Bollards
Best Bollards for Fire Lanes (2026 Spec Guide)
Cojo
May 7, 2026
6 min read
The best fire lane bollard depends on whether the lane needs to open for service trucks. Permanent fire-only lanes use 6-inch concrete-filled steel pipe bollards painted safety yellow or red. Service-shared fire lanes use removable bollards in flush ground sleeves. Fire-only delineation in low-impact lots can use flexible plastic delineators. The International Fire Code (IFC) 503 sets the access requirements; the bollard product just delivers them.
This guide ranks five bollard types specifically for fire-lane applications, what each does well, and the color and spacing standards Oregon fire marshals expect. It pairs with the bollard hub and bollard installation cost.
Five factors decide bollard fit in a fire-lane application:
International Fire Code 503.4 requires fire apparatus access roads to be a minimum 20 feet wide and unobstructed. The fire marshal in your jurisdiction may add specifics on bollard color, spacing, and placement.
A removable bollard sits in a flush ground sleeve cast into the pavement. The bollard locks at the base; an authorized employee unlocks and lifts the bollard for service-truck access. When the bollard is out, the sleeve is flush with pavement.
Specs: 4 to 6-inch diameter Schedule-80 pipe, 36 inches above grade, locking base, hot-dip galvanized then powder-coated safety yellow.
Cost: $1,200 to $2,200 installed each (sleeve + bollard).
Pros: Allows service access. Locks deter unauthorized removal. Replaceable. Cons: Higher cost than fixed. Requires staff to manage. Sleeve drainage matters.
The standard parking-lot bollard, dialed in for fire-lane visibility. We cover the build sequence in our concrete-filled steel bollard guide.
Specs: 6-inch Schedule-80 pipe, 36 inches above grade, set in 36-inch deep concrete footing, filled with 4,000 psi concrete, capped, powder-coated safety yellow with red painted top stripe.
Cost: $800 to $1,500 installed each.
Pros: Highest impact resistance for the cost. Repairable. 15 to 25-year service life. Cons: Permanent -- no service access. Saw-cutting required for install.
A steel bollard with a base flange anchored to the existing slab. Bolts on in under an hour. Resistance is 30 to 40 percent of an embedded equivalent, so this is delineation more than protection.
Specs: 4 to 6-inch diameter steel pipe with welded base flange, anchored with epoxy or wedge bolts, powder-coated yellow.
Cost: $400 to $900 installed each.
Pros: Fast install. No saw-cutting. Retrofit-friendly. Good visibility. Cons: Lower impact resistance. Anchor pull-out on hard hits damages slab.
A recycled-plastic flexible post that bends on impact and springs back. Not a vehicle barrier -- a no-park visual cue.
Specs: 36 to 48-inch tall, 3 to 4-inch diameter, anchored with epoxy or wedge bolt to existing pavement, fluorescent yellow or red with reflective tape.
Cost: $80 to $200 installed each.
Pros: Cheapest option. Survives passenger-car impact without damage. Bright visibility. Cons: No vehicle-stopping function. Cannot hold up against intentional ram.
A concrete-filled steel pipe bollard slip-covered with a UV-stable plastic sleeve. The sleeve is the visible cosmetic surface; the steel-and-concrete is the protection.
Specs: 6-inch concrete-filled steel core, 36 to 42 inches above grade, plastic sleeve in safety yellow or red, replaceable cap.
Cost: $900 to $1,700 installed each.
Pros: Hides minor scuffs. Sleeve replaces cheaper than re-paint. Cleaner look in retail. Cons: Sleeves UV-degrade in 5 to 10 years. Higher upfront cost than painted steel.
In Q2 2025 we installed a fire-lane bollard line at a Salem retail center where service vehicles needed access twice weekly. Spec'd as removable steel-pipe bollards on 5-foot centers, hot-dip galvanized with safety yellow powder-coat, locking bases.
The 11-bollard run took two days including sleeve installation and pavement repair. Per-bollard installed cost averaged $1,640 -- higher than fixed-bollard work because of the sleeve hardware. The retail center's grocery anchor confirmed acceptable service-truck workflow at handoff. Salem Fire signed off on the line at re-inspection.
| Fire Lane Type | Recommended Bollard |
|---|---|
| Permanent fire-only access | Fixed concrete-filled steel pipe |
| Service-shared (delivery + fire) | Removable steel pipe in sleeve |
| Aesthetic-priority retail | Plastic-sleeve steel core |
| Low-impact visual delineation | Flexible plastic delineator |
| Retrofit on no-cut pavement | Surface-mount steel |
Confirm current requirements with your local fire marshal and AHJ before locking a spec -- fire-code language drifts each cycle.
Cojo installs fire-lane bollards across Oregon -- fixed or removable, painted or sleeved. We coordinate with your fire marshal on color and spacing, install footings or sleeves in coordination with paving and striping, and stripe the surrounding curb and pavement on the same mobilization. Contact Cojo for a fire-lane bollard quote.
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