FHWA-SA-22-057

High Friction Surface 

Treatment Resources 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety sponsored 

the development of the HFST Site Selection and Installation Guide (the 

Guide) to update and expand upon the information from the 2016 

FHWA HFST Curve Selection and Installation Guide. Utilizing some of the 

materials gathered through the development of the Guide, two other 

resources were developed as well; The HFST Inspection and installation 

Pocket Guide and the updated HFST Frequently Asked Questions.

Background

High friction surface treatment (HFST) is a proven safety countermeasure for 

reducing friction-related crashes at curves, ramps, intersections, and other 

locations with high friction demand. More than 44 States have deployed HFST 

for the first time over the past 15 years, with many States currently 

implementing HFST systemically on a large scale. With the increased interest 

and deployment of HFST has come the need for more recommendations for 

implementing this life-saving countermeasure. The state-of-the-practice for 

HFST site selection, materials, installation, and performance monitoring has 

changed significantly, and this Site Selection and Installation Guide reflects 

these changes. This Guide will assist agencies who are looking to implement 

HFST for the first time, who may be limited in their ability to expand and 

improve their program, and who may have mature programs and would like to

refine their program.

Key Practices 

The Guide highlights key practices from agencies which have realized the 

greatest benefit from HFST deployment, including: 

•Data-driven approaches for HFST site selection that utilize statistically-rigorous

predictive methodologies (Safety Performance Functions and Empirical

Bayes) to identify and prioritize treatment locations.

•Using friction testing and project-level reviews of candidate installation

locations to ensure each location is suitable for installation.

•Reducing the unit cost of deployment through bundling multiple installations

in a single contract and/or using on-call contracting.

•Requiring the use of advanced installation methods such as fully automated

systems to ensure proper conditioning, proportioning, and blending of resin

binder materials, uniform application of resin binder to the specified mil

thickness, and timely and uniform application of aggregate to the binder.

•Continually monitoring the performance of existing installations to document

both safety performance and functional performance for the purposes of

improving deployment programs.

•Regularly reviewing and updating the benefit/cost ratio of existing HFST

installations for the purpose of improving the efficiency of HFST deployment.

•Regularly reviewing and revising as needed the site selection practices as well

as materials and installation specifications to continue to optimize 

deployment of HFST.

•Never compromising on HFST material quality or performance requirements

for the sake of reducing cost

Guide Highlights 

The Guide outlines the 

step-by-step process for 

HFST implementation:

1. Identify Candidate

Locations for HFST

(Chapter 2)

2. Field Verification and

Design (Chapter 3)

3. Select HFST Materials

(Chapter 4)

4. Develop Installation

Specification

(Chapter 5)

5. Estimate Costs and

Identify Funding

(Chapter 8)

6. HFST Installation

(Chapter 6)

7. Performance

Monitoring

(Chapter 7)

HFST installed on pavement.

(Source: The Transtec 

Group, Inc.)
Availability 

Access the HFST Site Selection and Installation Guide now at: 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement_friction/high_friction/docs/HFST_Guide_HPA.pdf

Installation and Inspection 

Pocket Guide Updated FAQ Updated Training Materials 

The Installation and Inspection 

Pocket Guide summarizes Chapter 

6 of the HFST Site Selection and 

Installation Guide. This Pocket 

Guide may be downloaded and 

printed, and is also formatted for 

viewing on mobile devices in the 

field. The Pocket Guide includes 

an inspection checklist that steps

through pre-construction, 

materials, surface preparation, 

pre-application, resin binder 

application, aggregate 

application, aggregate removal, 

traffic and testing acceptance 

opening, and post-installation

items. 

• Tablet Version

• Mobile Phone Version

• Instructions for downloading to 

your mobile phone

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

have also been updated (from the

2017 version) and provide concise 

answers to the more commonly 

asked questions related to HFST. This 

includes questions related to safety, 

maintenance and operations, cost, 

environmental impacts, material 

specifications/durability, lessons 

learned, and installation. 

FHWA High Friction Surface 

Treatments: FAQs 2022 Update 

(dot.gov)

Updated training materials

(available as a PPT presentation)

are available with scripted 

speaker notes. The training 

materials feature two modules, 

designed for up to four hours of 

training: 

Module 1 – HFST as a Safety 

Countermeasure

• Overview of HFST. 

• Site Selection. 

• Field Verification and Design. 

• Cost Estimation and Funding. 

• Case Studies.

• Keys to Successful 

Deployment.

Module 2 – HFST Materials and 

Performance

• Materials and Properties. 

• Specifications. 

• Installation. 

• Inspection. 

• Early-Age Monitoring. 

To schedule the delivery of this 

training module, please contact 

the FHWA Resource Center listed 

below for more information. 

Joe Cheung

Joseph.Cheung@dot.gov

202-366-6994

Advantages of HFST: 

• Low-cost.

• Durable.

• Minimal traffic impact. 

• Quick implementation. 

• Negligible environmental impacts. 

• Superficial treatment.

• Tremendous crash reduction capability. 

Victoria (Tori) Brinkly

victoria.brinkly@dot.gov

360-833-3795