RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Last year, the attorney general filed a lawsuit against Trinity Industries claiming fraud after it was revealed the company modified the design of one of their guardrails without notifying federal or state governments.
Eight federal tests on the ET Plus back in 2005 guardrails earlier this year showed them to be safe for roads. Last month, VDOT conducted a number of its own tests on the ET Plus in an effort to determine if the product is safe for Virginia roads. Those test results are not back, but a document filed by the attorney general’s office reads:
“The new, modified et-plus was recently crash tested by Virginia using the low angle critical test and it failed miserably. The pickup truck in one test went airborne after hitting the extruder head then flipped and landed on the guardrail.”
A picture of the truck was included in the documents. For the past two weeks, Trinity has launched a campaign with ads and billboards accusing VDOT of improperly installing its product on Virginia roads. The company also accuses VDOT of improperly testing the product last month.
“VDOT’s crash tests of the et plus system were done to try and produce a failure to support its litigation, plain and simple,” Trinity spokesperson Jeff Eller said.
VDOT has not said when they will get the results of last month’s test. A spokesperson for the department says VDOT has not and will not speculate on what those results will be, and will not make any judgments on results until it has been thoroughly reviewed.
Meanwhile, Trinity Industries says they are receiving inquiries from potential customers on buying ET Plus guardrails. The company says they will resume shipping the product as soon as orders are in.
