U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Federal Highway 

Administration 

May 27, 2020 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST-1/WZ-406 

Mr. Henry A. Ross 

Plasticade 

100 Howard Avenue 

Des Plaines, IL 60018 

USA 

Dear Mr. Ross: 

This letter is in response to your February 24, 2020 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-406 and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by 

FHWA 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: 

• Plasticade® Combocade® Type I and Type II Barricade 

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® Combocade® Type I and Type II Barricade 

Type of system: Work Zone 

Test Level: MASH Test Level 3 (TL3) 

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

Date of request: February 24, 2020 

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-406 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 b~ 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 ofvalidity, 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 FHW A 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 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

of Highway Safety Hardware 

Submitter 

Date of Request: February24,2020 New Resubmission 

Name: HenryA.Ross 

Company: Plasticade 

Address: 100HowardAvenue,DesPlaines,IL60018 

Country: U.S.A. 

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&TestingCriterion-Enter from right to left starting with TestLevel ! -! - ! ! -! -! 

SystemType SubmissionType DeviceName / Variant TestingCriterion Test 

Level 

'WZ':CrashWorthyWorkZon PhysicalCrashTesting 

Engineering Analysis 

Plasticade®Combocade® 

TypeIandTypeII 

Barricade 

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: HenryA.Ross SameasSubmitter 

CompanyName: Plasticade SameasSubmitter 

Address: 100Howard Avenue,DesPlaines,IL60018 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A. SameasSubmitter 

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

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document. 

TexasA&MTransportation Institute(TTI)wascontracted byPlasticade®toperform full-scalecrash testing of the 

Plasticade®Combocade®. There are no shared financial interests in the Plasticade®Combocade®by TTI, or 

betweenPlasticade®andTTI,other than costsinvolved in theactual crash testsand reportsfor thissubmission 

toFHWA. 

690900-PLP1&2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

New Hardware or Modification to 

Significant Modification ExistingHardware 

The Combocade®Type I and Type II barricade is 42.3 inches tall, 24 inches wide, and 31 inches long. The 

barricadestandson 45-inch long 14-gaugegalvanizedsteel angle legs. All boardsusedaremadefromHDPE 

(high density polyethylene plastic). Each top board measured 12 inches × 24 inches × 0.6 inch thick. Each 

bottom board measured6 inches× 24 inches× 0.6inch thick. Asafetylight (Empco-LiteModel 2006with four 

D-cell batteries)wasattached to the top of the testarticle, bringing total height of the barricadeto 49.8inches 

to the top of thesafetylight. Thetestarticleweighed 20lb (including the3-lbsafetylight),anda35-lbsand 

bag wasplacedover oneof thebottom boards. 

CRASH TESTING 

Bysignaturebelow, theEngineeraffiliated with the testing laboratory, agreesin support of thissubmission 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 testsare necessary to determine the device meets 

theMASH criteria. 

Engineer Name: D.LanceBullard,Jr.,P.E. 

EngineerSignature: 

Address: 3100SH47,Bldg 7091,Bryan,TX,77807 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A. SameasSubmitter 

A brief description of each crash test and its result: 

D.LanceBullard,Jr. Digitally signed by D.LanceBullard,Jr. 

Date:2020.03.02 08:31:43-06'00' 

RequiredTest 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-70(1100C) 

MASHstatesthat Test3-70 forsmall 

vehiclesisconsideredoptional for workzone trafficcontrol devicesweighing less 

than 220 lb, because velocity changes 

during low-speed impactswith freestanding, lightweight featureswill be within 

acceptable limits. ThePlasticade® 

Combocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

traffic control device weighed 

approximately20 poundseach,exclusiveof 

the sandbags. Therefore, MASH Test 3-70 

was not performed on this traffic control 

device. 

Non-Critical,not conducted 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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RequiredTest 

Number 

Narrative 

Description 

Evaluation 

Results 

3-71(1100C) 

MASHTest3-71 involved an 1100Cvehicle 

weighing 2420 lb ±55 lb impacting the 

trafficcontrol deviceat an impactspeedof 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations,the device wastestedat 

critical impactangles(CIAs)of 90°±1.5°and 

0°±1.5°. 

Theresultsof test690900-PLP1conducted 

onOctober 21,2019arefoundin TTITest 

Report number 690900-PLP1&2. The test 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

63.9 mi/h when it contacted the first 

barricade at an impact angle of 0°. The 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

62.9 mi/h and impact angle of 90° when it 

contacted thesecondbarrier.Brakeson the 

vehicle were applied after loss of contact 

with the second barricade, and the vehicle 

came to rest 326 ft downstream of the 

impact point with thefirst barricade.Oneof 

the panels from the first barricade came to 

rest45 ft downstream of impactand 28ft to 

the right of centerline of the vehicle path, 

and the remainder of the barricade was 

deformed but intact andcame to rest163 ft 

downstream and 15 ft to the left of 

centerline of the vehicle path. The second 

barricade was deformed, but all 

components remained together and it 

cameto rest118 ft downstreamand 32 ft to 

the right of centerline of the vehicle path. 

The front bumper, air dam, and lower 

radiator support were damaged. The hood 

sustained three deformation areas; one 

measured11 inches× 17 inches× 0.75inch 

deep, another 8 inches × 10 inches × 0.25 

inch deep,and the third 8 inches× 6 inches 

× 0.25inch deep.Therewasno damageto 

the windshield. Maximum exteriorcrush to 

thevehicle was0.75inch in thefront plane 

on the hood. No occupant compartment 

deformation or intrusion wasobserved. 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devicesweighing lessthan 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

Combocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

weighed approximately 20 lb each, 

exclusiveof thesandbags. 

The Combocade®performed acceptably for 

MASH test 3-71 with impact angles of 0° and 

90°. 

PASS 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3-72(2270P) 

MASHTest3-72 involvesa2270Pvehicle 

weighing 5000 lb ±110 lb impacting the 

trafficcontrol deviceat an impactspeedof 

62 mi/h ±2.5 mi/h. Per MASH 

recommendations,the device wastestedat 

critical impactangles(CIAs)of 90°±1.5°and 

0°±1.5°. 

Theresultsof test690900-PLP2conducted 

onOctober 21,2019arefoundin TTITest 

Report number 690900-PLP1&2. The test 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

63.9 mi/h when it contacted the first 

barricade at an impact angle of 0°. The 

vehicle wastravelingat an impactspeedof 

61.7 mi/h and impact angle of 90° when it 

contacted thesecondbarrier.Brakeson the 

vehicle were applied after loss of contact 

with thesecondbarricade,and thevehicle 

came to rest 372 ft downstream of the 

impact point with thefirst barricadeand 12 

ft left of centerlineof thevehicle path.The 

first barricade fractured into two pieces. 

Onepieceof thefirst barricadecameto rest 

60 ft downstream of impact and in the 

centerline of the vehicle path, and the 

remainderof the barricadecameto rest65 

ft downstream and 4 ft to the left of 

centerline of the vehicle path. The second 

barricade fractured into several pieces, the 

majority of which came to rest 200 ft 

downstream and in the centerline of the 

vehiclepath. Thehoodsustained two small 

deformationareasthat weresoslight asto 

be insignificant. There was no damage to 

thewindshield. No occupant compartment 

deformation or intrusion wasobserved. 

PASS 

MASH does not require instrumentation of 

the vehicle when impacting lightweight, 

freestanding work zone traffic control 

devicesweighing lessthan 220 lb, therefore 

the occupant risk factors were not 

calculated for this test. The Plasticade® 

Combocade®Type I and Type II Barricade 

weighed approximately 20 lb each, 

exclusiveof thesandbags. 

The Combocade®performed acceptably for 

MASH test 3-72 with impact angles of 0° and 

90°. 

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.): 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Laboratory Name: TexasA&MTransportation Institute 

LaboratorySignature: Digitally signed by DarrellL.Kuhn 

'Date:2020.02.2816:31:33-06'00 

Address: 3100SH47,Bldg 7091,Bryan,TX,77807 SameasSubmitter 

Country: U.S.A SameasSubmitter 

Accreditation Certificate 

Number and Dates of current 

Accreditation period : 

ISO17025-2017Laboratory 

A2LACertificate Number:2821.01 

ValidTo:April 30,2021 

DigitallysignedbyHenryRoss 

SubmitterSignature*: HenryRoss Date:2020.03.0316:10:08 

-06'00' 

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