Jersey Barriers

"Jersey barrier" refers to the New Jersey safety-shape concrete barrier profile — developed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and still one of the most recognized precast concrete barrier shapes in highway construction. Road Safety Systems supplies and installs Jersey shape barrier for median separation, permanent installations, and work zone applications across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.

The Jersey Shape Profile

The Jersey barrier's defining feature is its stepped, sloped face: a low-angle slope near the ground transitions to a steeper upper slope, designed so a vehicle's tire rides up the lower slope on impact, redirecting the vehicle back toward its travel lane while limiting body damage and the risk of the vehicle vaulting the barrier. It remains one of three common concrete safety-shape profiles used today, alongside F-shape (a later refinement with revised slope angles for improved crash performance) and single-slope barrier.

Where Jersey Shape Is Specified

Jersey shape barrier is specified for median separation on divided highways, permanent barrier installations at bridge approaches and retaining sections, and — in precast, pin-connected segments — temporary work zone applications where its historical performance record and wide manufacturer availability make it a common default choice. Many state DOT and turnpike authority barrier programs maintain approved Jersey shape designs alongside newer F-shape and single-slope standards.

Installation

We install both cast-in-place and precast Jersey barrier, coordinating anchorage, joint connections, and drainage detailing per the applicable agency's standard drawings. For permanent installations, that includes rebar placement and concrete pour sequencing; for precast work zone segments, it means verifying pin connections and segment alignment for a continuous, gap-free barrier run.

Jersey Shape vs. F-Shape vs. Single-Slope

Agencies and engineers choose between these three safety shapes based on the test level required, vehicle mix, and, in some cases, simply which shape the agency has standardized on for its existing barrier inventory. We can supply and install whichever profile a project's design calls for, and can advise on availability and lead times across all three when a project has flexibility in barrier selection.