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DOT rolls out live plow tracking, sidewalk-priority mapping and safety reporting tools; committee hears pedestrian‑fatality concern
Summary
DOT described recent digital modernization efforts — live plow tracking on 511, an operations dashboard and a sidewalk winter‑clearing beta for Anchorage — and outlined safety reporting features and Vision Zero coordination after a spike in pedestrian fatalities in Anchorage.
Deputy Commissioner Catherine Keith and Commissioner Ryan Anderson briefed the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 23 about DOT’s modernization initiatives for operations and winter maintenance, and on how those tools support safety work across the state.
Modernization features described
- Live plow tracking: Keith said DOT recently deployed live plow tracking on the state’s 511 system. She described an initial deployment using 30 cell phones that operators keep on while working; the public can view plow tracks and timestamps on 511 to see when a road segment was plowed.
- Winter operations dashboard: DOT is developing a winter operations dashboard that layers road‑priority sequences and planned actions for urban areas such as Anchorage and Fairbanks.
- Sidewalk winter‑clearing beta (Anchorage): DOT said it has a pilot sidewalk‑maintenance tool for Anchorage that displays sidewalk clearing priorities and who is responsible for clearing after an event.
Safety reporting and pedestrian fatalities
Deputy Commissioner Keith said the department has an online feature where the public can report safety concerns (for example, a downed sign). DOT also described partnering with local Vision Zero efforts in Anchorage to respond to a concentrated series of pedestrian fatalities in September. Commissioner Anderson and deputies said work includes EMS equipment support (funding jaws‑of‑life kits to EMS providers) and medevac access improvements along rural high-speed routes.
Why it matters: DOT said these digital tools increase transparency and public access to operational information, reduce staff reporting burdens, help prioritize pavement and bridge preservation and support targeted safety actions.
Ending: DOT invited the committee and the public to view 511 and the pilot tools online and said it will continue integrating the systems into capital project planning and public comment processes.
