February 22, 2007

In Reply Refer to: HSSD/WZ-248

Mr. Stephen T. Zimar
Product Manager
Eastern Metal/USA-Sign
1430 Sullivan Street
Elmira, NY 14901-1698

Dear Mr. Zimar :

Thank you for your letter requesting modifications to previously issued Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acceptance letters of your company’s crashworthy sign stands using various sign substrates for use in work zones on the National Highway System (NHS). You requested acceptance of your stand model X-561 which has acceptance for roll-up signs at five feet above grade (see WZ-56) to be modified to display at seven feet above grade for use on the NHS under the provisions of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350, “Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features”. In addition, you requested that we update product codes referenced on previously issued acceptance letters to correspond to current code methodology.

The X-561 stand was originally accepted to display roll-up signs at a height of five feet in our letter WZ-56 dated October 12, 2000. Your request to modify acceptance of this stand to display at seven feet will require an additional mast height of 24-¾ inches and subsequent weight gain of 1.3 pounds. Based on the crashworthy characteristics of this sign stand as previously tested, the requested additional height will not pose a risk to the occupant compartment or cause excessive vehicle velocity change. Therefore, we acknowledge your X-561 sign stand (that was also coded as CX-561) now coded as C-841, at five and seven feet above grade is acceptable for use on the NHS when selected by the contracting authority.

Your second request is to update product codes referenced on previously issued acceptance letters WZ-59, WZ-78A, WZ-103A, WZ-122. You mentioned the product codes E-350 and
E-380 no longer correspond with your current code methodology. For example, your current methodology for the E-350 by virtue of the last digit “0” includes no sign brackets. When the last digit displays a “1,” then one bracket is required (roll-up sign). When the last digit displays a “2,” then two brackets are required (rigid sign). Finally, when the last digit displays a “3,” for example E-353, then the roll-up bracket is added allowing either both roll-up or rigid sign substrates. Therefore, the E-350 becomes E-352 and the E-380 becomes E-353 with the current code methodology. Since you have changed nothing regarding the material composition, weight, dimensions, or manufacturing processes of the E-350 and E-380 that have already been accepted, this letter acknowledges the code change mentioned above.

Please note the following standard provisions that apply to FHWA letters of acceptance:

• Our acceptance is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the devices and does not cover their structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
• Any changes that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the device will require a new acceptance letter.
• Should the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service performance reveals unacceptable safety problems, or that the device being marketed is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, it reserves the right to modify or revoke its acceptance.
• You will be expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design and installation requirements to ensure proper performance.
• You will be expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has essentially the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for acceptance, and that they will meet the crashworthiness requirements of the FHWA and the NCHRP Report 350.
• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of acceptance, designated as number WZ-248 shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter, and the test documentation upon which this letter is based, is public information. All such letters and documentation may be reviewed at our office upon request.
• This acceptance letter shall not be construed as authorization or consent by the FHWA to use, manufacture, or sell any patented device for which the applicant is not the patent holder. The acceptance letter is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the candidate device, and the FHWA is neither prepared nor required to become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if any, are to be resolved by the applicant.