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

May 1, 2013

In Reply Refer To: HSST/CC-115F

Mr. Brian Smith
Trinity Highway Products, LLC
2525 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, Texas  75207

Dear Mr. Smith:

This correspondence supersedes existing eligibility letter HSST/CC-115C dated December 21, 2012 and is in response to your request for additional system details for furthered consideration for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) review of the as-described 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 which is attached as an integral part of this letter.

• Trinity TL1 SOFT-STOP Terminal

Based on a review of previous crash tests submitted by the manufacturer certifying the device described herein meets the crash test and evaluation criteria of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), 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 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 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.
• ou 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-115F 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 Trinity SOFT-STOP Terminal is a patented product 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.

Enclosures

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Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility
Of Highway Safety Hardware

I request the following devices be considered eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program.

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 AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware and that the test of evaluation results meet the appropriate evaluation criteria in the MASH.

Identification of the individual or organization responsible for the product: /s/ Don Jay Gripne

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Request for Federal Aid Reimbursement Eligibility
Of Highway Safety Hardware

I request the following devices be considered eligible for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program.

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 AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware and that the test I evaluation results meet the appropriate evaluation criteria in the MASH.

Identification of the individual or organization responsible for the product:

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Modification to Existing Hardware Non-Significant – Effect is positive or Inconsequential

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The original crash test of the Trinity Soft Stop (TTI Crash Report 2009) as per Eligibility Letter CC-115 dated December 19, 2011 specified steel post and w-beam guardran using 12-inch wood block out. The crash test was conducted by Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) entitled NCHRP 350 Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Vertical Squlsher' dated February 2009 (TTI Crash Report 2009). Eligibility Letter CC-115A dated September 7, 2012 was issued to include B-lnch wood block out for both line posts and post no 2 within the Trinity Soft Stop Terminal system. This modification also Includes an offset 2·foot from tangent of the 12-inch and 8-inch Trinity Soft Stop Terminal system using a flare rate of 25:1.

!The length required to dissipate the energy of the 2270P test vehicle Is calculated to be 11.0 feet (3.3 m) for MASH TL-1. The calculated test results is on file with this request. The effective length of the requested TL-1 Soft Stop Terminal is 13'-3 1/2".

This request Is to acceptthe as-tested article as per CC·11S and CC·11 SA for the following:

1. A MASH TL·1 Soft Stop Terminal with a length of 13'·31/2".
2. 12 inch or 8 inch wood/composite block outs.
3. An offset 1/2-foot from tangent. flare rate of 25:1.
4. For attachment to 8-lnch/12-inch block out systems or no blackout W·beam guardrail systems.

This modification is considered Non-significant, Effect is Positive or inconsequential.

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CRASH TESTING

A brief description of each crash test and its result:

Full Scale Crash Testing was done in compliance with MASH by the following accredited crash test laboratory (cite the laboratory's accreditation status as noted in the crash test reports.):

ATTACHMENTS

Attach to this form:

1. 1) A copy of the Test Data Summary Sheet for each test conducted in support of this request.
2. 2) A drawing or drawings of the device(s) that conform to 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 key to understanding the performance of the device should also be submitted to facilitate our review.

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