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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Safety Eligibility Letter CC-120B

Hardware Type:
Barrier Terminals and Crash Cushions
Code:
CC-120B
Date:
Testing Criteria:
NCHRP 350
Manufacturer:
Barrier Systems Inc.
Device Description:
X-Lite Tangent and X-Lite Flared Soil Plate Modification
View PDF:
cc120b.pdf (2.44 MB)

Safety Eligibility Letter CC-120B

Download Version
PDF [1.85 MB]

1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590

DOT logo
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

January 28, 2014

Reply Refer To:
HSST/CC-120B

Mr. Gerrit A. Dyke, P.E.
Barrier Systems, Inc.
3333 Vaca Valley Parkway, Suite 800
Vacaville, CA 95688

Dear Mr. Dyke:

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: X-Lite Tangent and X-Lite Flared Soil Plate Modification
Type of system: W-Beam Guardrail Terminal
Test Level: NCHRP 350 Test Level 3 (TL-3)
Original Testing conducted by: Safe Technologies, Inc.
Finite Element Analysis conducted by: Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Task Force 13 Designator: SEW23B Tangent; SEW24B Flared
Date of request: July 16, 2013
Date initially acknowledged: December 17, 2013

Decision:
The following device is eligible, with details provided in the form which is attached as an integral part of this letter:

  • X-Lite Tangent and X-Lite Flared Soil Plate Modification

Based on a review of FEA Analysis and Verification and Validation as per FHWA Memorandum “Roadside Safety Hardware-Federal-aid Reimbursement Eligibility Process�, Dated May 21, 2012 of the modified device compared to original crash test results submitted by the manufacturer certifying the device described herein meets the crashworthiness criteria of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350, the 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.

Requirements:
Roadside safety devices should meet the guidelines contained in NCHRP Report 350 (Report 350) if tested prior to January 1, 2011, or the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) if tested after that date. The FHWA Memorandum "Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features", dated July 25, 1997, provides further guidance on crash testing requirements of longitudinal barriers.

Description
The modified 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 MASH 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 test and evaluation criteria of the MASH.
  • To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of eligibility is designated as number CC-120B 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.
  • The X-Lite Tangent (TX) Modified, X-Lite Flared (FX) Modified Terminals 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,

Signature of Michael S. Griffith

Michael S. Griffith
Director, Office of Safety Technologies
Office of Safety

Enclosures