1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

 Washington, D.C. 20590

May 24, 2012 

FHWA: HSST: NArtimovicht: sf: x61331:5/17/12

File: s: //directory folder/HSST/Artimovich/WZ318_IRS_TuffCurb.docx

cc: HSST (NArtimovich; JDewar) 

In Reply Refer To:

WZ-318

Kenneth Parrott

Impact Recovery Systems, Inc.

4955 Stout Dr.

San Antonio, Texas 78219

Dear Mr. Parrott: 

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: Tuff Curb©

Type of system: Channelizing curb system

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3

Testing conducted by: Texas Transportation Institute

Date of request: August 10, 2011

Decision:

The following device is eligible, with details provided below and in the form which is attached 

as an integral part of this letter:

• Tuff Curb channelizing curb system.

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). 
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Description

Tuff Curb® is a longitudinal channelizing curb system produced by Impact Recovery Systems, 

Inc. Tuff Curb® is an injection molded high-density polyethylene curb made up of two halves, 

each measuring 12 inches wide by 3 1⁄2 inches tall by 20 inches long. The curb halves interlock 

and are connected with two 7/16-inch x 1 1⁄2-inch bolts. Each curb section measures 40 inches 

long and is anchored with two 1⁄2-inch x 4-inch concrete screw anchors or two 5/8-inch x 5-inch 

plastic sleeve anchors placed into the roadway. The Tuff Curb® installation begins and ends 

with a nose end section that measures 12 inches wide by 3 1⁄2 inches tall by 18 inches long at the 

mating end and is 1 3⁄4 inches tall at the exposed end. Each section is anchored by three of the 

above described anchors. Tubular delineators with or without attached signage are attached to 

the center section of the curb. It should be noted that all tests were conducted with vertical road 

tubes in place.

Eight crash tests were successfully conducted on January 19, 2011 at Texas Transportation 

Institute in accordance with MASH 3-90 and 3-91. Four tests were conducted twice, once each 

with an 1100C small car and 2270P pickup truck. These tests and their results were as follows:

1. Traversal of Curb at 25° - Pass – Vehicle stable and no compartment penetration or 

deformation.

2. Traversal of Vee - Pass – Vehicle stable and no compartment penetration or deformation

3. Traversal of Curb at 0° - Pass – Vehicle stable and no compartment penetration or deformation

4. Lane change maneuver across straight curb section - Pass – Vehicle stable and no

compartment penetration or deformation.

Summary and Standard Provisions

Therefore, the system described above and detailed in the attached form is eligible for 

reimbursement and may be installed under the range of conditions tested. 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-318 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. 
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• The FHWA does not become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if 

any, are to be resolved by the applicant.

• The Tuff Curb© 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 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