AASHTO to install highway safety devices

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) established a schedule Tuesday for updating roadside safety hardware devices throughout the National Highway System to meet new safety standards.

AASHTO is set to update new safety standards in its Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) in 2016. MASH provides details for crash testing both permanent and temporary highway safety features.

The schedule starts with w-beam barriers and cast-in-place concrete barriers installed by Dec. 31, 2017; w-beam terminals installed by June 30, 2018; cable barriers, cable barrier terminals and crash cushions installed by Dec. 31, 2018; bridge rails, transitions, all other longitudinal barriers (including portable barriers installed permanently), all other terminals, sign supports and all other breakaway hardware installed by Dec. 31, 2019; and finally, all temporary safety devices by Dec. 31, 2019.

"The nation's motor vehicle fleet continues to evolve and our roadside hardware must keep pace," AASHTO Executive Director Bud Wright said. "Vehicles have increased in size and light-truck bumper heights are higher. It's important that AASHTO and the transportation safety community support the design and manufacture of roadside devices that meet the safety needs of America's changing vehicle fleet."