200 | SAFETY
Future sign supports A new passively safe sign support system has been developed that meets growing customer demands for shallower foundations, lower cost and easy setup Words | Johnny Sköld, Saferoad, Norway
Simple solutions are often the best. The Norsafe Mast passively safe sign support system from Saferoad is a case in point. It has now been deployed on roadsides for some years, and its simple but effective design has been proven to satisfy both safety requirements and customer demands for low pricing. Furthermore, the system can be safely used in both rural and urban environments. It can be deployed with hidden foundation bolts, which means that at ground level all that shows is a flat aluminum plate, which makes it ideal for use on sidewalks, etc.
Saving lives and money In the past, the design of roadside mast foundations has been virtually the same for all products. Saferoad realized that the fitment of passively safety masts needed a rethink. Customers were demanding shallower foundations, to avoid cables in the ground, and cheaper foundations that could be more easily assembled. But while meeting these needs, it was also important to ensure that such foundations were really safe in the event of a traffic collision – even if the ground around them was not perfect. Following extensive testing, including many collisions, Norsafe’s shallow foundations have now proved to satisfy all customer requirements. They work in all conditions, even with poor-quality surrounding soil. Specially designed for passive safe masts, Norsafe foundations are only 700mm (27.5in) in height and, with relatively low weight and low cost, are a vast improvement on traditional solutions. They also work perfectly on slopes, together with the specially designed Norsafe Mast baseplate.
Intertraffic World | Annual Showcase 2018
Left and above: Norsafe Masts with concealed foundation bolts
Next-generation gantries Further developments with new passive safety gantries and cantilevers have now been tested on the road. The legs and transoms of these new gantries and cantilevers are made of a single extruded aluminum profile and, unlike old lattice masts, do not need any expensive machining. Neither do they
need any slip-base or other galvanized steel parts – only the lightweight aluminum baseplates and A4 acid-proof stainless bolts. These support structures have also been much improved for use in tunnels. In addition, the new systems and all fixings are fully adjustable, thereby reducing the time needed for assembly. n
