Ironwood Highway Guardrail System

Jefferson County, N.Y. has developed an amazing new guardrail system. This new, reinforced system not only makes driving safer for commuters, but it also adds to the beauty of the surrounding environment. The Ironwood Highway Guardrail System is the only federally approved alternative to weathering steel guardrail systems, and provides the organic aesthetics of wood with the safety, strength and durability of hot-dip galvanized steel.

Through the years, the guardrail will encounter various destructive elements that it will have to fend off: intense moisture coming off Lake Ontario, fertilizers, herbicides...

The most important reason for deciding to use hot-dip galvanizing as the corrosion prevention system is that nine tons (8 tonnes) of hot-dip galvanized steel protect the guardrail from upstate New York's aggressive environment. Through the years, the guardrail will encounter various destructive elements that it will have to fend off: intense moisture coming off Lake Ontario, fertilizers, herbicides and road maintenance elements like salt and sand. Another advantage of hot-dip galvanizing is the significantly lower maintenance and repair costs when compared to previously used corrosion prevention systems.

Details

Award Class

Newly Complete

Award Sectors

Bridge & Highway

Environment

Rural

Location

Jefferson County, NY United States

Reasons for Galvanizing

Corrosion Performance

Components Galvanized

All steel members, including the I-beam post and heavy U channel backing rail, fasteners, splice plates, and fusion box.

Tonnage/Size

Steel: 9
HDG: 9

Team Members

Specifier

Kevin Wilder
Jefferson County

Fabricator

Structures of Ironwood

Engineer

County Design Engineer

Architect

Jefferson County

Member Galvanizer(s)

Hubbell Galvanizing

Commonwealth of Kentucky Guardrail

Carrolton, KY United States | 2011