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The Daily Insight

What does K-rail stand for

Author

Mia Morrison

Published Apr 28, 2026

The answer is both! “K-rail” is simply the California-specific term to describe what the rest of the country refers to as “Jersey barriers.” Both terms refer to the same barrier design.

Why are they called K-rail barriers?

The barriers are also known as a K-rail, a term stipulated in the California Department of Transportation specification for temporary concrete traffic barriers which first started using concrete median barriers in the mid-1940s. Over time, different variants were created.

Who makes K-rail?

Temporary Railing (Type K), also known as K-Rail or Krail, is the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) specification for temporary concrete barrier rail. Or E-Mail us today. Jensen Precast has been manufacturing and renting K-Rail for 23 years.

How long is a K-rail?

K-Rail comes in 5 ft., 10 ft.20 ft. units and both Caltrans spec and Non-Caltrans spec.

How much do K rails weigh?

Approximate Weight: 3,640 lbs.

What are the concrete dividers on the highway called?

The Jersey Barrier — also known as a Jersey Curb, K-rail, or Jersey Wall — refers to the barricades you see along the center and sides of highways, at construction sites, in parking lots, and pretty much anywhere traffic is being directed.

What is a Texas barrier?

The Texas Constant Slope barrier is made of reinforced concrete with a single slope and is used to separate traffic lanes. … The F-Shape is used where permanent concrete barriers are required. This kind of barrier has proved to be more successful than the Jersey barrier.

How long is a Jersey barrier?

12ft 6in long x 24in wide at base x 32in tall. weigh approximately 5,200 – 5,500lbs.

What are road barriers called?

Traffic barriers (sometimes called Armco barriers, also known in North America as guardrails or guard rails and in Britain as crash barriers) keep vehicles within their roadway and prevent them from colliding with dangerous obstacles such as boulders, sign supports, trees, bridge abutments, buildings, walls, and large …

How much does K Wall weigh?

Cement barricades are commonly known as K-Rail barriers or concrete jersey barricades. These barriers are an alternative to plastic jersey barriers, which are lighter weight and more portable. The most common concrete jersey barricade size used is: 10 ft Long x 24 in Wide x 32 in High and weigh approximately 4,000 lbs.

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How much does a 20 foot stick of K-rail weigh?

20 foot long at 8,000 pounds.

How are K-rails made?

What are K-Rails? Concrete Jersey Barriers and k-rail barriers are commonly found on highways and high traffic prone areas. They are made for permanent or semi-permanent applications to serve multiple purposes such as security, traffic diversion, and blocking off access.

How heavy is a concrete barrier?

Barrier sections are constructed from reinforced concrete, normally in 10 ft. lengths and weighing 4,000 lbs. or more. They are usually available from precast concrete manu- facturers, highway departments or highway contractors.

How wide is K-rail?

24″ Wide x 32″ High. K-rails have been in use since 1960s and through the years these barriers have undergone some good amount change such as increase in the height profile. They are now widely accepted as a more suitable choice for lane separation and construction areas along public highways.

What are Jersey barriers used for?

Jersey barriers are the sloped steel-reinforced concrete barriers often used as highway medians or roadside barricades. They are also sometimes used to demark lanes, provide perimeter protection around work zones, or to channel pedestrians.

What are the green things on top of concrete barriers?

Those green plastic-looking things on the roadways are looking a little rough lately. CLEVELAND — You’ve probably seen the green plastic-looking things on top of concrete barriers on the highway. They’re called plastic glare shields — and some of us here have noticed, they’re looking a little rough lately.

What is an Alaska barrier?

Similarly, the largest barriers, which stand around 20-foot-tall (6.1 m), are called Alaska barriers. Unlike the Jersey barrier, which has sloped sides at the base, some Texas and Alaska barriers have a rectangular ledge base, usable as a bench for sitting or resting and approximately knee-high for a typical adult.

What are T walls made of?

T-WALL® is a gravity retaining wall system, consisting of modular precast concrete units and select backfill. The system is a simple proven solution for grade separation on highway, bridge, railroad, water, commercial applications, and more.

What is the most common traffic barrier used?

The strong-post W-beam is the most common barrier system in use today. It consists of wood posts and wood blockouts or steel posts that support a W-beam rail element blocked out from the posts with routed timber or composite blockouts.

What is a no post on a highway?

The name no-post comes from the fact that there are no posts holding them in place. They are free standing but do interconnect with each other using a hook and loop system and when connected and being made of concrete, they are a very effective type of fence.

Why is road median divider used?

Median barriers physically separate opposing traffic streams and help stop vehicles travelling into opposing traffic lanes. They are often built on the centre of wide urban multi-lane roads where they can be used to stop pedestrians crossing the road at unsafe places.

Who invented Jersey barriers?

The Jersey barrier, also called New Jersey wall, was developed at the Stevens Institute of Technology in 1950s (introduced in current form in 1959), New Jersey, United States, under the direction of the New Jersey State Highway Department to divide multiple lanes on a highway.

What are guard rails called?

Although the OSHA standard calls for a guardrail or guardrail system to protect workers on elevated work areas, current industry terminology would refer to that type of safety system as a handrail system or safety rail system.

What is a Type 3 barricade?

Type III Barricades are larger than Type 2 or Type 1 and have three reflective panels. Type 3 barricades are most often used for road closings because of their bigger size and visibility. They are positioned across roadways for detours, road closing and other types of traffic control.

What is a rigid barrier?

Rigid barriers are typically concrete, steel or a combination of both. As rigid barriers have limited movement, yield or deformation during impacts they are generally able to sustain multiple impacts without repair.

Do concrete barriers have rebar?

Ideal for anywhere public safety and security is a priority. These highway barriers are made to offer maximum durability and minimum maintenance. Available in a variety of colors and finishes to choose from. These rebar reinforced concrete jersey barriers meet the ASTM C33 and ASTM C150 standards for aggregates.

How tall are cement barriers?

For this to occur, the concrete barrier must have a minimum height of 815 mm (32 in). To contain and redirect an “18-wheeler” or tractor-trailer in a crash test, a concrete barrier must have a minimum height of 1070 mm (42 in).

How much concrete do I need for a Jersey barrier?

Concrete Traffic & Safety Barrier 48″, 750 lbs. Concrete Traffic & Safety Barrier 48″, 480 lbs. Concrete Traffic & Safety Barrier 96″, 3,150 lbs.

How Much Does a Texas block weigh?

The largest block size is 40 inches long by 14 inches wide and tall and weighs between 550 to 600 pounds each. Smaller blocks are also available. The blocks are extremely dense. “Conventionally, limestone blocks are mined from quarries in Texas and other areas,” Barbee said.

How much do plastic Jersey barriers weigh?

Standard-size traditional Plastic Jersey barriers weigh (depending upon the model chosen) 100-200 pounds when empty, enabling rapid deployment in emergency situations. Water-filled barriers will weigh between 1,300 – 2,000 pounds, providing optimum stability.

How much does a concrete barrier block weigh?

Full Barrier Block: 2’x2’x6′ | 1 yard of concrete weighs approximately 4,000 pounds. Half Barrier Block: 2’x2’x3′ | 1/2 yard of concrete weighs approximately 2,000 pounds.