Safety Eligibility Letter SS-177 - Safety

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

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

February 6, 2013

In Reply Refer To:
HSST/SS-177

Mr. Nirmal Bajoria
MDSolutions, Inc.
8225 Estates Parkway
Plain City, Ohio  43064

Dear Mr. Bajoria:

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.

Decision:
The following device is eligible, with details provided in the form, drawings, and letter dated September 17, 2012, which are attached as integral parts of this letter:

• Generic perforated square steel tube sign supports, 12 and 14 ga, 1.75-inch and 2.0 inch for supports, and 2.25 inch for anchors.

Based on a comparison of your products to previously crash tested generic breakaway sign supports you submitted certifying the device described herein meets the crash test and evaluation 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
To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, roadside safety devices should meet the crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (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, letter, and drawings.

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.  These test conditions are summarized in the Task Force 13 drawing SSF02a-c which is enclosed for reference.

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 SS-177 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.

Enclosures