1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

 Washington, D.C. 20590

May 25, 2012

FHWA: HSST: NArtimovicht: sf: x61331:5/24/12

File: s: //directory folder/HSST/Artimovich/ WZ315_SafetyWall (3) docx

cc: HSST (NArtimovich; JDewar) 

In Reply Refer To:

WZ-315

Charles Mettler

Engineering Manager

Plastic Safety Systems

2444 Baldwin Road

Cleveland Ohio 44104

Dear Mr. Mettler:

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

review a roadside safety system for eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway 

program. 

Name of system: SafetyWall

Type of system: Longitudinal Channelizer

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3

Testing conducted by: Transportation Research Center

Date of request: January 11, 2012

Date initially acknowledged: April 12, 2012

Decision:

The following device is eligible, with details provided below and in the drawings which are 

enclosed as an integral part of this letter:

• SafetyWall Longitudinal Channelizer

Based on a review of crash test results submitted by the manufacturer certifying the device 

described herein meets the crash test and evaluation criteria of the American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), the 

device is eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. Eligibility for 

reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program does not establish approval or 

endorsement by the FHWA for any particular purpose or use.

The FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do not 

endorse products or services and the issuance of a reimbursement eligibility letter is not an 

endorsement of any product or service.

Requirements

To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, roadside safety devices should meet the crash test 

and evaluation criteria contained in the American Association of State Highway and 

Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). 
2

Description

The Plastic Safety Systems Inc. SafetyWall is a longitudinal channelizer formed from high 

density polyethylene plastic. The crash tested longitudinal channelizer was 201 feet long 

fabricated from 34 individual inter-connected channelizing devices. Drawings of the individual 

units are enclosed for reference. The SafetyWall longitudinal channelizer was positioned such 

that the right front corner of the impacting vehicles struck the longitudinal channelizer at the 

center of channelizing device number 8 in both MASH tests 3-10 and 3-11. 

Each individual channelizing device was secured with two (2) 45-pound sand bags. Each 

individual channelizing device is equipped with two legs. One (1) 45-pound sand bag was 

placed on each leg per the manufacturer installation instructions. Type AC lights were mounted 

on channelizers number 6 through 17 and sign panels were mounted to the face of the 

longitudinal channelizers in the impact zone. The lights and sign panels remained affixed to the 

channelizer units during the impacts. Summary pages of the crash tests are enclosed.

Summary and Standard Provisions

Therefore, the system described above and detailed in the enclosed drawings is eligible for 

reimbursement and may be installed under the range of conditions tested. Individual units may 

also be used as stand-alone barricades when affixed with the appropriate retroreflective sheeting 

per Section 6F of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 

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

• This finding of eligibility does not cover other structural features of the systems, nor 

conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

• Any changes that may influence system conformance with MASH will require a new 

reimbursement eligibility letter.

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

performance reveals safety problems, or that the system is significantly different from the 

version that was crash tested, we reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter.

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

installation 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 the MASH.

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

WZ-315 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. 

• 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. 

The FHWA does not become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if 

any, are to be resolved by the applicant.

• The Plastic Safety Systems SafetyWall is a patented product and considered 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 
3

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 yours,

Michael S. Griffith 

Director, Office of Safety Technologies

Office of Safety

Enclosures