Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
02/06/2025 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Winter Road Maintenance | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 6, 2025
1:32 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair
Representative Genevieve Mina
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Elexie Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Kevin McCabe
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: WINTER ROAD MAINTENANCE
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison, Special Assistant to the
Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter
Snow Operations and State Equipment Fleet."
BRAD BYLSMA, Director
State Equipment Fleet
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter
Snow Operations and State Equipment Fleet."
JASON SAKALASKAS, Chief
Maintenance and Operations
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter
Snow Operations and State Equipment Fleet."
BURRELL NICKERSON, Manager
Maintenance and Operations
Central Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter
Snow Operations and State Equipment Fleet."
CHRISTINE LANGLEY, Director
Data Modernization and Innovation Office
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter
Snow Operations and State Equipment Fleet."
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:32:11 PM
CO-CHAIR TED EISCHEID called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. Representatives Mina,
Tilton, Carrick, and Eischeid were present at the call to order.
Representative Moore arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: Winter Road Maintenance
PRESENTATION: Winter Road Maintenance
1:33:30 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the only order of business
would be a presentation from the Department of Transportation
and Public Facilities on winter road maintenance.
1:34:27 PM
ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison, Special Assistant to the
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), co-presented the
PowerPoint, titled "Winter Snow Operations and State Equipment
Fleet" [hard copy included in the committee packet]. On slide
1, he noted that because winter road maintenance is a core
function of the department, multiple representatives from DOT&PF
would be giving the presentation. He moved to slide 2 and
pointed out that DOT&PF has 80 maintenance shops across the
state. He spoke about the distinct nature of the road system in
the state, noting the challenge of covering the state's large
geographic area. He pointed out the winter road maintenance
priority map, as seen on slide 3. He referred to the 2022
legislative report [copy included in the committee packet],
which codifies the prioritization for clearing roads during the
winter. He stated that the report is done for public
transparency and internal usage, and he discussed the detailed
information included in the report. He stated that this
information is reviewed every 10 years.
1:39:47 PM
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned the priority system for clearing
pedestrian pathways during the winter.
MR. MILLS responded that Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation
(FAST) Planning was the first to gather this data in the state;
therefore, FAST Planning has led the state in pedestrian and
sidewalk prioritization. He explained that FAST Planning had
identified the difference between major road usage and
pedestrian pathway and transit system usage. He stated that
this difference would be covered on future slides.
MR. MILLS moved to slide 4, which showed a color-coded priority
chart for reporting road conditions. Even though they use the
same color-coding, he emphasized that the road conditions chart
is different from the road maintenance prioritization map. He
added that this chart helps to standardize the reporting on road
conditions, and it should be used in conjunction with the 511
tool. He moved to slide 5, which showed a list of emergencies
that staff have responded to over the last six months. He
stated that these range from minor events to serious
emergencies.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned the Category A rating on the chart
on slide 4, and she questioned whether maintaining a road in
Fairbanks as bare pavement in the winter would be feasible.
MR. MILLS responded that conditions in the state vary, and bare
pavement would be feasible in many parts of Alaska, such as in
Juneau. He discussed some anti-icing and de-icing techniques
that could lead to bare and dry pavement in the winter.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned the cost of achieving this Category
A rating in Fairbanks, and she suggested that these same road
conditions would have a Category B rating or Category C rating
in Juneau. She suggested that some roads should not be
maintained to have a Category A rating.
MR. MILLS aknowledged that a Category A rating for road
conditions would not be achievable during certain times in the
winter, and he expressed the understanding that the department
would not sacrifice other roads to achieve this.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK commented on the road conditions in Fairbanks
during severe weather events.
1:49:25 PM
BRAD BYLSMA, Director, State Equipment Fleet (SEF), Department
of Transportation and Public Facilities, co-presented the
PowerPoint, titled "Winter Snow Operations and State Equipment
Fleet." He stated that SEF includes around 125 mechanics and 51
maintenance shops, as seen on slide 6. He stated that SEF
manages around 7,500 pieces of equipment for all the state
agencies. He explained that during the winter months SEF's main
focus would be the 500 pieces of snow removal equipment for the
highways and the 500 pieces of equipment for the rural airports.
MR. BYLSMA, in response to a question from Representative Mina
concerning the funding, stated that the fleet falls under the
Results Delivery Unit in the governor's budget, so it would
receive both an operating and a capital appropriation.
MR. BYLSMA moved to slide 7, which displayed a table of the
mechanic positions across the state and the corresponding
vacancy rates in each district. He pointed out that the vacancy
rates are higher for the heavy-duty mechanic positions, with
some reaching up to 50 percent. He explained that this detracts
from DOT&PF's ability to maintain equipment.
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID pointed out Anchorage's 50 percent vacancy
rate in comparison with other districts. He questioned why
Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Tok have no heavy-duty mechanic
vacancies.
MR. BYLSMA responded that the answer is multifaceted. He
pointed out that many heavy-duty mechanics reside in the Valley,
so they tend to fill those openings. He noted that resources
could be transferred to Anchorage. Concerning the low vacancy
rate in Tok, he stated that he would follow up after the meeting
with an answer. He added that this also concerns the operators,
and operator issues would be discussed later in the
presentation. In response to a follow-up from Representative
Moore concerning salary-related issues for the vacancy rates, he
stated that there is a statewide salary study, but the
department is unable to comment on the study at this time. He
expressed the understanding that the compensation package for
state mechanics is lower than what is provided in the private
sector. He expressed the understanding that there is a shortage
of qualified mechanics nationwide.
1:56:02 PM
MR. BYLSMA moved to slide 8 and discussed the department's
strategy concerning mechanic vacancies. He stated that the
department is using more private sector shops and dealerships to
maintain state equipment. Because of the vacancy rates, he
noted that the cost of using contracted maintenance has risen
over the last four years, as seen on the slide. He added that
this specialized maintenance can be more efficient.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA questioned the comparison between the money
spent on contracting versus increasing wages in the department.
MR. BYLSMA responded that the department balances the immediate
need, as time is critical for winter road maintenance. He
pointed out that it might be slightly more expensive to go
through a contractor, but the repairs are done in a shorter
amount of time. However, he added that this is not always the
case, reiterating that the need for contractors is determined on
a case-by-case basis for efficiency and cost savings.
MR. BYLSMA, in response to a question from Co-Chair Eischeid
concerning the department's equipment allotment, stated that
before the COVID-19 pandemic, the department could order the
trucks as needed; however, manufacturers now have an allocation
on the number they can supply per the number they can build. He
spoke about the limitations this has created. In response to a
question from Representative Moore, he explained that the state
is not necessarily in a shortage, but aging vehicles have to be
replaced. He deferred the question to the next presenter. Per
the chart on the slide, he responded that, per appropriations
approval, the department plans to order 30 plow trucks in the
fiscal year 2026. He pointed out that yearly orders come in a
constant flow.
MR. BYLSMA, in response to a question from Representative
Tilton, responded that the useful life of a plow truck is
variable, depending on the climate and the number of roads it
maintains. He added that a full plow truck could last around
10-to-15 years. He noted that some of a truck's components
could be used for a second time. In response to a follow-up
question, he stated that the backlog constantly changes with
maintenance needs, and he suggested that 30 trucks would not be
enough. He stated that he would follow up after the meeting
with an exact number.
2:07:05 PM
JASON SAKALASKAS, Chief, Maintenance and Operations (M&O),
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, co-presented
the PowerPoint, titled "Winter Snow Operations and State
Equipment Fleet." On slide 10, he reiterated that DOT&PF's
winter maintenance prioritization is public information;
however, he pointed out that the department would refine
individual plow routes to maximize efficiency and consistency,
and he gave details. Based on the storm size, severity, and
location, he said equipment operators would work overtime, and
personnel could be moved to help in areas with vacancy issues.
He stated that specialized funding has also been used for
contractors.
MR. SAKALASKAS discussed the key factors in storm response.
Concerning equipment availability, he stated that this is always
changing, so answers could "be vague." He stated that some of
the factors that affect storm response include equipment
downtime, the temperature trends and weather, traffic volumes,
snow haul, and emergency calls. He noted that the National
Weather Service is extremely important to the department.
2:12:53 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS, in response to a question from Co-Chair Carrick
concerning the prioritization for clearing major pedestrian
pathways, said that this would be discussed in future slides.
He noted that the department is working on mapping this priority
from a pedestrian mindset. He stated that he would talk about
the needed equipment in a future slide.
MR. SAKALASKAS moved to slide 11, which displayed the vacancy
rates of the department's winter operators across the state. He
noted the decrease in vacancies across the board over the last
year. He pointed out that the equipment operators have had a
renegotiated union contract, which includes pay raises. He
reiterated that vacancy rates depend on the region. He
discussed some of the strategies that the department is using to
fill positions, including offering flexible staffing schedules
and career paths for those who need training.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA questioned the difference between the
vacancy rate for mechanics in Anchorage and the vacancy rate for
operators.
MR. SAKALASKAS deferred to Mr. Bylsma.
MR. BYLSMA explained that slide 7 refers to the number of total
heavy-duty mechanics in the winter. He explained that while
mechanics and operators are in the same bargaining unit, these
would be different job classes.
2:22:30 PM
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned whether bonuses are offered as a
recruitment tool.
MR. MILLS responded that this was not included in the new
bargaining agreement, so it would not be immediately offered.
He noted that this could be a possibility in the future. In
response to a follow-up question, he reiterated that the
operators do not have bonuses because this was not part of their
new contract; however, he noted that the Alaska Marine Highway
System would offer bonuses for recruitment.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned whether heavy equipment mechanics
would have a recruitment bonus. She also questioned the
starting pay for state mechanics compared to those in the
private sector.
MR. BYLSMA responded that there are no recruitment bonuses for
heavy equipment mechanics. Per her second question, he
responded that the mechanic's wage would only be part of a
private sector's rate to maintain equipment. He continued that
the department compares its labor rates to the private sector's
rates to see which is the most economical. He added that the
department's wage scale would be based on geographic differences
and experience; however, he expressed the opinion that these
wages would be lower than in the private sector.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK, for an example, questioned the starting wage
for a heavy equipment mechanic in Anchorage versus one in
Fairbanks.
MR. BYLSMA responded that he would follow up with the specifics
after the meeting. He noted that each wage amount would be
different per the geographic difference and cost of living.
MR. MILLS added that the same geographic differential has been
used since around 2008. He explained that a comparison between
the wage rates for contracted mechanics and state mechanics
would be difficult because the contracted wage would include
facility costs, and other variables. He emphasized the
complexity of comparing the pay scales.
2:27:36 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS, in response to a question from Representative
Moore, stated that the rise in vacancy rates in Valdez resulted
from individuals retiring and others moving to higher paying
jobs. He stated that the department is addressing this staff
shortage by sharing operators across districts and allowing for
schedule variations. He noted that in these situations, staff
would be paid overtime. In response to a follow-up question, he
stated that if recruitment trends do not improve, bonuses would
be a consideration.
MR. MILLS, in response to a request from Co-Chair Eischeid,
stated that Mr. Bylsma would provide the data on starting wages
for heavy-duty mechanics in the state. He added that he would
follow up after the meeting with the data on the wages for
heavy-duty mechanics in the private sector.
MR. SAKALASKAS spoke to the department's efforts on efficiencies
in collaboration with other agencies. On slide 12, he pointed
out several of these entities, noting that this collaboration
normally occurs in urban locations with boroughs and city
entities. Concerning delivering services to priority level 3
and priority level 4 roadways in severe storms, he said that the
department has received special allocation funding to use
contractors to perform this work. He stated that this funding
helps, as the department would be able to guarantee contracts
early. He noted that this would also help with contracts on
pedestrian pathways.
2:33:44 PM
BURRELL NICKERSON, Manager, Maintenance and Operations, Central
Region, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, in
response to a question from Representative Mina, stated that he
would follow up with more details on the Municipality of
Anchorage's winter Transfer of Responsibilities Agreement.
MR. SAKALASKAS moved to slide 13 and discussed M&O for the 237
airports in the state. He discussed the maintenance on rural
airports, pointing out that these airports would hire
contractors, as they do not have state personnel. He stated
that the cost averages around $50,000 to $100,000 per year per
airport. He expressed the understanding that contracts would be
the most efficient way to do year-round maintenance in rural
areas. He moved to slide 14 and spoke to two recent emergencies
at Thompson Pass, and he described the exemplary response by the
maintenance station there.
2:40:04 PM
MR. NICKERSON co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter Snow
Operations and State Equipment Fleet." On slide 15, he pointed
out the map that showed sidewalk plowing priority in Anchorage.
He aknowledged that the map was the result from a discussion on
the priority of winter road and sidewalk plowing. He discussed
the use of contractors in Anchorage for rapid response in the
winter. He noted that this would be used for roads with
priority level 3 and priority level 4. He added that Anchorage
has been "well served" by these rapid response contractors. He
noted that in the department's Central Region, there are around
20 contracts for this year. He stated that when the contractors
are not needed, they would still receive a monthly payment. In
response to a question from Representative Mina concerning the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and access, he said that
M&O would collaborate with the Municipality of Anchorage, as
there would be a separate unit to clear bus stops from snow,
ensuring ADA accessibility. He expressed the understanding that
this collaboration is going well.
MR. NICKERSON moved to slide 16, which displayed graphs on the
snowfall levels in Anchorage for the past four years.
Concerning emergencies that DOT&PF responds to, he moved to
slide 17 and discussed the erosion on the Homer Spit caused by
storms. He stated that M&O, along with the City of Homer,
identified the problem and shut down the road. He stated that a
contractor was brought in for the repair. He noted that the
governor declared this an emergency, and the problem was
addressed quickly. He moved to slide 18 and discussed the
collapse of the Rabbit Creek Pedestrian Bridge, and DOT&PF's
response. He stated that during a wind event, the walls and
roof collapsed, and this closed the road. He stated that in
response DOT&PF worked closely with the school district to close
off the area. He estimated the time and cost for this repair.
2:49:26 PM
CHRISTINE LANGLEY, Director, Data Modernization, and Innovation
Office (DMIO), Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities, co-presented the PowerPoint, titled "Winter Snow
Operations and State Equipment Fleet." She stated that DMIO was
created a year ago, and in the upcoming fiscal year, it would be
a DOT&PF division. On slide 19, she pointed out the avalanche
data for the 2024 calendar year, and she noted that the state is
bringing data together to better understand what is affecting
Alaskans statewide. She listed the groups within DMIO, as
follows: Traffic and Safety Engineering and Operations, Research
and Innovation, Transportation Data, and Asset Management and
Reporting. She explained the goals of each group, as seen on
the slide.
MS. LANGLEY moved to slide 20 and further discussed how the
department is working to bring together data from different
departments. She noted that the state collects a "wealth" of
information on avalanche reporting, real-time weather
conditions, the ongoing analysis of the state's roadways, and
the state's assets. She explained that this data is being used
with new tools that would support the department and the public.
On slide 21, she discussed some of the new tools. She drew
attention to how data is being used to create the sidewalk
priority map, and she discussed the difference between the
priority of roads versus the priority of pedestrian pathways in
specific instances. Also shown on the slide, she discussed the
Winter Operations Dashboard tool, which displays where plows are
working and how they are handling the conditions. She pointed
out that this tool also shows current weather conditions
compared with the past two years. She added that this tool
allows M&O staff to track its resources. She noted the panel on
the bottom of the slide, which showed a map of winter
maintenance by district. She stated that this tool would help
the public understand the local snow maintenance routes.
2:58:36 PM
MS. LANGLEY moved to slide 22 and discussed the tool that helps
the department with the goal of increased transparency and
reporting. She pointed out a more detailed look at the Winter
Operations Dashboard. She noted the quick response (QR) code
that allows for real-time access to roadway priority levels and
plow equipment locations. She emphasized the importance of
sharing crash reporting to the public. She pointed out the
Sidewalk Priority Level mapping tool that currently includes
Anchorage and Fairbanks. She stated that this tool is still
being developed for the public. She pointed out the Crash
Reporting tool that is also still in the process of being
developed. She noted the Performance Scorecard tool, which has
a QR code that links to the department's federal performance
reporting.
MS. LANGLEY moved to slide 23 and discussed the 511 tool. She
noted that 399,000 people have used this tool, as it reports on
the conditions of the state's roads. She stated that this site
shares unplanned and planned events. She pointed out that the
tool is used in cooperation with law enforcement. On the bottom
of the slide, she explained a pilot program in Fairbanks that
gives audio alerts to users about upcoming school buses and
maintenance vehicles on the road system. She noted the
interactive map on the 511 tool, which displays where plows have
been throughout the day.
3:06:27 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the presentation would be
paused until a later date.
3:07:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TILTON expressed appreciation to DOT&PF for
contracting with the private sector and having this partnership.
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID expressed the interest to further discuss
brine and salt usage on the roadways. He pointed out that road
plowing was one of the top public issues in Anchorage, and this
topic needs a further conversation. He expressed appreciation
to the presenters, and he made closing comments.
3:09:40 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:09
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 20250206 HTRA Winter Snow Operations SEF - FINAL (2).pdf |
HTRA 2/6/2025 1:30:00 PM |
DOT&PF Winter Road Maintenance Presentation |
| Combined 2022 Leg Intent Report - Road Priority Method and Input with Appendices A and B.pdf |
HTRA 2/6/2025 1:30:00 PM |
2022 Leg Intent Report, Road Maintenance, with Appendices |