January 2, 2019 

 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, D.C. 20590 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-l /WZ-363 

Mr. Felipe Almanza 

TrafFix Devices Inc. 

160 A venida La Pata 

San Clemente California 92673 

Dear Mr. Almanza: 

This letter is in response to your October 25, 2018 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 FHWA control number WZ-363 and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by 

FHW A 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: 

• Zephyr Sign Stand 

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, FHW A 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: Zephyr Sign Stand 

Type of system: Work Zone 

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3 (TL3) 

Testing conducted by: KARCO 

Date ofrequest: October 25, 2018 

FHW A 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 crash worthiness of the system. 
3 

Standard Provisions 

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

control number WZ-363 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. 

• This FHW A 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 FHW A eligibility letter determination is made based solely 

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

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

information related to crash testing. 

• If the 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, 

Michael S. Griffith 

Director, Office of Safety Technologies 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 1 of 5 

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

of Highway Safety Hardware 

... 

... 

... 

QI 

.E 

.0 

::::, 

Ill 

Date of Request: October 24, 2018 <-New r Resubmission I 

Name: Felipe Almanza 

Company: TrafFix Devices Inc. 

Address: 160 Avenida La Pata San Clemente California 92673 

Country: United States 

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 & Testing Criterion - Enter from right to left starting with Test Level Fl 

System Type Submission Type Device Name/ Variant Testing Criterion Test 

Level 

'WZ': Crash Worthy Work 

Zone Traffic Control Devices 

(e Physical Crash Testing 

(' Engineering Analysis Zephyr Sign Stand 

AASHTO MASH 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: Felipe Almanza Same as Submitter IZJ 

Company Name: TrafFix Devices Inc. Same as Submitter IZJ 

Address: 160 Avenida La Pata San Clemente California 92673 Same as Submitter IZJ 

Country: United States Same as Submitter IZJ 

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

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document. 

TrafFix Devices Inc. and Karco Engineering LLC share no financial interests between the two organizations. This 

includes no shared financial interest but not limited to: 

i. Compensation including wages, salaries, commissions, professional fees, or fees for business referrals 

iii. Research funding or other forms of research support; 

iv. Patents, copyrights, licenses, and other intellectual property interests; 

vi. Business ownership and investment interests; 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 2 of 5 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

(e New Hardware or 

Significant Modification 

(' Modification to 

Existing Hardware 

The TrafFix Devices Zephyr Sign Stand is a temporary work-zone device consisting of three major components: 

one rubber base assembly with molded-in steel plate, one steel latch bracket, and one roll up sign. The rubber 

base is manufactured with a steel plate permanently molded within the rubber base. The steel plate is 

designed with a set of vertical brackets used to bolt the latch bracket to the base. 

The rubber base with the Latch Bracket has overall dimensions of approx. 28.25 in (0.72 m] X 17.25 in (0.44 ml X 

14.25 in [0.36 m] and weighs approx. 38 lbs (17 .2 kg]. 

The roll-up sign utilizes a flexible fiberglass frame which is inserted into corner pockets attached to the back 

side of the sign material. 

The latch bracket is designed to allow the corner pocket to be inserted and locked into the latch bracket 

component of the base assembly. The sign is removed by disengaging the latch which unlocks the sign 

allowing it to be lifted and removed from the base. 

The Zephyr sign stand can be used with diamond, rectangular, octagon, and triangle shaped roll up 

signs. Other roll up sign shapes are available for use with the Zephyr sign stand. The test was conducted with 

a diamond shaped sign. The Zephyr sign stand can be use used on concrete, asphalt, gravel, or dirt surfaces. 

The test was conducted on a concrete surface. The Zephyr sign stand can be used with or without flags. 

Flags were installed for these tests. 

The overall dimensions of the Zephyr Sign Stand with the roll up sign installed is approx. 28.25 in (0.72 m) X 

17 .25 in (0.44 m) X 78.5 in (2.0 m). 

The MASH tested and passed Zephyr Sign Stand, described above, is the same products as the previously 

tested and passed NCHRP-350 Zephyr Sign Stand (Reference WZ-46 and WZ-73). The design, manufacturing 

process, and installation are identical between the MASH and NCHRP-350 tested products. Existing inventory is 

interchangeable as no design changes have been made since the inception of the Zephyr in July 2000. 

CRASH TESTING 

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. 

Engineer Name: Robert Ramirez 

Digitally signed by Robert Ramirez 

ON: cn=Robert Ramirez, o=KARCO Engineering, ou=Project Engineer, 

email=rramirez@karco.com, c=US 

Date: 201s.10.18 10:23:27 .()7'00' 

Same as Submitter D 

Engineer Signature: Robert Ramirez 

Address: 9270 Holly Rd. Adelanto, CA 92301 

Country: United States Same as Submitter D 

A brief description of each crash test and its result : 

Required Test Narrative Evaluation 

Number Description Results 

Designated to evaluate the ability of a small 

vehicle to activate any breakaway, fracture, 

3-70 (1100() or yielding mechanism. Is considered 

optional for work zone traffic control 

weighting less than 220 lb (100 kg) 

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

Page 3 of 5 

Required Test 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-71 (1100() 

For this test, two Zephyr Signs Stands were 

impacted. The first test article was aligned 

at 0° and the second test article was aligned 

at 90° to the impacting vehicle's direction of 

travel. This test is intended to evaluate the 

sign stand's behavior when impacted. The 

primary evaluation is based on intrusion 

into the occupant compartment, windshield 

damage, and vehicle stability. Lightweight 

devices such as the Zephyr Sign Stand 

cannot cause sufficient velocity change that 

would result in exceeding occupant risk 

criteria limits. Therefore Test 71 was 

conducted without instrumentation for 

evaluating occupant risk values OIV and RA 

per MASH test description. 

The test was conducted using a 

commercially available 2013 Kia Rio 4 door 

sedan with a test inertia mass of 2,410.7 lbs 

(1093.5 kg). 

The test vehicle impacted the first sign 

stand (orientated at 0°) at a velocity of 65.59 

mph (105.55 km/hr). Upon impact the roll 

up sign released from the Latch Bracket and 

folded over the front end of the vehicle. 

The top of the vertical cross frame impacted 

the top of the windshield. The test vehicle 

continued along its path and impacted the 

second sign stand (oriented at 90°) at a 

velocity of 62.63 mph (100.79 km/ hr). Upon 

impact the roll up sign released from the 

Latch Bracket and folded over the front end 

of the vehicle. The top of the vertical cross 

frame impacted the top of the windshield. 

The test vehicle's occupant compartment 

was not penetrated by the test articles and 

there was negligible in cab deformation. 

Debris from the test articles did not block 

the driver's vision. The vehicle remained 

upright and did not exceed 75°roll and pitch 

throughout the test. The vehicle did not 

leave its lane and its trajectory was stable 

after both sign stands were impacted. 

PASS 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 4 of 5 

3-72 (2270P) 

For this test, two Zephyr Signs Stands were 

impacted. The first test article was aligned 

at 0° and the second test article was aligned 

at 90° to the test vehicle's direction of travel. 

This test is intended to evaluate the sign 

stand's behavior when impacted. The 

primary evaluation is based on intrusion 

into the occupant compartment, windshield 

damage, and vehicle stability. Lightweight 

devices such as the Zephyr Sign Stand 

cannot cause sufficient velocity change that 

would result in exceeding occupant risk 

criteria limits. Therefore Test 72 was 

conducted without instrumentation for 

evaluating occupant risk values OIV and RA 

per MASH test description. 

The test was conducted using a 

commercially available 2010 Ram 1500 

Pickup Truck with a test inertia mass of 

5001 .1 lbs (2,268.5 kg). 

The test vehicle impacted the first sign 

stand (oriented at 0°) at a velocity of 64.83 

mph (104.33 km/hr). Upon impact the roll 

up sign released from the Latch Bracket and 

folded over the front end of the vehicle. 

The top of the vertical cross frame impacted 

the top of the windshield. The test vehicle 

continued along it path and impacted the 

second sign stand (oriented at 90°) at a 

velocity of 64.29 mph (103.46 km/ hr). Upon 

impact the roll up sign released from the 

Latch Bracket and folded over the front end 

of the vehicle. The top of the vertical cross 

frame impacted the top of the windshield. 

The test vehicle's occupant compartment 

was not penetrated by the test articles and 

there was no measurable in cab 

deformation. Debris from the test article 

did not cause a hazard to the driver's vision. 

The vehicle remained upright and did not 

exceed 75° roll and pitch through out the 

test. The vehicle did not leave its lane and 

its trajectory was stable after both sign 

stands were impacted. 

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.): 
Version 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 5 of 5 

Laboratory Name: Appl us IDIADA KARCO Engineering 

Laboratory Signature: 

Address : 9270 Holly Rd. Adelanto, CA 92301 Same as Submitter D 

Country: United States Same as Submitter D 

Accreditation Certificate 

Number and Dates of current 

Accreditation period : 

TL-371 valid to July 1, 2019 

Submit Form 

ATTACHMENTS 

Attach to this form: 

I) 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 faci litate our review. 

FHWA Official Business Only: 

Eligibility Letter 

Number Date Key Words 
-

9 TR-P36209-01-NC 
SECTION 4 ... (CONTINUED) 

MASH TEST 3-71 SUMMARY 

Test Article: TrafFix Devices ZeQ.byr Stand Project No. P36209-01 

Test Program: MASH 3-71 Test Date: 09/06/16 

SUMMARY TABLE 

GENERAL INFORMATION IMPACT CONDITIONS 

TEST AGENCY KARCO Engineering, LLC. IMPACT VELOCITY (0°) 65.59 mph (105.55 km/h) 

TEST NUMBER P36209-01 IMPACT VELOCITY (90°) 62.63 mph (100.79 km/h) 

TEST DESIGNATION 3-71 IMPACT SEVERITY (0°) 346.7 kip-ft (470.0 kJ) 

TEST DATE 09/06/16 IMPACT SEVERITY (90°) 316.1 kip-ft (428.6 kJ) 

TEST ARTICLE EXIT CONDITIONS 

NAME/MODEL 

TYPE 

KEY ELEMENTS 

OVERALL HEIGHT 

OVERALL WIDTH 

BASE WEIGHT 

SIGN WEIGHT 

ROAD SURFACE 

Zephyr Stand 

Work-Zone Traffic Control Device 

Sign Stand , Rubber Base, Roll Up Sign, Warning 

Flag 

78.5 in. (1994 mm) 

66.0 in. (1676 mm) 

38.0 lbs (17.2 kg) 

6.0 lbs (2.7 kg) 

Concrete 

TEST VEHICLE 

TYPE / DESIGNATION 

YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL 

CURB MASS 

TEST INERTIAL MASS 

GROSS STATIC MASS 

1100C 

2013 Kia Rio 

' ' 

2,430.6 lbs (1 ,102.5 kg) 

2,410.7 lbs (1,093.5 kg) 

2,570.5 lbs (1,166.0 kg) 

·' 

EXIT VELOCITY (0°) 

EXIT VELOCITY (90°) 

FINAL RESTING POSITION 

VEHICLE STABILITY 

VEHICLE SNAGGING 

VEHICLE POCKETING 

64.63 mph (104.01 km/h) 

61 .18 mph (98.46 km/h) 

283.5 ft. (86.4 m) downstream, 6.6 ft. (2.0 m) left 

from point of impact. 

Satisfactorv 

None 

None " 

OCCUPANT IMPACT 

VELOCITY 

RIDEDOWN 

ACCELERATION 

ARTICLE DAMAGE 

OCCUPANT RISK VALUES 

Longitudinal 

. Lateral 

Longitudinal 

Lateral 

TEST ARTICLE POST-IMPACT 

Base Deformation ' 

VEHICLE DAMAGE 

VEHICLE DAMAGE SCALE FC-0 

COLLI SI ON DAMAGE CLASSIFICATION 12FCGN1 

MAXIMUM DEFORMATION 0.97 in. (25 mm) ' 1

Values not calculated due to test article weight being less than 220 lbs (100 kg) 

10 TR-P36209-01-NC 

Test Article: 

Test Program: 

SECTION 4 ... (CONTINUED) 

MASHTEST3~2SUMMARY 

TrafFix Devices ZeQ.by_r Stand 

MASH 3-72 

Project No. 

Test Date: 

P36210-01 

09/06/16 

SUMMARY TABLE 

TEST AGENCY 

TEST NUMBER 

TEST DESIGNATION 

TEST DATE 

NAME/ MODEL 

TYPE 

KEY ELEMENTS 

OVERALL HEIGHT 

OVERALL WIDTH 

BASE WEIGHT 

SIGN WEIGHT 

ROAD SURFACE 

TYPE / DESIGNATION 

YEAR, MAKE AN D MODEL 

CURB MASS 

TEST INERTIAL MASS 

GROSS STATIC MASS 

GENERAL INFORMATION IMPACT CONDITIONS 

KARCO Engineering, LLC. IMPACT VELOCITY (0°) 64.83 mph (104.33 km/h) 

P36210-01 IMPACT VELOCITY (90°) 64.29 mph (103.46 km/h) 

3-72 KINETIC ENERGY (0°) 702.7 kip-ft (952.7 kJ) 

09/06/16 KINETIC ENERGY (90°) 683.8 kip-ft (927.1 kJ) 

TEST ARTICLE EXIT CONDITIONS 

Zephyr Stand EXIT VELOCITY (0°) 64.56 mph (103.90 km/h) 

Work-Zone Traffic Control Device EXIT VELOCITY (90°) 63.16 mph (101.64 km/h) 

Sign Stand, Rubber Base, Roll Up Sign, Warning FINAL RESTING POSITION 262.8 ft. (80.1 m) downstream, 1.0 ft (0.3 m) left 

Flag from first point of impact. 

78.5 in. (1994 mm) VEHICLE STABILITY Satisfactory 

66.0 in. (1676 mm) VEHICLE SNAGGING None 

38.0 lbs (17.2 kg) VEHICLE POCKETING None 

6.0 lbs (2.7 kg) OCCUPANT RISK VALUES 

Concrete OCCUPANT IMPACT Longitudinal 

TEST VEHICLE VELOCITY Lateral 

2270P RIDEDOWN Longitudinal 

2010 RAM 1500 ACCELERATION Lateral 

TEST ARTICLE POST-IMPACT 

5,004.4 lbs (2,270.0 kg) 

ARTICLE DAMAGE Base Deformation 

VEHICLE DAMAGE 

5,001 .1 lbs (2,268.5 kg) 

VEHICLE DAMAGE SCALE NIA 

COLLISION DAMAGE CLASSIFICATION NIA 

5,001 .1 lbs (2,268.5 kg) MAXIMUM DEFORMATION Negligible 

1

Values not calculated due to test article weight being less than 220 lbs (100 kg) 

10 TR-P36210-01-NC 
8 

2 

D 

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SIGN SU BSTRATE 

APPROX. 78.5in C [2.0m] 

!60 Aventda t a Para 

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~ ~ 28.25in 12in 

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FROM GROUND LEVEL Zephyr Sign stand TO BOTTOM OF SIGN 

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DATE: ORAWN8'1': 8/16/lb 

SIZE 

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Bose Material: Rubber NOTES: UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED 

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UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED: 

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TITLE: 

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Zephyr Sign Stand Base 

ZEPHYR SIGN STAND BASE 

Overa SIZE DWG. NO. REV ll Weight: 38 lbs. [17.2 kg] (NO SIGN) DRAWN BY: DAIE: 

Overa Chrislopher Jaime 8/17/16 ll Base Dimensions: Approximately 17.25" [0.44ml x 28.25" [0.72ml x 14.25" [0.36ml CHEcrEDBY: DATE: B 500-196 A Base Material: Rubber FA 8/17/16 

APPROVED BY· DATE: NOTES FA 8/17/16 : UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED SHEET I OF I 

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UNlE5S OTHERWISE SPECIFIED: ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES[mm]. 

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TITLE: 

Roll-Up Sign Substrate 

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Roll-Up Sign 

Overall Weight: 5 lbs. [2.3 kg] 

Overall Sign Dimensions: 48" [ l .2m] x 48" [ l .2m] 

NOTES: UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED 

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DRAWN BY : Christopher Jcime 

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DATE: 

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