestanding, lightweight featureswill be within 

acceptable limits. ThePlasticade® 

Econocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

traffic control device weighed 15.5 lb 

(including the 3-lb safety light) each, 

exclusiveof thesandbags.Therefore,MASH 

Test 3-70 was not performed on this traffic 

control device. 

Non-Critical,not conducted 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 3 of 5 

RequiredTest 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-71(1100C) 

MASHTest3-71 involved an 1100Cvehicle 

weighing 2420 lb ±55 lb impacting the 

trafficcontrol deviceat an impactspeedof 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations,the device wastestedat 

critical impactangles(CIAs)of 90°±1.5°and 

0°±1.5°. 

Theresultsof test690900-PLP3conducted 

onOctober 21,2019arefoundin TTITest 

Report number 690900-PLP3&4. The test 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

63.9 mi/h when it contacted the first 

barricade at an impact angle of 0°. The 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

61.7 mi/h and impact angle of 90° when it 

contacted thesecondbarrier.Brakeson the 

vehicle were applied after loss of contact 

with the second barricade, and the vehicle 

came to rest 296 ft downstream of the 

impact. The barricades fractured into 

numerouspieces.Thedebrisfield extended 

150 ft downstream of impact, and 25 ft to 

the left and right of the vehicle path. The 

front bumperand hood were damaged.The 

hood sustained three small areas of 

deformation. The windshield sustained a 

few scuff marks due to contact with the 

safety lights, but remained intact. No 

occupant compartment deformation or 

intrusionwas observed. 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devicesweighing lessthan 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

Econocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

weighed 15.5 lb (including the 3-lb safety 

light) each,exclusiveof thesandbags. 

The Econocade®performed acceptably for 

MASHtest3-71 with impactanglesof 0°and 

90°. 

PASS 
 

Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 4 of 5 

3-72(2270P) 

MASHTest3-72 involvesa2270Pvehicle 

weighing 5000 lb ±110 lb impacting the 

trafficcontrol deviceat an impactspeedof 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations,the device was testedat 

critical impactangles(CIAs)of 90°±1.5°and 

0°±1.5°. 

Theresultsof test690900-PLP4conducted 

onOctober 23,2019arefoundin TTITest 

Report number 690900-PLP3&4. The test 

vehicle was travelingat an impactspeedof 

64.3 mi/h when it contacted the first 

barricade at an impact angle of 0°. The 

vehicle was travelingat an impactspeedof 

64.2 mi/h and impact angle of 90° when it 

contacted thesecondbarrier.Brakeson the 

vehicle were applied after loss of contact 

with the second barricade, and the vehicle 

came to rest 368 ft downstream of the 

impact and 12.5 ft left of centerline of the 

vehicle path. The barricades fractured into 

numerouspieces.Thedebris field extended 

368 ft downstream of impact, and 36 ft to 

theleft and 25 ft to the right of thevehicle 

path. A portion of the first barricade was 

caught in the grill of the vehicle (vehicle 

cameto rest368 ft downstream).Thefront 

bumper, air dam, and grill were damaged. 

The hood sustained two small areas of 

deformation. There was no damage to the 

windshield. No occupant compartment 

deformation or intrusion wasobserved. 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devicesweighing lessthan 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

Econocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

weighed 15.5 lb (including the 3-lb safety 

light) each,exclusiveof thesandbags. 

The Econocade®performed acceptably for 

MASHtest3-72 with impactanglesof 0°and 

90°. 

PASS 

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.): 
bzyJL 

Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 5 of 5 

Laboratory Name: TexasA&MTransportation Institute 

LaboratorySignature: Digitally signed by DarrellL.Kuhn 

'Date:2020.02.2816:35:47-06'00 

Address: 3100SH47,Bldg 7091,Bryan,TX,77807 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A SameasSubmitter 

Accreditation Certificate 

Number and Dates of current 

Accreditation period : 

ISO17025-2017Laboratory 

A2LACertificate Number:2821.01 

ValidTo:April 30,2021 

DigitallysignedbyHenryRoss 

SubmitterSignature*: HenryRoss Date:2020.03.0316:23:55 

-06'00' 

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 
...., 

;,o 

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9 

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0 

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0 

0 

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0.000 s 0.100 s 0.300 s 

-------- - ----296'--- ----.f'------ - - - - --------150-------- - +I 

!--- ------ ------------ ------··1 

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i i I DEBRIS !="!ELD I * 

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: __.,L -,.------.!.!l --, - ! ! 14' _ } , ' Vehicre 4: - L__ _____________ _____ _________J w 

General Information 

Test Agency ... 

Test Standard Test No ...... . 

TTI Test No. 

Test Date ......................... . 

Test Article 

Type ................................ . 

Name ... . ............. ... . . 

Installation Height/Weight .. 

Material or Key Elements .. 

N 

0 Soil Type and Condition .. N 

0 

I 

0 

N 

Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) 

MASH Test 3-71 at 0° and 90° 

690900-PLP3 

2019-10-21 

Work-Zone Traffic Control Device -

Type I and Type II Barricade 

Plasticade® Econocade® 

47.5 inches/ 15.5 lb (both include light) 

HOPE legs, HOPE boards, safety light, 

and one 35-lb sand bag 

Concrete pavement, damp 

Test Vehicle 

Type/Designation .. .... . 11OOC 

Make and Model ............... 2011 Kia Rio 

Curb ..................... . 

Test Inertial........... ........... . 2441 lb 

Dummy ............................. 165 lb 

Gross Static ........ 2606 lb 

Impact Conditions 

Speed Barricade #1 ...... 63.9 mi/h 

Angle Barricade #1... . . ..... 0° 

Speed Barricade #2 .. 61 .7 mi/h 

Angle Barricade #2 .. 90° 

Kinetic Energy #1  . ... ... 333 & 311 kip-ft 

Exit Conditions 

Speed Barricade #1 ... 61 .7 mi/h 

Speed Barricade #2 .... 61.0 mi/h 

0.600 s 

Post-Impact Trajectory 

Stopping Distance .... .............. ..... 296 ft downstream 

Maximum Test Debris Scatter 

Barricade #1 ..... . ..... 150 ft downstream 

25 ft left/25 ft right 

Vehicle Damage 

VDS .. .......... ............ ............. ...... 12FD1 

CDC .. . ... ....... 12FDEN1 

Max. Exterior Deformation ..... ...... None 

OCDI . ......... ..... ........ ................... FSOOOOOOO 

Max. Occupant Compartment 

Deformation ............ None 

Windshield Damage . . . . . .. ........ . ... None 

Figure 5.6. Summary of Results for MASH Test 3-71 at 0° and 90° on Plasticade® Econocade® Type I and Type II Barricades w 

I 
0.000 s 0.200 s 

.J 12 

l 

I .) ~[==-[-'i l,2· 

Veh'c 1e i -J ~ } 

Drawin 

Genera Test Vehicle Post-Impact Trajectory l Information 

Test Agency ...... Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Type/Designation .. 2270P Stopping Distance .... . .. .... 368 ft downstream 

Test Standard Test No.... . MASH Test 3-72 at O' and 90' Make and Model... 2014 RAM 1500 12.5 ft left 

TTI Test No. 690900-PLP4 Curb.. .. .... . 4967 lb Maximum Test Debris Scatter 

Test Date .. ........ ...... . 2019-10-23 Test Inertial .. .......... 5000 lb Barricade #1 and #2 ..... 368 ft downstream 

Dummy . ..................... .... . No dummy 36 ft left/25 ft right 

Gross Static . 5000 lb Vehicle Damage 

Type ..... Work-Zone Traffic Control Device - Impact Conditions VDS. ................. .. .... 12FD1 

Type I and Type II Barricade Speed Barricade #1 . . 64.3 mi/h CDC .................. .. .. 12FDEW1 

Name .............. .. Plasticade® Econocade® Angle Barricade #1 ..... O' Max. Exterior Deformation .......... . None 

Installation Height/Weight . 47.5 inches/ 15.5 lb (both include light) Speed Barricade #2 .......... 64.2 mi/h OCDI .... ... ... ............ .... . FSOOOOOOO 

Material or Key Elements ... HDPE legs, HDPE boards, safety light, Angle Barricade #2 ........ .... 90' Max. Occupant Compartment 

and one 35-lb sand bag Kinetic Energy #1 & #2.. .. ... 691 & 689 kip-ft Deformation. . None N 

Test Article 

So Exit Conditions Windshield Damage ............... ..... None il Type and Condition. Concrete pavement, damp 

N Speed Barricade #1 ........... 64.2 mi/h 

0 

0 

I Speed Barricade #2 .... .. 63.5 mi/h 

0 

N 

I 

..... Figure 6. 7. Summary of Results for MASH Test 3-72 at 0° and 90° on Plasticade® Econocade® Type I and Type II Barricades . w