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Security bollards are vehicle-barrier systems, not simply posts made from a particular material. A dependable design matches a documented crash-tested assembly to the vehicle threat, foundation, soil, approach route, pedestrian circulation and accessibility requirements at the site. ASTM F2656/F2656M-23 is an active method for assigning vehicle-impact and penetration ratings, but ASTM expressly limits those results to the tested conditions.
There is no universal “correct” distance between security bollards. Spacing must reproduce the tested array where required, stop the identified vehicle threat, preserve an accessible route and support evacuation and daily operations. The sections below show how to evaluate the materials, rating, layout and installation details before specifying a system.
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What a security bollard is—and what it is not
A security bollard is a raised post or group of posts intended to slow or stop a motor vehicle before it reaches a building, crowd, perimeter or other protected asset. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s FY2026 program dashboard describes a bollard installation as raised concrete or metal posts beside a roadway. That definition establishes the project type; it does not certify every concrete or metal post as a crash-rated barrier.
Security performance belongs to the complete system. The post, steel or concrete core, reinforcement, welds, base connection, foundation, surrounding soil and array geometry work together. A post that looks substantial may perform very differently when installed with a different footing, at a different spacing or in weaker soil. Conversely, a removable or shallow-foundation unit can be appropriate when its own tested configuration matches the site and threat.
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Material is only one selection variable
| System characteristic | What it tells you | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete post or concrete-filled assembly | Material and construction approach described by the manufacturer | That the unit has a particular vehicle-impact rating |
| Steel or other metal post | Material, section and fabrication details | That “metal” is stronger than every concrete design |
| Fixed installation | Designed to remain in place during normal operations | That its foundation equals a removable or actuated model |
| Removable or actuated installation | Allows controlled vehicle access when the documented system permits it | That it can be substituted for a fixed unit without retesting |
New York State Department of Transportation specifications require the manufacturer to document the crash-tested bollard or array and the installation needed to achieve the stated rating. That documentation is more useful than a generic claim such as “heavy-duty steel.”
How to read a crash rating
ASTM F2656/F2656M-23 is listed by ASTM International as active. It provides a structured full-scale crash-test method and a way to report vehicle-impact conditions and barrier penetration. The rating helps a designer compare a barrier with a site-specific threat, but it is bounded by the test.
The rating is conditional
ASTM’s section 5.2 states: “The barrier penetration rating does not imply that a barrier will perform as rated in all site conditions, approach routes, and topography.” The method also warns that a test result does not make a barrier invulnerable, endorse a product or establish that it is operationally suitable for every project.
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Read the test report for the exact vehicle condition, impact speed and direction, penetration result, number of impacts and barrier configuration. Confirm whether the test covered one bollard, a particular array, a gate or a variable-width system. A rating detached from those conditions is not a complete specification.
Site conditions can change the outcome
Soil, terrain, climate, drainage, pavement build-up and the available approach route can alter how a foundation and barrier respond. ASTM says that where conditions could degrade performance, they should be represented in full-scale testing or in numerical simulations that explicitly model the site conditions and have a demonstrated connection to the as-tested soil configuration. This is a design-professional decision, not a reason to assume a laboratory result transfers automatically to the field.
Variable-width barriers
ASTM F3455/F3455M-22 addresses extremely long, variable-width vehicle barriers. It uses F2656/F2656M testing of minimum- and maximum-width configurations to establish a rating for the complete barrier. This practice reinforces the importance of tested geometry; it is not a universal spacing rule for ordinary individual bollards.
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Standards named in a federal program
The USDOT FY2026 grant dashboard listed ASTM F2656, ASTM F3016, U.S. Department of State SD-STD-02.01 and PAS 68 among standards used for funded systems. It said systems outside those standards needed independent third-party engineering and physical-testing reports demonstrating mitigation of the identified threat. The opportunity shown on that dashboard closed on September 9, 2026, so the figure of up to $5 million is a historical program amount, not an open funding promise or a measure of bollard performance.
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No official source reviewed establishes one spacing value that works for every security project. The correct gap is the result of the tested array, the vehicle threat, the protected line, pedestrian movement and the governing accessibility rules.
Start with the tested arrangement
- Identify the vehicle threat and the line that must be protected.
- Obtain the test report and drawings for the proposed system.
- Record the tested number of units, center-to-center dimensions, end conditions, foundation geometry and any prohibited gaps.
- Lay out the site so the installed array corresponds to those documented conditions, or have the design professional determine what additional engineering is required.
Do not widen gaps simply to reduce the number of posts. A change in spacing can change the way a vehicle engages the array and can invalidate the relationship between the field installation and the tested system. Do not narrow gaps casually either: extra posts can affect foundations, utilities, emergency access and pedestrian flow.
Account for pedestrian movement
UK Department for Transport guidance treats air gap between bollards, stand-off distance, array width, position relative to exits and bollard height as variables in pedestrian and hostile-vehicle planning. Its evacuation-flow work describes experiments that included a 1.2 m air gap. That was an experimental configuration, not a general prescription for security performance, accessibility or every jurisdiction.
Map ordinary walking paths, queues, turning movements, mobility devices, strollers, deliveries and emergency evacuation before fixing the array. A layout that stops a vehicle but funnels people into a narrow pinch point can create a different safety problem.
Check the clear route, not just the gap
The U.S. Access Board’s 2010 ADA Standards say security barriers, including bollards and security checkpoints, must not obstruct a required accessible route or accessible means of egress. Walking surfaces generally require at least 36 inches (915 mm) of clear width, subject to the stated exceptions. Measure the unobstructed route around bases, rails, signs, planters, curbs and swing paths; the nominal distance between two posts is not automatically the compliant clear width.
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Foundation and installation details that control performance
Installation is part of the tested system. NYSDOT’s security-bollard specification calls for drawings that identify materials, weld locations and weld types, reinforcing-bar size and spacing, dimensions, array arrangement and the foundation required for the rating. Those details should be issued with the construction documents, not left to a field substitution.
Shallow versus deep foundations
Approved-system lists illustrate both shallow- and deep-foundation configurations. A shallow foundation may suit a site with limited excavation depth, while a deep foundation may provide the embedment or soil interaction required by the tested design. Neither category is inherently superior. Match the foundation type, dimensions, reinforcement and concrete requirements to the exact report and site investigation.
Single units and shared foundations
One arrangement on NYSDOT’s list requires a single bollard to share a concrete foundation with at least one other bollard. That is an example of a listed system condition, not a rule that every single bollard must be paired. Verify whether the proposed unit is tested alone, as a pair or as part of a larger array.
Construction controls
- Set out the centerline and finished elevation from the approved barrier drawings.
- Locate utilities, drainage, waterproofing, pavement joints and other buried work before excavation.
- Install reinforcing steel, anchors and welds exactly as detailed; do not substitute bar sizes or connection details without written engineering approval.
- Control concrete placement, consolidation, curing and backfill so the foundation achieves the specified condition.
- Protect the posts from impact during construction and verify final alignment, spacing and clear routes after surrounding paving is complete.
- Retain delivery records, inspection reports, as-built dimensions and the final installation manual with the project closeout documents.
Fixed, removable and actuated operation
Choose operation from the site’s access plan, not from appearance. Fixed bollards provide a continuous physical line where routine vehicle passage is not needed. Removable or actuated units can support deliveries, emergency access or scheduled loading, but every moving component introduces operating, maintenance and control requirements.
Ask whether the crash test covered the unit in its secured position, the locking hardware, adjacent fixed units and the transition between operating modes. Define who can release the barrier, how access is logged, what happens during a power failure and how emergency responders enter without leaving the protected line open.
A practical specification and procurement checklist
Before approving a quotation or product substitution, assemble the following record for the exact system:
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- Threat basis: vehicle type or condition, approach direction, expected speed, protected asset and required stand-off.
- Test evidence: complete report, test standard and edition, impact conditions, penetration result, date and independent laboratory or engineering documentation.
- Tested assembly: single bollard or array, spacing, end conditions, dimensions, height, rails or linked elements and any maximum or minimum width.
- Foundation package: plan and section details, excavation depth, concrete and reinforcement requirements, anchors, welds, backfill and soil assumptions.
- Site fit: soil investigation, terrain, climate, drainage, pavement, utilities, approach route and construction access.
- Operations: fixed, removable or actuated mode; access control; emergency release; inspection and maintenance responsibilities.
- Pedestrian and accessibility review: clear widths, accessible route and egress continuity, queue space, evacuation flow, lighting and visibility.
- Approvals: local building, highway, fire, accessibility and security requirements, plus any agency-specific product-list status.
NYSDOT’s approved security-bollard list, revised February 25, 2019, is an example of agency documentation, not a universal endorsement or a current procurement recommendation. Verify that any listing and installation documents remain valid before relying on them.
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“Steel is stronger, so any steel bollard will work”
Why it fails: Material does not establish impact resistance, foundation behavior or penetration performance.
Fix: Require the test report, assembly drawings and installation conditions for the proposed system.
“Use a standard gap between every post”
Why it fails: No universal spacing value is established, and changing the tested array can alter vehicle engagement and pedestrian circulation.
Fix: Begin with the tested geometry, then coordinate the array with the threat assessment and accessible-route plan.
“The laboratory result guarantees the site”
Why it fails: ASTM limits the penetration rating by site conditions, approach routes and topography.
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Fix: Compare soil, terrain, climate and approach conditions with the test assumptions; obtain site-representative testing or validated analysis when differences could reduce performance.
“A product on an old approval list is automatically current”
Why it fails: Listings and manufacturer documents can change, and an approved product may depend on a particular foundation or array.
Fix: Confirm the current agency status, report edition, installation instructions and proposed configuration before purchase.
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Why it fails: Bases, curbs, rails and nearby objects can reduce the actual clear route, and egress requirements apply to the route as a whole.
Fix: Dimension the unobstructed path on the accessibility and life-safety drawings and verify it in the completed installation.
Recommended design workflow
- Define the problem. Identify what must be protected, from which vehicle approach and under what operating conditions.
- Shortlist documented systems. Compare ratings, test conditions, array geometry, foundation type and operating mode rather than material labels.
- Investigate the site. Confirm soil, excavation depth, buried utilities, pavement, drainage, topography, climate exposure and approach route.
- Lay out people and vehicles together. Resolve accessible routes, egress, evacuation flow, deliveries, emergency access, queueing and maintenance clearances.
- Engineer the foundation and transitions. Detail reinforcement, welds, anchors, concrete, backfill, end conditions and interfaces with curbs or gates.
- Review evidence before release. Have the design professional reconcile the test report with the final drawings and any local authority requirements.
- Control construction and closeout. Inspect hidden work, record deviations, measure the finished array and retain manuals and as-builts for future operators.
This workflow prevents the most expensive error in bollard projects: buying a visually suitable post first and discovering later that its tested foundation, spacing or access arrangement cannot be built at the site.
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