December 27, 2019 

 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, D.C. 20590 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/WZ-382 

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 24, 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-382 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: 

• TrafFix 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, 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: TrafFix Sign Stand 

Type of system: Work Zone 

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3 (TL3) 

Testing conducted by: KARCO 

Date of request: October 30, 2018 

Date of completed Package: February 22, 2019 

FHWA concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory per the 

attached form for the above device using one (1) 4.0ft. x 4.0ft. vinyl roll-up sign. 

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-382 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 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 FHW A 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 
Versio n 10.0 (05/16) 

Page 1 of 5 

Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

of Highway Safety Hardware 

... 

QI

...

...

·e 

..c 

Date of Request: October 24, 2018 (e New (' Resubmission I 

Name: Fe lipe Almanza 

Company: TrafFix Devices Inc. 

Address: 160 Avenida La Pata San Clemente California 92673 

:I 

Ill Co untry: 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 

TrafFix Sign Stand 

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: Felipe Almanza Same as Submitter r8J 

Company Name: TrafFix Devices Inc. Same as Submitter r8J 

Address: 160 Avenida La Pata San Clemente California 92673 Same as Submitter r8J 

Country: United States Same as Submitter r8J 

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 

(i' New Hardware or 

Significant Modification

(' Modification to 

Existing Hardware 

The TrafFix Sign Stand is a temporary work-zone device consisting of four major components: one steel base 

assembly, one steel latch bracket, (four) steel telescoping legs, and one roll up sign. The steel base assembly is 

the platform for bolting the four telescoping legs to the base creating an X-foot print. The base assembly is 

designed with a steel vertical mast. The mast is a tube which allows the latch bracket to be inserted and bolted 

to the steel base assembly. 

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 TrafFix 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 TrafFix Sign Stand. The test was conducted with 

a diamond shaped sign. The TrafFix Sign Stand can be use used on concrete, asphalt, gravel, or dirt surfaces. 

The test was conducted on a concrete surface. The TrafFix Sign Stand can be used with or without flags. 

Flags were installed for these tests. 

The TrafFix Sign Stand legs are stored in a vertical position and when they are deployed the legs are dropped 

to the road surface creating an X-footprint that measures approx. 68. 13 in (1.7 m) X 37.75 in (0.96 m) when the 

legs are extended in the telescoped position. The X-footprint measures 46.5 in (1. 18 m) X 26.5 in (0.67 m) when 

the legs are not in the extended telescoped. 

The overall dimensions of the Traffix Sign Stand with the roll up sign installed is approx. 68. 13 in (1.7 m) X 

37.75 in (0.96 m) X 79.13 in (2.0 m). 

The MASH tested and passed TrafFix Sign Stand, described above, is the same product as the previously tested 

and passed NCHRP-350 TrafFix 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 TrafFix Stand 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 

Engineer Signature: 

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

Country: United States Same as Submitter D 

A brief description of each crash test and its result: 

Required Test 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-70 (11 00C) 

Designed to evaluate the ability of a small 

vehicle to activate any breakaway, fracture, 

or yielding mechanism. Is considered 

optional for work-zone traffic control 

devices weighting less than 220 lbs (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 TrafFix Sign Stands were 

impacted. The first test article was aligned 

at 90° and the second test article was 

aligned to 0° 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 TrafFix 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 2,442.7 lbs 

(1108.0 kg). 

The test vehicle impacted the first sign 

stand (orientated at 90°) at a velocity of 

62.29 mph (100.25 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 0°) at a 

velocity of 59.86 mph (96.34 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 in cab deformation beyond 

allowable limits. 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 TrafFix Signs Stands were 

impacted. The first test article was aligned 

at 90° and the second test article was 

aligned at 0° 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 TrafFix 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 

4984.6 lbs (2,261 .0 kg). 

The test vehicle impacted the first sign 

stand (oriented at 90°) at a velocity of 62.12 

mph (99.97 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 0°) at a 

velocity of 60.82 mph (97.88 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 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 

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: Applus 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 until 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 facilitate our review. 

FHWA Official Business Only: 

Eligibility Letter 

Number Date Key Words 
SECTION 4 

MASHTEST3~1SUMMARY 

Test Article: 

Test Program: 

TrafFix Devices TrafFix Sign Stand 

MASH 3-71 

Project No. 

Test Date: 

P36285-03 

11/15/16 

90° Orientation 

SEQUENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHS 

0° Orientation 

0.000 s 0.080 s 0.244 s 

PLAN VIEW 

0.000 s 0.053 s 0.216 s 

-30 fl -15 fl 0 fl 15 ft 30ft 45 ft 60ft 75 fl 90 ft 105 ft 120fl 135 ft 150ft 165 ft 180ft 195 ft 210 ft 225 ft 240 fl 255 fl 

Pre-Test 

e Article 

ehicle 

Post-Test 

• Article 

Vehlclt> 

dn 0 

+..,: / 

250 5 ft 

0 

cib f2 8 ft 

9 TR-P36285-03-A 

SECTION 4 

MASHTEST3~2SUMMARY 

Test Article: 

Test Program: 

TrafFix Devices TrafFix Sign Stand 

MASH 3-72 

Project No. 

Test Date: 

P36285-01 

11/11/16 

SEQUENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHS 

90° Orientation 0° Orientation 

0.000 s 0.056 s 0.225 s 0.000 s 0.057 s 0.262 s 

PLAN VIEW 

-30 ft -15 ft Oft 15ft 30 ft 45ft 60ft 75ft 90ft 105ft 120ft 135 ft 150ft 165ft 180ft 195ft 210ft 225ft 240ft 255ft 270 ft 285ft 300ft 

r 

z-· 1:l ( 11ft r Pr"l!-Te~t 

. Article 

e v ehicle Post-Test 

• e VArtlcle ehicle 1------------------------------------283 1 ft-------------------------------1 

9 TR-P36285-01-A 
Test Article: 

Test Program: 

SECTION 4 ... (CONTINUED) 

MASHTEST3~2SUMMARY 

TrafFix Devices TrafFix Sign Stand 

MASH 3-72 

Project No. 

Test Date: 

P36285-01 

11/11/16 

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 AND MODEL 

CURB MASS 

TEST INERTIAL MASS 

GROSS STATIC MASS 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

KARCO Engineering, LLC. IMPACT VELOCITY (0') 

P36285-01 IMPACT VELOCITY (90') 

3-72 IMPACT SEVERITY (0°) 

11 /11 /16 IMPACT SEVERITY (90') 

TEST ARTICLE 

TrafFix Sign Stand EXIT VELOCITY (0') 

Work-Zone Traffic Control Device EXIT VELOCITY (90°) 

Sign Stand, Roll Up Sign, Warning Flag FINAL RESTING POSITION 

78.8 in. (2001 mm) VEHICLE STABILITY 

66.0 in. (1676 mm) VEHICLE SNAGGING 

20.0 lbs (9.1 kg) VEHICLE POCKETING 

5.8 lbs (2.6 kg) 

IMPACT CONDITIONS 

60.82 mph (97.88 km/h) 

62.12 mph (99.97 km/h) 

616.4 kip-ft (835. 7 kJ) 

643.0 kip-ft (871 .8 kJ) 

EXIT CONDITIONS 

59.87 mph (96.35 km/h) 

60.99 mph (98.15 km/h) 

283.1 ft. (86.3 m) downstream, 1.2 ft (0.4 m) left 

from first point of impact. 

Satisfactorv 

None 

None 

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 kg) 

ARTICLE DAMAGE Base Deformation 

VEHICLE DAMAGE 

4,984.6 lbs (2,261 .0 kg) 

VEHICLE DAMAGE SCALE NIA 

COLLISION DAMAGE CLASSIFICATION N/A

4,984.6 lbs (2,261 .0 kg) 

MAXIMUM DEFORMATION Negligible 

1

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

10 TR-P36285-01-A 
C 

8 3 

D 

48in 

[1.2ml 

SQUARE SIGN 

~--

___37.75in _____, 

[0.96m] 

LEGEND 

MAY VARY PER 

CUSTOMER REQUEST 

X.XXX ! .015" Devices Inc. 68.13in --------- -------- DEGREES: ! 0.5 " www ,rn;:Jxdd vic@!!> cum 

[1.7m] 

TITLE: 

A A 

TrafFix Sign Stand 

Traffix Sign Stand 

Overall Weight: 27 lbs. [12.2 kg] (WITH SIGN) DRAWN BY· DATE SIZE DWG. NO. REV 

Overall Dimensions: Approximately 37.75" [0.96ml x 68.125" [1.7m] x· 14.625" [0.37m] Chrntopher Jcime 11/09/16 

Frame Material: Steel Tubing CHEOEOBY: 

FA 11/09/lo 

OAJE· B soo-199 A APPROVED BY· DATE· NOTES 11/09/16 : UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED FA SHEET I OF I 

8 3 

D 

APPROX. 79.13in 

[2.0m] 

14.63in 

[0.37ml 

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIEO: All DIMENSIONS ARE IIJ UJCHES[mm] 

TOLERANCES: 1bQAveructa La Para 

DECIMAL:X.X !. .0625 TrafFix dJ7 S.m Clcmcmc, CA 92673 

x.xx ! .037 Wt1'r~J-~~6t920s 

C 
~ 

8 

D 

Aluminum Tubing 

D 

STORED POSITION C DEPLOYED POSITION C 

Latch Bracket 

14.63in Jm] 

37.75in ___________, 68.13in 

--------[0.96m] --------------- ---------------- [ 1.7 m] 

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED : ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN ltJCHES!mml . 160 Aventda La Para 

OEC~Al:X.X t .0625 TrafFix San Clemente, CA 926 73 

)U{X t .OJZ' 

TOLERANCES: 

x.xxx t .015 Devices Inc. ® ~J',~J·~~~9205 DEGREES: t 0.5 " www tr,J#xdew,cBs com 

TITLE: 

A TrafFix Sign Stand A 

w/ No Sign 

Traffix Sign Stand 

Overall Weight: 20 lbs. [9.07 kg] (NO SIGN) SIZE DWG. NO. REV 0RAWN8Y· DATE· Overall Dimensions: Approximately 37.75" [0.96ml x 68.125" [1.7ml x 14.625" [0.37ml Christopher Jome 11/09/16 

Fra me Material: Steel Tubing CHEC~ 

FA 

ED BY; \1/09/lo DATE: B soo-200 A

NOTES: UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED APPROVED BY DATE: SHEET I OF I FA 11/09/16 

8 
C 

8 

Crossbeam Pulfrusion 

66in ---------- ---i 

[l.7m] 

UNLESS OIHERWISE SPECIFIED 

All DIM ENSIONS ARE IN INCHES Imm]. 

D 

LEGEND MAY VARY 

PER CUSTOMER REQUEST 

A 

Roll-Up Sign w/ Flag Assembly 

Overall Weight: 5.8 lbs. (2.6 kg] 

Overall Sign Dimensions: 48" [1.2m] x 48" [1 .2m] 

NOTES: UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED 

8 

ORAWNSY 

OYislopher Jome 

CHECrEOl!IY· 

FA 

APPROVED l!IY· 

FA 

D 

160 Avenida La Para TrafFix dJ7 Sar, Clcmcmc, CA 92613 

Devices Inc. ~ ~9:;,(~J-~6

l920s www lriJi#xdev,ct:1!> com 

TITLE: 

A 

Roll-Up Sign Substrate 

w / Flags 

SIZE DWG. NO. REV 

0/2/16 

DATE· 

4/2/16 

DATE: 

0/2/16 

DATE B soo-19s A 

SHEET I OF I 

C