Review of Breakaway Supports for Small Signs and Mailbox Installations

摘要

For many years, the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) installed two types ofcrashworthy mailbox support systems alongside their state highways. The breakaway support systems consisted of the Eze-Erect sign support system manufactured by Franklin Steel Company and the V-LOC socket support system manufactured by Foresight Products Inc. In 1994, the Franklin Steel Company went out of business, the patent period of the Eze-Erect system expired, and the Eze-Erect system became unavailable. The objective of this research project was to either identify new sources of low-cost, small sign and mailbox supports or, if necessary, develop a new support system as a replacement to the Eze-Erect system to meet the safety standards provided in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350, Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals.