Technical Report Documentation Page
1. Report No.
FHWA-CFL/TD-05-009
2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No.
5. Report Date
November 2005
4. Title and Subtitle
Barrier Guide
for Low Volume and Low Speed Roads
6. Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s)
Louis B. Stephens, Jr.
8. Performing Organization Report No.
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 9. Performing Organization Name and Address
PerformTech Inc.
810 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
11. Contract or Grant No.
DTFH68-05-R-00002
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report
January 2005 – November 2005
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Federal Highway Administration
Central Federal Lands Highway Division
12300 W. Dakota Avenue, Suite 210
Lakewood, CO 80228
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
HFTS-16.4
15. Supplementary Notes
COTR: Victoria A. Brinkly, FHWA WFLHD. Advisory Panel Members: Scott Whittemore and James Asirifi,
FHWA EFLHD; Ed Demming, Greg Schertz, and Mike Daigler, FHWA CFLHD; Cathy Satterfield, FHWA
WVDIV. This project was funded under the FHWA Federal Lands Highway Coordinated Technology
Implementation Program (CTIP). To provide comments concerning this document contact: Mr. Greg Schertz,
FHWA FLH Safety Discipline Leader, (720)-963-3764, greg.schertz@fhwa.dot.gov
.
16. Abstract
This Guide is intended to provide assistance in the warranting, selection, and design of roadside barriers. The Guide
is prepared specifically for warranting, selecting, and designing barriers on Federal Lands Highways projects that
are low volume and/or low speed facilities. The guidelines present practical and useful guidance for common
conditions and situations encountered in the design of roadside barriers for Federal Lands Highway projects.
Warranting of roadside barriers is a process that involves determining the needed clear zone, identifying potential
hazards, analyzing strategies for corrective action, and evaluating the use of roadside barriers. This process is
designed to identify only the most severe hazards close to the roadway that are appropriate for shielding by barriers.
It takes into account both the cost of a barrier and the expected crashes into that barrier. Local conditions, policies,
and resources are also considered in this process. The barrier selection process includes consideration for speed,
hazard offset and special design considerations for aesthetics and severe conditions. These considerations lead to a
list of technically acceptable barriers for a specific site. Additional selection criteria are suggested for final barrier
selection. Roadside design and placement criteria expand on the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide design process,
making it more applicable to low volume, low speed rural conditions. An alternate design process is included for
locations with restricted conditions or severe cost constraints.
17. Key Words
BARRIER WARRANTS, BARRIER
SELECTION, BARRIER DESIGN, LOW
VOLUME, LOW SPEED, RURAL
18. Distribution Statement
No restriction. This document is available to the
public from the sponsoring agency at the website
http://www.cflhd.gov
.
19. Security Classif. (of this report)
Unclassified
20. Security Classif. (of this page)
Unclassified
21. No. of Pages
152
22. Price
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized