1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

April 1, 2016 

In Reply Refer To: 

HSST/B-25B 

Mr. Bret Eckert P.E. 

Engineering Applications Manager 

Trinity Highway Products 

3617 Cincinnati Avenue 

Rocklin, CA 95677 

Dear Mr. Eckert: 

This letter is in response to your December 16, 2015 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 B-25B and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by FHWA 

that expressly references this device. 

Decision 

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

integral part of this letter: 

• BarrierGate®

Scope of this Letter 

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

crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the National Cooperative Highway Research 

Program (NCHRP) Report 350. 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. 

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Eligibility for Reimbursement 

FHWA previously issued an eligibility letter for the roadside safety system described in your 

pending request. Your pending request now identifies a modification to that roadside safety 

system. 

The original roadside safety device information is: 

Name of system: BarrierGate® 

Type of system: Barrier 

Date of original request: December 13, 1992 

Date of original FHWA eligibility letter: April 19, 1993 

FHWA Control number: B-25 

The modification(s) to the BarrierGate® covered by this letter are: 

1. In the main electrical control assembly, equivalent electrical components were substituted for 

components that were discontinued by the original manufacturer. 

FHWA concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory as stated 

within 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 

If a manufacturer makes any modification to any of their roadside safety hardware that has an 

existing eligibility letter from FHWA, the manufacturer must notify FHWA of such modification 

with a request for continued eligibility for reimbursement. The notice of all modifications to a 

device must be accompanied by: 

o	 Significant modifications – For these modifications, crash test results must be 

submitted with accompanying documentation and videos. 

o	 Non-signification modifications – For these modifications, a statement from the 

crash test laboratory on the potential effect of the modification on the ability of 

the device to meet the relevant crash test criteria. 

FHWA's determination of continued eligibility for the modified hardware will be based 

on whether the modified hardware will continue to meet the relevant crash test criteria. 

You are expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design, installation and 

maintenance requirements to ensure proper performance. 

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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 thnt it will meet the test 

and evaluation criteria of the NCHRP Report 350. 

Issuance of this Jetter 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 arc accurate and 

correct. We reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter if: (I) there arc any inaccuracies in 

the information submitted in suppo11 of your request for this letter, (2) the qualilication testing 

was nawed, (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 docs not rcncct full and 

complete infomrntion about the crashworthiness of the system. 

Sta nda rd Provisions 

• 	 To prevent misunderstanding by others. this leller of eligibility designated as rllWA 

control number 8-258 shall not be reproduced except iJ1 full. This lcllcr and the test 

documentation upon which it is based arc public information. All such letters and 

documentation may be reviewed upon request. 

• 	 This letter shall not be construed as authoriza tion or consent by the Fl lW /\ to use, 

manufacture, or sci I any patented system for which the app li cant is not the patent holder. 

• 	 lf the subject device is a patented product it may be considered to be 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 unpatentcd 

items: (b) the highway agency must cenify that Lhey 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 rederal Regulations. Section 635.411. 

Sincerely yours. 

Michael S. Griffith 

Director: Office ofSafety Technologies 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 

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Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility 

ofHighway Safety Hardware 

.. 

GI 

Date of Request: March 24, 2016 I rNew (i' Resubmission

Name: Bret R. Eckert, P.E. 

Company: Trinity Highway Products, LLC ~ 

E Address: 3617 Cincinnati Ave., Rocklin, CA 95765

.D 

::I 

en Country: USA 


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. 

I1-1-11 

System Type Submission Type Device Name I Variant Testing Criterion Test 

Level 

'B': Barriers (Roadside, 

Median, Bridge Railings) 

r Physical Crash Testing 

(i' Engineering Analysis 

BarrierGate"' 

NCHRP Report 350 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 NCH RP Report 350 (Report 350) and that 

the evaluation results meet the appropriate evaluation criteria in the Report 350. 

Identification of the individual or organization responsible for the product: 

Contact Name: Bret R. Eckert, P.E. Same as Submitter !ZI 

Company Name: Trinity Highway Products, LLC Same as Submitter !ZI

Address: 3617 Cincinnati Ave., Rocklin, CA 95765 Same as Submitter !ZI 

Country: USA Same as Submitter !ZI

Enter below all disclosures of financial interests as required by the FHWA 'federal-Aid Reimbursement 

Eligibility Process for Safety Hardware Devices' document. 

The BarrierGate• technology Is the commercial embodiment of Intellectual property that is protected by patents 

that are owned by Trinity Highway Products, LLC (THP). THP does not pay royalties for sales ofthe BarrierGate• 

system. The BarrierGate• system was designed and developed by engineers at Energy Absorption Systems. The 

patent holder of record for the BarrlerGate• system Is John P. Quittner. The associated United States Patent 

Office patent number (5,211,503) is assigned to Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. /Trinity Industries, Inc. 

EAS sponsored certain crash tests of the BarrlerGate• system; such tests were conducted by E-Tech Testing 

Services, an Independent, wholly-owned subsidiary ofTHP. E-Tech Testing Services is an International Standards 

Organization (iso") 17025 accredited laboratory with American Association for laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) 

Mechanical Testing certificate 989.01. Full-scale crash testing on the BarrierGate• system was performed in 

accordance with testing criteria, as set forth by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program ('"NCHRP") 

In the NCHRP Report 350 (1993). 

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 

I
 \ (i' Non-Significant New Hardware or Modification to 

Significant Modification ·· Existing Hardware 

Original submission date December 22, 2015. The BarrierGate" is an automated gate for longitudinal barrier 

openings that may be used to restrict unauthorized access and help eliminate barrier ends in median openings. 

The BarrlerGate• was originally accepted on April 14, 1993 with FHWA eligibility letter HNG-14/8-25 as a NCHRP 

350 TL-3 longitudinal barrier. The BarrlerGate0 was accepted on February 2, 201 owith FHWA eligibility letter 

HSSD/B-25A as a NCHRP 350 TL-4 longltudinal barrier. 

This request for continued eligibility Is to notify the FHWA of necessary modifications that have occurred since 

May 18, 2015. All revisions have been justified through engineering analysis and judgement and have been 

determined to be non-significant and will have no bearing on the as-tested performance ofthe system. These 

modifications Include the following: 

1. In the main electrical control assembly, equivalent electrical components were substituted for components 

that were discontinued by the original manufacturer. (3965) 

CRASH TESTING 

A brief description of each crash test and its result: 

Required Test 

Number 

Narrative 

Description Evaluation Results 

3-10 (820() 

Tl-3 BarrlerGate• Energy Absorption Systems Test 150-008. 

Test Date 3/17/93. Test Report "BarrierGate° Crash Test 

Results". TL-4 BarrierGate• accepted without full scale crash 

testing. The non-significant modifications described In the 

Product Description will have no bearing on the as-tested 

performance of the system. 

PASS 

53-10 (700() Not Applicable. Test S3-10 is an optional test not required for 

system eligibility. 

3-11 (2000P) 

TL-3 BarrlerGate• Energy Absorption Systems Test 150-006. 

Test Date 3/1/93. Test Report "BarrierGate" Crash Test Results". 

Tl-4 BarrierGate• accepted without full scale crash testing. 

The non-significant modifications described In the Product 

Description will have no bearing on the as-tested 

performance of the system. 

PASS 

3-20 (820() 

Not Applicable. Test 3-20 Is an optional transition test. Since 

test 3-21 were run at much higher Impact severity levels and 

did not exhibit excessive pocketing ofsnagging, this test was 

not run. 

53-20 (7000 Not Applicable. Test 53-20 Is an optional test not required for 

system eliglblllty. 

3-21 (2000P) 

Tl-3 BarrlerGate• Energy Absorption Systems Test 150-007. 

Test Date 3/9/93. Test Report "BarrierGate• Crash Test Results". 

Tl-4 BarrlerGate• accepted without full scale crash testing. 

The non-significant modifications described In the Product 

Description wlll have no bearing on the as-tested 

performance of the system. 

PASS 

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0 1glt.• ll)' ' ltJttt-d by 

Submitter Signature*: Bret Eckert P. E. :;;:::~~~:;.:, """" D.t 10 160J.l• 1S:22.JS.07'00' 

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Full Scale Crash Testing was done in compliance with NCH RP Report 350 by the following accredited 

crash test Laboratory. By signature below, the Laboratory agrees in support of this submission that all 

critical and relevant crash tests for the device listed above were conducted. (cite the laboratory's 

accreditation status as noted in the crash test reports.): 

Testing Laboratory's signature concurs that these modifications are considered Non-Significant. 

Laboratory Name: E-Tech Testing Services, Inc. 

Laboratory Signature: Pau l Kruse Digitally signed by Paul Kruse 

Date: 2016.03.24 14:09:42 -07'00' 

Address: 3617B Cincinnati Ave., Rocklin, CA 95765 Same as Submitter D 

Country: USA Same as Submitter [8J 

Accreditation Certificate 

Number and Dates of current A2LA CertificateII 989.01, November 20, 2015 thru November 30, 2017 

Accreditation period : 

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 oftbe device(s) that conform lo 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 perfomrnncc of the device should also be submitted 

to facilitate our review. 

FHWA Official Business Only: 

Eligibility Letter AASHTO TF13 

Number Date Designator Key Words 

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ALTERNATE RJ22S-C-AI20 RELAY 

DPDT 120VAC CONTROL OPEN 

ALTERNATE 8 BLADE 

SOCKET RELAY 

BARRIERGATE® 

MAIN CONTROL ASSEMBLY 

TRINITY 

Hl<OHWAV 

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