Published: October 2009 | Category: Barriers , Maintenance , Specifications | Audiences: Road traffic engineers & consultants, Roading contractors
This specification covers the requirements for road safety barrier systems used on state highways.
Technical advice
Notes
Notification letters regarding system testing requirements and specification added.
Workshop registration is now available in the road safety barrier training section below.
| Title | Date added |
|---|---|
| M23 Road safety barrier systems - specification and guidelines [PDF, 1.1 MB] | April 2022 |
| M23 Appendix A: Permanent road safety barrier systems [PDF, 3.9 MB] | July 2023 |
| M23 Appendix B: Rigid and bridge barrier systems [PDF, 4.9 MB] | July 2024 |
| M23 Appendix C: Temporary road safety barrier systems [PDF, 3 MB] | September 2023 |
| M23 Appendix D: Specification for slip formed concrete barrier systems [PDF, 349 KB] |
April 2022 |
| M23 Appendix E: Road safety hardware design statements [PDF, 465 KB] | April 2022 |
|
M23 Appendix F: Temporary road safety hardware & devices (working draft) [PDF, 2.3 MB] |
September 2024 |
The following road safety hardware products have been granted interim acceptance pending inclusion in the appropriate NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi specification or guidance documentation (as appropriate).
| Product | Supplier | Type | Expiry Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiwisafer™ Culvert End Treatment | Saferoads International | Drainage | n/a |
| Spigoted Streetlight Column Outreach | Steelgal | Road Lighting (Specification M26) |
n/a |
For further information on any of the above products, email m23.queries@nzta.govt.nz
Prior to use of road safety barrier hardware not listed as accepted in M23 a submission must be made to the NZTA Programme and Standards Lead Safety Advisor for review and acceptance on a project or site-specific basis. The submission must include evidence of the performance capabilities of the proposed hardware (eg crash test results to MASH protocol), an explanation of why use of the product is proposed and an assessment of the risks compared to use of accepted hardware. Please allow at least 10 working days for assessment of a submission.
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Supply of MASH road safety hardware – July 2021 [PDF, 41 KB] | 29 June 2021 |
| MASH - Full adoption notification of implementation [PDF, 92 KB] | 16 April 2019 |
| Temporary concrete barrier system acceptance (2) [PDF, 61 KB] | 5 March 2015 |
| Temporary concrete barrier system acceptance [PDF, 60 KB] | 20 February 2015 |
| Temporary barrier connections – Notice of inappropriate practices [PDF, 661 KB] | 11 February 2014 |
| Colour of wire rope safety barrier posts [PDF, 63 KB] | 18 July 2013 |
| MASH-1 - Discontinuation of 3-cable wire rope barrier systems [PDF, 63 KB] | 31 October 2012 |
| MASH-1 - Implementation [PDF, 61 KB] | 15 October 2012 |
| MASH-1 - Notification of adoption [PDF, 65 KB] | 18 September 2012 |
| M23 terminal grading plan [PDF, 58 KB] | 31 May 2017 |
Not all submitted road safety barrier assessments have been marked and therefore this list cannot be considered comprehensive. We will be updating this list regularly however if you have queries about the marking status of your assessment get in touch with the barrier training team.
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| List of individuals with NZTA Road Safety Barrier qualifications [PDF, 516 KB] | 28 August 2024 |
The following guidance supplements Section 8.1 of NZTA M23.
All persons undertaking the design (as Installation Designer), review and audit and inspection (as Peer Reviewer) or inspection and maintenance (as System Installer) of permanent and temporary road safety hardware system installations on the state highway network should have attended and passed the appropriate NZTA endorsed course, or an accepted alternative, within the five years prior to commencing the activity. Installation Designers, Peer Reviewers and maintainers (as System Installers) who have attended endorsed training should maintain a record of applicable project work demonstrating currency and competency, for example suitable experience on a minimum of five safety barrier projects with the previous five year period. Otherwise, repetition of the recommended training may be required.
All road safety hardware designs should be subject to a quality control process, such as internal check and review by a suitably experienced practitioner.
System Installers undertaking installation of new road safety hardware, who have not attended and passed a NZTA endorsed course in the previous three years as at Jan 1st 2025 must attend Austroads Safety Hardware Training and Accreditation Scheme (ASHTAS) training prior to undertaking installation works on the state highway network. System Installers must maintain currency as required by the ASHTAS initiative.
List of current road safety barrier training workshops
For more information on these workshops, contact the Team Leader Technical Training and Education.
