1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

 Washington, D.C. 20590

February 6, 2013

FHWA: HSST: WLongstreet: sf: x60087:10/15/12 WLongstreet: Updated 02/05/13

File: h://directory folder/HSST/ B153A_NaturalRail Quick-Joint Alternate Wood 

Species_350.docx

cc: HSST Will Longstreet 

In Reply Refer To:

HSST/B-153B

Mr. Jason Hubbell

The Atlanticum Bridge Corporation

P.O. Box 1644

Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549

Dear Mr. Hubbell:

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: NatureRail Quick-Joint / Alternate Wood Species

Type of system: Aesthetic Roadside Barrier

Test Level: NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 2 (TL2) 

Original testing conducted by: National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC)

Task Force 13 Designator: SGR46

Date of request: September 26, 2012

Date initially acknowledged: October 2, 2012

Date of final package: January 30, 2013

Decision

The following device is eligible, with details provided in the form which is attached as an 

integral part of this letter:

• NatureRail Quick-Joint Alternate Wood Species

Based on a review of existing crash test results and the computational analysis submitted by the 

manufacturer certifying the as submitted device described herein meets the crash test and 

evaluation criteria of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 

350, the Alternate Wood Species 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.
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Requirements

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

and evaluation criteria contained in the NCHRP Report 350 or the American Association of State 

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

Description

The device and supporting documentation are described in the attached form.

Summary and Standard Provisions

Therefore, the system described 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 letter provides a AASHTO/ARTBA/AGC Task Force 13 designator that should 

be used for the purpose of the creation of a new and/or the update of existing Task 

Force 13 drawing for posting on the on-line ‘Guide to Standardized Highway Barrier 

Hardware’ currently referenced in AASHTO Roadside Design Guide.

• 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 NCHRP Report 350 

criteria 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 crash test and evaluation criteria of the NCHRP Report 350.

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

number B-153B 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.
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• The NatureRail Quick-Joint Alternate Wood Species are patented products 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

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