Crash Barriers
Jersey Barrier Cost (2026): Section & Install Prices
Cojo
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A 10-foot concrete jersey barrier section runs $250 to $450 in 2026 for the unit alone, plus $150 to $250 in delivery for sites within 50 miles of a regional precaster, plus $400 to $1,200 per 8-hour day for crane and crew time. Total installed cost for permanent perimeter work lands at $35 to $75 per linear foot when section, freight, and labor are combined. These ranges match what we're quoting on Pacific Northwest perimeter projects in 2026.
A jersey barrier (also called a concrete jersey barrier or simply a jersey) is a precast redirective vehicle barrier with a sloped lower face, originally developed by the New Jersey State Highway Department in the 1950s and now manufactured to AASHTO MASH crash-test specifications. Jersey barrier cost in 2026 is driven by four line items -- the concrete section, freight, crane time, and any reinforcement or anchoring at the install site.
Section cost varies by length, profile, and connection system.
| Section Length | Profile | MASH Rating | Section Weight | 2026 Price (Section Only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 feet | F-shape | TL-3 | ~4,000 lb | $250 to $450 |
| 12 feet | F-shape | TL-3 | ~5,000 lb | $325 to $550 |
| 20 feet | F-shape, single-slope | TL-3 / TL-4 | ~8,000 lb | $700 to $1,300 |
| 10 feet | TL-4 reinforced | TL-4 | ~4,500 lb | $400 to $650 |
| 10 feet | Plastic water-filled | Channelizing | ~120 lb empty | $350 to $750 buy / $50 to $100 rent |
A 20-foot section reduces joint count by half on a long perimeter run, which improves impact connectivity and reduces install labor. The unit is priced at a slight per-foot premium because casting a 20-foot section requires longer forms, higher rebar continuity, and a tilt-deck trailer rather than a flatbed. The trade-off works out for runs over 400 linear feet, where the joint-reduction benefit and reduced crane lifts overcome the per-foot premium. Below 400 feet, 10-foot sections are typically cheaper installed.
Freight is the cost line that surprises owners most often. A regional precaster within 50 miles will deliver a flatbed of 8 to 10 sections for $150 to $250 base, plus distance charges of $4 to $7 per loaded mile beyond 50 miles. Sites in eastern Oregon or out of state can pay more in freight than they pay for the barriers themselves.
Industry Baseline Range
| Distance from Precaster | Delivery Cost (per flatbed, 8 to 10 sections) |
|---|---|
| 0 to 50 miles | $150 to $250 |
| 50 to 100 miles | $300 to $500 |
| 100 to 200 miles | $500 to $900 |
| Over 200 miles (out of region) | $900 to $1,800+ |
A 24,000-square-foot Salem retail perimeter we barriered in February 2026 used 84 sections delivered from a Harrisburg precaster on 9 flatbeds, total freight $1,650. The same project quoted from a Washington supplier 180 miles away would have run $4,500 in freight alone.
Set-only labor (no foundation work) on a jersey barrier perimeter is fast: a 30-ton crane with a 2-person crew sets 60 to 90 sections in an 8-hour shift on a clear, level site.
| Crane and Crew Configuration | Daily Rate (8 hours) | Sections Set per Day |
|---|---|---|
| 30-ton crane + 2-person crew | $1,800 to $2,800 | 60 to 90 |
| 50-ton crane + 3-person crew (20-ft sections) | $2,800 to $4,200 | 30 to 50 (20-ft sections) |
| Forklift-set + 2-person crew (10-ft sections only) | $900 to $1,500 | 30 to 50 |
Crane and operator rates have moved up roughly 18 percent across the I-5 corridor since 2024, driven by operator certification cost and fuel pricing. Concrete section prices have moved up about 8 percent over the same period. The practical effect on 2026 quotes is that the labor line on a 1,000-linear-foot perimeter is now closer to 30 percent of total cost, where it was 25 percent in 2024. Most perimeter savings now come from consolidating the install into one mobilization rather than spreading it across multiple days.
For permanent perimeter work using 10-foot F-shape MASH TL-3 sections delivered within 50 miles of a regional precaster, total installed cost lands at $35 to $75 per linear foot in 2026. The high end of that range covers sites with grade changes, longer freight, or rebar-tied joint connections.
| Project Type | Total Cost per Linear Foot (Installed) |
|---|---|
| Straight perimeter, level grade, 50-mile freight | $35 to $50 |
| Perimeter with corners and minor grade changes | $45 to $65 |
| Truck-court perimeter (TL-4, 20-ft sections) | $55 to $90 |
| Perimeter with cast-in-place pour-in-place foundation | $90 to $140 |
For projects under 90 days -- construction zones, surge events, temporary traffic control -- rental concrete jersey is typically the right call.
| Rental Configuration | 2026 Range |
|---|---|
| Concrete jersey, 10-ft section, 30-day rental | $80 to $150 per section |
| Concrete jersey, 10-ft section, 90-day rental | $200 to $400 per section |
| Plastic water-filled, 10-ft section, 30-day rental | $35 to $75 per section |
| Delivery and pickup (round trip, within 50 miles) | $300 to $600 per truck |
Five factors drive most of the spread between a low quote and a high quote on the same project:
A perimeter quoted 25 percent higher than another on the same site is often quoting the same hardware with different freight or crane assumptions, not different barrier quality.
Our default precaster network for Pacific Northwest perimeter work is Knife River out of Harrisburg and Oldcastle out of the Portland regional plant, both within 50 miles of most I-5 corridor projects. For TL-4 work we move up to Concrete Industries on a 14- to 21-day lead. For rental and event-perimeter, we pull from a regional barrier-rental network with 48- to 72-hour delivery.
For a manufacturer-by-manufacturer comparison, see our guide to the best jersey barriers in 2026. For a city-specific install record, see crash barrier installation in Portland.
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