A. 
All references are to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 1979.
B. 
Barricades shall be of one of three types: type I, type II and type III. The characteristics of these types are shown in table VI-1 and figure 6-14.
C. 
Markings for barricade rails shall be either alternate orange and white, or black and white stripes (sloping downward at an angle of 45 degrees in the direction traffic is to pass). The orange and white and the black and white markings shall not be intermixed in the same installation or area.
D. 
Where a barricade extends entirely across a roadway, it is desirable that the stripes slope downward in the direction toward which traffic must turn in detouring. Where both right and left turns are provided for, the chevron striping may slope downward in both directions from the center of the barricade.
E. 
The entire area of orange and white stripes shall be reflectorized so as to be visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a minimum distance of 1,000 feet when illuminated by the low beams of standard automobile headlights. The predominant color for other barricade components shall be white.
(AO No. 80-79)
A. 
Typical examples of barricade construction are shown in figures 6-11 and 6-14.
B. 
The horizontal members of type I barriers shall be eight to 12 inches wide. The supports for the rail may be fabricated of lumber, metal or other suitable material, properly shaped. In either case the support should contain, at the prescribed height, a notch or loop into which the horizontal members may be inserted. The essential element of this feature is to permit rapid assembly and disassembly of the barricade for movable situations. This barricade is normally used in six-to eight-foot lengths.
C. 
Type II barricades may be constructed of wooden, metal or other components or combinations thereof. The supports should be of an A-frame configuration or hinged or otherwise fastened at the top to permit convenient folding and stacking for transporting from one work site to another. Since portability is a prime consideration, the materials chosen for the barricades should be as lightweight as possible commensurate with structural soundness. Irrespective of the materials used for constructing type II barricades, they have a relatively high center of gravity and are, therefore, susceptible to overturning in the wind. Sandbags should be used for ballasting when required.
D. 
Since type III barricades are somewhat permanent in nature and are required to function in one location for a relatively long time, they should be substantially constructed. When the barricades are constructed on bases instead of posts set into the ground, it may be desirable to ballast the bases with sandbags to provide added resistance to overturning during periods of high winds.
(AO No. 80-79)
A. 
On construction projects, when a road section is closed to traffic, type III barricades shall be erected at the points of closure. They may extend completely across a roadway and its shoulders (as a fence) or from curb to curb. Where provision must be made for access of equipment and authorized vehicles, the type III barricades should be provided with gates or movable sections that can be closed when work is not in progress, or with indirect openings that will discourage public entry. Where access is provided through the type III barricades, responsibility should be assigned to a person to assure proper closure at the end of each working day.
B. 
When a road or street is legally closed, but access must still be allowed for local traffic, the type III barricade cannot be erected completely across a roadway. Instead, an arrangement should be devised that will permit local use but effectively discourage use by through traffic. A sign with the appropriate legend concerning permissible use by local traffic should be installed.
C. 
Applications of this principle are illustrated in figures 6-3 and 6-4.
D. 
Type I or type II barricades shall be used when traffic is maintained through the area being constructed and/or reconstructed. The important characteristic of these barricades is that each is movable, and they may be used interchangeably. In general, type I barricades are the heavier and more bulky of the two, but these factors are dependent, in large part, on the materials from which each type is constructed.
E. 
The ultimate choice in a given situation would probably be dependent upon the degree of mobility required in the particular project. It should be kept in mind, however, that type I and type II barricades, although movable, are somewhat clumsy and are not as adaptable to changeable situations as traffic cones.
F. 
Where maintenance activities are being performed, a street or highway condition is seldom of a character that will require a complete closing of the facility. When such a condition does occur, it is almost always an emergency situation, as would result from a broken water main or a washed-out culvert, for example. Repair work is generally initiated on an emergency basis, and the street or road closing generally is of a kind wherein type I or type II is utilized.
G. 
Wing barricades are a special application of type III barricades, erected on the roadway shoulder (on one or both sides of the pavement) to give the illusion of a narrowed or restricted roadway. In advance of a construction or maintenance area, even where no part of the roadway is actually closed, wing barricades serve a useful purpose in alerting the driver. If used in a series, they should start at the outer edge of the shoulder and be brought progressively closer to the pavement. Wing barricades may be used as a mounting for the advance warning or guide signs or lighting devices. During periods of inactivity, a foldaway type of design may be advantageous. Examples of wing barricades are shown in figure 6-11.
H. 
Signs may be erected on barricades, particularly those of the fixed type, and they offer a most advantageous facility for this purpose. The road closed and detour arrow signs, and the large arrow warning signs, for example, can effectively be mounted above the barricade that closes the roadway.
TABLE VI-1. BARRICADES—CHARACTERISTICS
 
Type
I
II
III
Width of rail
3″ minimum—12″ maximum
8″ minimum—12″ maximum
8″ minimum—12″ maximum
Length of rail
6′—8′
3′ minimum—4′ maximum
3′ minimum—variable maximum
Width of stripes
6″
6″
6″
Height
3′ minimum
3′ minimum
5′ minimum
Type of frame
Demountable or heavy A-frame
Light A-frame
Post or skids
Flexibility
Essentially movable
Portable
Essentially permanent
FIGURE 6-3. TYPICAL APPLICATION—ROADWAY CLOSED BEYOND DETOUR POINT
FIGURE 6-4. TYPICAL APPLICATION—DETOUR SIGNING FOR STREET CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN A STREET GRID
FIGURE 6-11. METHODS OF MOUNTING SIGNS OTHER THAN ON POSTS
FIGURE 6-14. STANDARD BARRICADES
(AO No. 80-79)