U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Federal Highway 

Administration 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

January 19, 2022

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/WZ-429 

Mr. Henry A. Ross 

Plasticade 

100 Howard Avenue, Des Plaines 

IL 60018 

USA 

Dear Mr. Ross: 

This letter is in response to your October 31, 2021 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-429 and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by 

FHWA that expressly references this device. 

Decision 

The following device is eligible with details provided in the form which is attached as an 

integral part of this letter: 

• Plasticade SS310A Sign Stand with rollup signs 

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 SS310A Sign Stand with rollup signs 

Type of system: Work Zone 

Test Level: Test Level 3 

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

Date of request: October 31, 2021 

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 FHWA 

control number WZ-429 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 sell any 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 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 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 
Page 1 of 5 

October 13, 2021 I 

Henry A. Ross 

Plasticade 

100 Howard Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018 

U.S.A. 

Device & Testing Criterion - Enter from right to left starting with Test Level I ' - ' - ' I 

System Type Submission Type Device Name/ Variant Testing Criterion Test 

Level 

'WZ': Crash Worthy Work  Physical Crash Testing Plasticade® 5531 0A Sign AASHTO MASH TL3

Zone Traffic Control Devices  Engineering Analysis Stand with rollup signs

Contact Name: Henry A. Ross Same as Submitter 

Company Name: Plasticade Same as Submitter 

Address: 100 Howard Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018 Same as Submitter 

Country: U.S.A. Same as Submitter [8J 

Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) was contracted by Plasticade® to perform full-scale crash testing of the 

Plasticade® 5531 0A sign stands with roll-up sign panels. There are no shared financial interests in the Plasticade® 

5531 0A sign stands by TTI, or between Plasticade® and TTI, other than the costs involved in the actual crash tests 

and reports for this submission to FHWA. 

**690900-PLP 42-43-44** 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

Submitter

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility

of Highway Safety Hardware

 Date of Request: New Resubmission

Name:

Company:

Address:

Country:

Michael S. Griffith, Director To: FHWA, Office of Safety Technologies 

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, 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:

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

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document.
Page 2 of 5 

 New Hardware or

 Significant Modification

 Modification to

Existing Hardware 

The Plasticade® 5531 0A Sign Stand is a proprietary sign stand tested with a 48 inch square diamond-shaped 

roll-up sign panel. The sign panel was mounted at 13 inches from grade to the bottom of the sign panel. The 

overall height of the stand was approximately 6 ft 10 inches to the top of the sign panel. Each sign stand 

weighed 21 lbs (including the sign panel). 

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. 

D. Lance Bullard, Jr., P.E. 

Engineer Signature: D. Lance Bullard, Jr. Digitally signed by D. Lance Bullard, Jr. 

Date: 2021 .10.11 15:51 :00 -05'00' 

1254 Avenue A, Bldg 7091, Bryan, Texas 77807 Same as Submitter 

U.S.A. Same as Submitter 

Required Test Narrative Evaluation 

Number Description Results 

3-70 MASH states thatTest 3-70 for small 

vehicles is considered optional for workzone traffic control devices weighing less 

than 220 lb, because velocity changes 

during low-speed impacts with free3-70 (11 00C) standing, lightweight features will be within Non-Critical, not conducted 

acceptable limits. The Plasticade® 5531 0A 

Sign Stand weighed 21 lb (including the 

sign panel). Therefore, MASH Test 3-70 was 

not performed on this traffic control device. 

Non-critical, not conducted 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

CRASH TESTING

Engineer Name:

Address:

Country:

 A brief description of each crash test and its result:
Page 3 of 5 

Required Test Narrative Evaluation 

Number Description Results 

MASH Test 3-71 involved an 1100( vehicle 

weighing 2420 lb ±55 lb impacting the 

traffic control device at an impact speed of 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations, the device was tested at 

critical impact angles (CIAs) of 90° ± 1 .5° and 

0°±1.5°. 

The results oftest 690900-PLP42 conducted 

on June 2, 2021 are found in TTI Test Report 

number 690900-PLP42-44. In this test, a sign 

stand with a roll-up sign panel mounted 13 

inches from grade to the bottom of sign 

was impacted. The test vehicle was 

traveling at an impact speed of 62.3 mi/h 

when it contacted the sign stand at an 

impact angle of 0°. Brakes on the vehicle 

were applied after the vehicle exited the 

test site, and the vehicle subsequently came 

to rest 375 ft downstream of the point of 

impact and 3 ft to the left of the initial 

vehicle path. Maximum exterior crush to the 

vehicle was 1.5 inches in the front plane at 

bumper height. Maximum occupant 

compartment deformation was 1.25 inches 

in the windshield. No fuel tank damage was 

observed. 

The results oftest 690900-PLP44 conducted 

3-71 (11 00C) on June 3, 2021 are found in TTI Test Report PASS 

number 690900-PLP42-44. In this test, a sign 

stand with a roll-up sign panel mounted 13 

inches from grade to the bottom of sign 

was impacted. The test vehicle was 

traveling at an impact speed of 61.2 mi/h 

when it contacted the sign stand at an 

impact angle of 90°. Brakes on the vehicle 

were applied after the vehicle exited the 

test site, and the vehicle subsequently came 

to rest 345 ft downstream of and in-line 

with the point of impact. Maximum exterior 

crush to the vehicle was 1.0 inch in the front 

plane at bumper height. Maximum 

occupant compartment deformation was 

0.12 inch in the windshield. No fuel tank 

damage was observed. 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devices weighing less than 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

5531 0A Sign Stand weighed 21 lb (including 

the sign panel). 

The device performed acceptably for MASH 

test 3-71 with an impact angle of90° and 0°. 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)
Page 4 of 5 

MASH Test 3-72 involves a 2270P vehicle 

weighing 5000 lb± 110 lb impacting the 

traffic control device at an impact speed of 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations, the device was tested at 

critical impact angles (CIAs) of 90° ± 1 .5° and 

0°±1.5°. 

The results oftest 690900-PLP43 conducted 

on June 3, 2021 are found in TTI Test Report 

number 690900-PLP42-44. In this test, a sign 

stand with a roll-up sign panel mounted 13 

inches from grade to the bottom of sign 

was impacted. The test vehicle was 

traveling at an impact speed of 61.5 mi/h 

when it contacted the first sign stand at an 

impact angle of 90°. The vehicle was 

traveling at an impact speed of 61.1 mi/h 

and impact angle of 0° when it contacted 

the second sign stand. Brakes on the vehicle 

3-72 (2270P) were applied after the vehicle exited the PASS 

test site, and the vehicle subsequently came 

to rest 397 ft downstream of the point of 

impact and 12 ft left of the centerline of the 

initial impact path. Maximum exterior crush 

to the vehicle in the front plane at bumper 

height was insignificant. No occupant 

compartment deformation or intrusion was 

observed. No fuel tank damage was 

observed. 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devices weighing less than 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

5531 0A Sign Stand weighed 21 lb (including 

the sign panel). 

The device performed acceptably for MASH 

test 3-72 with impact angles of 0° and 90°. 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

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.):
 

 

 

 

 

 

Laboratory Signature: 

Page 5 of 5 

Texas A&M Transportation Institute 

Digitally signed by Darrell L. Kuhn 

'Date: 2021.10.12 09:33:55 -05'00 b~ 

1254 Avenue A, Bldg 7091, Bryan, Texas 77807 Same as Submitter 

U.S.A Same as Submitter 

ISO 17025-2017 Laboratory 

A2LA Certificate Number: 2821.01 

Valid To: April 30, 2023 

Submitter Signature*:Henry Digitally signedbyHenryAR?", A Ross Date. 2021.10.25 09.33.00 -05 00 

 Version 10.0 (05/16)

Laboratory Name:

Address:

Country:

Accreditation Certificate

Number and Dates of current

Accreditation period :

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
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
APPENDIX A. DETAILS OF PLASTICADE® SS310A SIGN STAND WITH 

ROLL-UP SIGN PANEL 

TR No. 690900-PLP42-44 39 2021-10-19