A "Jersey barricade" is the colloquial name for the J-shaped longitudinal barrier originally developed by the New Jersey State Highway Department in the 1950s and 1960s and now standardized across U.S. highways and event sites. The shape — a low concrete or plastic wall with a sloped-then-vertical profile — was engineered to redirect vehicles back into their lane on impact rather than launch them or stop them dead. Today the Jersey shape comes in two material families: precast concrete (the original highway-grade barrier, MASH TL-3 or TL-4) and plastic, usually water-fillable (event, parking-lot, and low-speed work-zone use, typically MASH TL-2 or unrated).
What is a Jersey barricade and where did it come from?
The Jersey profile was developed iteratively at the New Jersey State Highway Department through the 1950s and refined through full-scale crash testing in the 1960s. The geometry — 32 inches tall in the original profile, with a 13-inch vertical face at the bottom transitioning to a sloped face that rises to a vertical top section — was selected because it consistently redirected impacting vehicles back into the travel lane without rolling them over or vaulting them. The shape was adopted by other state DOTs and eventually became the federal default for permanent and temporary concrete median barrier under the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide.
The plastic Jersey-shape barricade is a much later product, designed to deliver the same visual cue and footprint at a fraction of the weight. Early plastic Jerseys were channelizers only — they signaled where the lane was without containing impact. Modern water-filled plastic Jerseys can carry MASH TL-2 acceptance letters at low speeds and are used widely for event perimeters, parking-lot lane control, and short-duration low-speed work zones.
What is the difference between plastic and concrete Jersey barricades?
Material drives every other tradeoff. Concrete Jersey barriers are heavy (2,800–5,800 lb per 10–20 foot segment), require a crane or boom truck to set, and have a redirective MASH rating at TL-3 or TL-4 (highway-speed and Interstate-speed impacts respectively). Plastic Jersey barricades are light (50–80 lb empty, 200–400 lb water-filled), set by hand or with a small forklift, and either carry a TL-2 letter for low-speed work or have no crashworthiness rating for purely visual channelization. The summary below maps the working tradeoffs.
| Attribute | Plastic Jersey (water-filled) | Concrete Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Weight per segment | 50–80 lb empty / 200–400 lb filled | 2,800–5,800 lb (10–20 ft segment) |
| Typical lengths | 4 ft, 6 ft, 8 ft | 10 ft, 12.5 ft, 20 ft |
| Height | 32–42 in | 32 in (NJ profile) / 42 in (F-shape / TL-4) |
| MASH rating | Up to TL-2 (≤45 mph) when filled | TL-3 (~62 mph) or TL-4 (truck impact) |
| Install method | Hand-set, fill on site | Crane / boom truck |
| Typical use | Events, parking lots, low-speed work zones | Highway work zones, permanent median barrier |
| Deflection on impact | 4–8 ft | 1–2 ft |
The choice is not interchangeable. A plastic Jersey on a 65 mph highway shoulder is a failed inspection. A concrete Jersey for a parking-lot lane closure is wasted money — it costs more to mobilize than the plastic alternative is worth for the entire duration.
When does a contractor or event planner actually use Jersey barricades?
Five common use cases dominate Jersey barricade use. First, event perimeters — concerts, festivals, parades — where water-filled pedestrian barricades provide visible perimeter control without crashworthy containment. Second, parking-lot lane control — drive-thru lanes, vaccine clinics, voting precincts — where plastic Jerseys delineate flow at sub-25 mph speeds. Third, short-duration low-speed work zones — utility patches, paving, water-line repairs — where TL-2 plastic Jerseys provide both delineation and modest containment. Fourth, full-time highway work zones — bridge replacements, lane reconstructions — where MASH TL-3 concrete Jerseys are the contract requirement. Fifth, security perimeters — event entrances, government buildings, anti-vehicle approaches — where concrete or specialized anti-ram Jerseys serve dual safety/security duty.
For mid-speed work (35–55 mph) the call is judgment. The state DOT temporary traffic control plan will specify positive protection (concrete or steel) when the speed and the worker exposure together require it. For everything else, plastic Jerseys earn their place by speed of installation and removal.
What MUTCD and MASH standards apply to Jersey barricades?
Concrete Jersey barriers as longitudinal barrier are governed by AASHTO's Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The federal eligibility list for barriers is maintained by the FHWA Office of Safety roadside hardware program, which tracks the federal handoff from NCHRP 350 to MASH. TL-3 (~62 mph) is the highway-class minimum; TL-4 adds a heavy-truck impact and is required by some state DOTs on Interstate work.
Plastic water-filled Jerseys are typically MASH TL-2 (~45 mph) when properly filled and connected, with some exceptions at TL-3 for specific reinforced models. Unfilled or non-crashworthy plastic Jerseys serve as longitudinal channelizing devices (LCDs) under MUTCD §6F.74 and are not approved for positive protection. MUTCD §6F.85 covers temporary traffic barriers as a device class, including delineation and end-treatment requirements — every barrier run needs an approved end treatment (anchored attenuator or tapered length-of-need), regardless of material.
How do I size a Jersey barricade run?
Three numbers drive the run length. First, the activity-area length — how far the work or event area actually extends. Second, the upstream taper, set by MUTCD Table 6C-3 to the operating speed (50:1 ratio at 45 mph and above; shorter at lower speeds). Third, the downstream end treatment, typically 50–100 feet for an attenuator on a work zone or a tapered termination on an event perimeter.
| Application | Jersey Type | Total Length Per Side | Segment Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 ft event perimeter | Plastic, 6 ft | 500 ft | ~84 |
| 1,000 ft parking lot lane | Plastic, 6 ft | 1,000 ft | ~167 |
| Highway 1,500 ft activity area at 65 mph | Concrete, 10 ft | ~2,200 ft (with taper + end treatment) | ~220 per side |
How do I order Jersey barricades?
Send the quote with the Jersey type (plastic vs concrete), run length in linear feet, segment length preference, location speed (or "event, no traffic" if applicable), delivery address, and any state DOT plan or event-permit reference. Our quote team can match material, MASH level, and end-treatment availability, and schedule trucking. Lead time on plastic water-filled Jerseys runs 24–72 hours in major metros. Concrete Jersey barrier runs 1–2 weeks because the trucking pool is smaller and 10-foot or 20-foot segments queue at the yard. Plan early on big runs.
Quote Jersey barricades — share the linear feet, material preference, and dates, and we will confirm material, MASH level, and trucking within the hour.