Protect the ends of bridge-class pipe and box culverts by providing, in order of preference, safety end treatments, metal beam guard fence, or bridge railing as described in the Drainage Facility Placement section of the regardless of horizontal clearance (clear zone). Exceptions to this can be obtained by approval of Design Exception or Design Waiver Request. Submit Design Exception and Design Waiver Requests to Bridge Division.

Exceptions to protecting the end of a bridge class culverts:

Bridge railing is frequently not an option with bridge-class pipe culverts. A pedestrian railing used alone is not acceptable for bridge-class culverts; traffic railing or combination railing must protect pedestrians and pedestrian railing from vehicular traffic on bridge-class culverts. For bridge-class culverts with raised sidewalks, use an approved combination railing.

Properly anchor bridge railings on box culverts using the details shown on the standard drawing and the details shown on the standard drawing for the selected bridge railing type.

For existing box culverts where bridge rail is required, anchor the railing properly using the details shown on the standard drawing for the selected bridge railing type and the details shown on the Rail Anchorage Curb Retrofit Guide drawing, which applies for fill heights of 2 ft. or less. If the drawing does not apply, the Bridge Division is available to provide project specific details for the addition of bridge railing.

Metal beam guard fence meets TL-3 requirements and can be provided as an option to bridge railing in the following ways: