scope:

The provisions of these Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals, hereinafter referred to as the Specifications, are applicable to the structural design of supports for highway signs, luminaires, and traffic signals. The types of supports covered in these Specifications are discussed in Article 1.4. The Specifications are intended to serve as a standard and guide for the design, fabrication, and erection of these types of supports.

These Specifications are not intended to supplant proper training or the exercise of judgment by the designer, and they include only the minimum requirements necessary to provide for public safety. The Owner or the designer may require the design and quality of materials and construction to be higher than the minimum requirements.

The commentary directs attention to other documents that provide suggestions for carrying out the requirements and intent of these Specifications. However, those documents and the commentary are not intended to be a part of the Specifications.

These Specifications are the result of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 17-10 and the corresponding NCHRP Report 411. At the discretion of the Owner, proprietary solutions may be considered. These solutions may address both new structures and the repair or rehabilitation of existing structures. Testing of proprietary solutions shall model actual conditions as closely as possible, and the test methods and results shall be published. These Specifications are intended to replace the previous edition, Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals (2009).

The commentary discusses some provisions of the Specifications with emphasis given to the explanation of new or revised provisions that may be unfamiliar to users of the Specifications. The commentary is not intended to provide a complete historical background concerning the development of this and previous Specifications, nor is it intended to provide a detailed summary of the studies and research data reviewed in formulating the provisions of the Specifications. However, references to some of the research data are provided for those who wish to study the background material in depth.