Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
02/01/2024 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Dotpf Winter Weather Operations | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 1, 2024
1:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator James Kaufman, Chair
Senator David Wilson, Vice Chair
Senator Löki Tobin
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Robert Myers
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present.
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): DOTPF WINTER WEATHER OPERATIONS
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
RYAN ANDERSON, Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
ANDY MILLS, Special Assistant
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
JASON SAKALASKAS, Chief of Maintenance & Operations,
Northern Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
BRAD BYLSMA, Fleet Manager
State Equipment Fleet
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
SEAN HOLLAND, Regional Director
Central Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
TIMOTHY GLASSETT, Manager
Avalanche and Artillery Program
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Girdwood, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on DOTPF Winter
Weather Operations.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:33:32 PM
CHAIR JAMES KAUFMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Kiehl, Myers, Tobin, Wilson and Chair
Kaufman.
^PRESENTATION(S): DOTPF WINTER WEATHER OPERATIONS
PRESENTATION ON DOTPF WINTER WEATHER OPERATIONS
1:34:45 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN announced that the agenda would consist of a
presentation from the Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities (DOTPF) on the department's winter weather
operations.
1:36:11 PM
RYAN ANDERSON, Commissioner, Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Fairbanks, Alaska, introduced the
presentation and indicated that the representatives from the
department would delve into the strategies for handling winter
weather incidents statewide. He said the presentation aims to
offer an overview of the department's operations, detailing its
setup, response mechanisms, equipment deployment, and strategies
for addressing diverse challenges. Additionally, the
presentation would touch on the significant winter storm
Anchorage experienced the previous winter, as well as the
avalanche program, highlighting the heightened avalanche
activity during the past year.
1:38:13 PM
SENATOR WILSON noted that while the heavy snowfall in Anchorage
was acknowledged, significant snowfall was also experienced by
the community of Mat-Su just north of Anchorage, as well as the
Southeast region of Alaska. He encouraged DOTPF to think about
what it can do for the Mat-Su.
1:39:01 PM
ANDY MILLS, Special Assistant,
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF),
Juneau, Alaska, moved to slide 2, "October 10, 2023 - Snow
Summit":
[Original punctuation provided.]
October 10, 2023 - Snow Summit
"Gathering of state and local stakeholders to discuss
winter operations, challenges, and innovations."
• Keeping Winter Roads Clear (M&O*)
• Winter Maintenance Priorities for Sidewalks Paths
(FAST Planning)
• Designing for Complete Streets in Northern Climates
(Pedestrian and Bike Planning)
• 511 Innovations and RWIS*** (DMIO**)
• Winter Snow Removal Operations (M&O*)
• Extreme Events: How DOT&PF Prepares
(Commissioner)
• Avalanche Program and Innovations
(Avalanche/Drone Teams)
• Seasonal and Ice Roads
(UAF Arctic Infrastructure Development Center)
• Snowtrails: Snowmachine Grants
(DOT&PF Resiliency Coordinator)
• Innovations: Winter Operations Dashboard and Mobile
RWIS***(DMIO**)
* Maintenance and Operations (M&O)
** Data Modernization and Innovation Office (DMIO)
***Road Weather Information System (RWIS)
MR. MILLS mentioned that the inaugural summit aimed to bring
together stakeholders and policymakers to address a range of
issues and identify collaborative opportunities to address
operational challenges. Discussions included prioritizing
sidewalk maintenance, recognizing the importance of non-
motorized users, an area where the department acknowledges the
need for improvement, and expanding ice roads and snow trails.
He noted that the summit saw a strong turnout, with over 80
attendees from Anchorage, and was also streamed online.
1:41:55 PM
MR. MILLS moved to slide 3, "Snow Summit Follow-Up: New Tools,"
depicting a map of Alaska detailing winter maintenance priority
by district. He mentioned the establishment of a recently
created office within the department, known as the Division of
Modernization and Innovation, which has been a developing
initiative. He noted Commissioner Anderson's emphasis on the
significance of innovation, highlighting the utilization of data
and novel tools to enhance decision-making within the
department. Additionally, he stated that these efforts aim to
increase transparency regarding departmental activities for the
public.
MR. MILLS invited members and attendees to use their smartphones
to scan the Quick Response (QR) code on the slide, granting
access to the interactive Geographic Information System (GIS)
map accessible through the department's website. He mentioned
the existing Winter Maintenance Priority map, acknowledging its
limitations as a constrained GIS map that solely displayed set
priorities without additional details. The aim is to enhance
this map by incorporating lane miles data, enabling the tracking
of infrastructure additions in relation to maintenance
priorities and facilitating periodic reassessment as required.
This initiative is intended to serve as a tool for future
innovation.
1:43:59 PM
SENATOR TOBIN said that the interactive map was helpful and that
she shared it with a few constituents. She sought clarification
on the significance of using the color white on the map for
certain roads.
1:44:21 PM
MR. MILLS responded that roads marked in white on the map are
not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation
(DOT). In cases where a road lacks any designated color, it
indicates that maintenance responsibility for that area falls
under a different jurisdiction.
1:44:45 PM
MR. MILLS continued discussing slide 3. He highlighted the
Winter Operations Dashboard, which is intended to provide
service notifications to the public of when and where snow
maintenance has been completed, without burdening other
agencies. The goal of the dashboard is to provide useful and
timely information to the public by including data from
jurisdictions outside of the department's scope. He emphasized
the public is concerned with the condition of the roads; not who
is operating on that specific road.
1:46:35 PM
SENATOR TOBIN revisited the interactive map, seeking
clarification that roads marked in white, such as in the case of
Gambell and Ingra, are in fact roads that do not receive winter
maintenance services from DOT.
1:47:00 PM
MR. MILLS explained that such situations typically arise from
transfer-of-responsibility agreements (TORA) for those roads.
These cases involve DOT roads being maintained by another
entity, such as the Municipality of Anchorage. This arrangement
aims to optimize route efficiency, with the other entity
maintaining the DOTPF road in exchange for the DOTPF performing
maintenance on their infrastructure. The department is
constantly engaged in reviewing the list and making necessary
adjustments.
1:47:54 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked if that also includes pedestrian assets in
those areas. She highlighted prioritizing sidewalks in heavy
pedestrian cities like Ingra and Gambell. She inquired as to
whether they need to work with municipal partners on
prioritizing sidewalks.
1:48:15 PM
MR. MILLS referred to a project highlighted during the snow
summit in which Fairbanks created a separate priority system for
their pedestrian and unmotorized facilities. He explained that
DOTPF has prioritization on its roads and that coupling with the
road and pedestrian facilities is the same. To decouple those
allows pedestrians and non-motorized users to consider some
facilities that may be lower from a road perspective but higher
from a pedestrian perspective, such as routes to schools and
transit facilities. Some of those could modify the
prioritization of some of those pedestrian facilities. Currently
the roads and sidewalks are coupled together, and the department
would work with local jurisdictions to establish separate
priorities that could modify how roads and sidewalks are
maintained.
1:49:19 PM
SENATOR WILSON conveyed gratitude for the joint effort in
maintaining snow piles that extend across multiple districts. He
referenced Senator Tobin's question regarding sidewalk
maintenance. He sought verification that because Egan Drive in
Juneau is a state road DOTPF would maintain the road and
coinciding sidewalk.
1:50:07 PM
MR. MILLS answered that is correct. He said the department
maintains pedestrian facilities associated with priority roads.
1:50:24 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON shifted the conversation to address the
overarching perspective of winter operations at the statewide
level and how the department is structured across maintenance
districts to serve the public. He turned the presentation over
to Mr. Sakalaskas, who leads the maintenance facilities in the
northern region.
1:51:10 PM
JASON SAKALASKAS, Chief of Maintenance & Operations, Northern
Region, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities (DOT&PF), Fairbanks, Alaska, moved to slide 4,
"Winter Operations and Budgets", depicting a map of Alaska
showing the square mileage of each Alaskan district. He
addressed maintenance operation from a statewide perspective. He
explained that the map displayed regional and district breakout
and noted that some districts are larger than the entire state
of Florida, emphasizing that the department tackles a great
expanse across the state.
1:51:52 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS explained that he wanted to acknowledge the
number of districts within each region. He pointed out the
districts across the map. The Northern region has nine
districts, the Central region has five districts and the
Southcoast region has two districts. There is a vast diversity
of needs both within region and district. He pointed out that
the Western district has a lot of airports and a reduced
responsibility geared toward roads. Fairbanks, for example, has
a lot of roads and limited airports. The budgeting process
establishes budget by region down to a district level, due to
widely varied needs, to provide flexibility to meet all needs,
and to allow resources to be moved within each district so
services are delivered.
1:54:11 PM
SENATOR KIEHL mentioned the concept of consolidating highways
and airports within districts and reallocating assets
accordingly. He also expanded on the idea of utilizing the same
assets for regular streets. He inquired whether the department
has explored the feasibility of implementing such measures.
1:54:30 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS replied that in some cases the department has
used airport assets on highways and that it depends on how the
funding stream is invested in the original piece of equipment.
He said if the department has state funded assets at airports,
airports and state highways may use the assets. In emergency
situations, highways have used assets funded through the Airport
Improvement Program (AIP). DOTPF has worked with the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) to obtain coinciding approvals and
establish processes.
1:55:12 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated he was hopeful that DOTPF had found an
efficient solution, but funding streams appear to hinder
efficiency.
1:55:31 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS moved to slide 5:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Operations and Budgets
Snow Removal Priority System
Category A:
Condition: Good Winter Driving Conditions
Description: Bare pavement, good visibility, snow
removed from lanes and centerline,
acceptable path widths.
Category B:
Condition: Fair to Good Winter Driving Conditions
Description: Some lane blockage, icy patches, snow
cleared from the traveled way,
generally good traction.
Category C:
Condition: Fair to Difficult Winter Driving
Conditions
Description: Passable roads, standing water or loose
snow, patches may cover some lane
markings, slow traffic movement
Category D:
Condition: Difficult to Very Difficult Driving
Conditions
Description: Challenging travel, moderate snow
accumulation, substantial traffic
delays.
Category E:
Condition: Hazardous Winter Driving Conditions
Description: Travel not advised, considerable snow
accumulation, roads may be icy, poor
traction, extremely poor conditions.
MR. SAKALASKAS stated that the categories in snow removal
priority systems create target expectation parameters for
management and operators internally and advise the public as to
the conditions of the roads. He said road priority levels range
1-5. Level 1 is the highest priority and Level 5 is for roads
that are not maintained during the winter. The target for Level
1 roads is Category A. He continued describing how priority
levels correspond to performance target categories for both
DOTPF and the public.
1:58:31 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked if the categories were displayed on the
dashboard in the previous slide.
1:58:43 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS answered that is correct. The department's
priorities aim for categories A, B, and C within its serviced
routes.
1:58:59 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said the 511-traveler information website
color coordinates with the snow removal priority system
categories, and these are the performance targets for the
maintenance and operations staff and used to report the
condition of the roadways. Over the course of a winter event, as
time progresses through evolution of a cycle, the conditions on
the 511 websites match the categories. So, at times, a priority
1 roadway could be at a C level, but the department will work to
get it back to an A.
2:00:05 PM
MR. SAKALASKAS moved to slide 6, depicting a map of airports in
Alaska and said the slide shows the range of diversity of
airport operations across the state. Roughly 82 percent of
communities in Alaska rely on aviation as their primary means of
access. He said that of 235 rural airports, 26 are Part 139
Certified.
[Original punctuation provided.]
"Winter Operations and Budgets":
Depicting a map of airports in Alaska.
235 Rural Airports
26 are Part 139 Certified
Rural Airport Contracting
Average $50k-$100k per Airport
~82% of communities in Alaska rely on aviation as
their only means of access.
Alaska has both staffed airports, which are primarily large hub
airports which are Part 139 certified and have DOT staff present
and providing these services, and rural airports. The rural
airports are serviced by Rural Airport Maintenance (RAM)
contractors hired from the community to perform basic
maintenance and operations: snow removal during winter months,
general aviation system lighting repairs, and, most important,
runway condition reporting.
MR. SAKALASKAS said communicating the conditions of the runway
is done through a Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) process. Each
morning contractors or airport personnel are required to inspect
runways and provide an accurate (runway condition) report which
is then distributed in cooperation with flight service and NOTAM
to aircraft, ensuring that aircraft are aware of the condition
and potential hazards at any given time at the airports. The
average annual contract amount at rural airports is $50,000 -
$100,000 per airport. The annual cost associated with running
the contracts is $3-4 million. There are about 128 contractors
across the region, and they are vitally important to delivering
goods and services to remote communities.
2:03:26 PM
SENATOR WILSON addressed the operational aspects of the budget,
noting concerns raised by a few department operators regarding
timely payments. He suggested that addressing personnel issues
related to maintaining work morale could be crucial for
retention.
2:03:59 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded that payroll is a focus for the
department. He said DOTPF recognizes the importance of crew
member retention, and if someone isn't paid or has a serious
payroll problem, there is an employee in the commissioner's
office who has been tasked with contacting the worker and
resolving the issue as quickly as possible. Additionally, the
department is working with all its divisions to stay on top of
payroll issues. The department has taken proactive steps, for
instance it has taken back payroll for the Alaska Marine Highway
System.
2:05:31 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked if there was more information on the subject
that the department could provide to the committee.
2:05:35 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON answered yes.
2:05:37 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked if the commissioner took over payroll for
the entire department or just the Alaska Marine Highway system.
2:05:48 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded that DOTPF assumed control of
payroll exclusively for the Alaska Marine Highway system,
particularly for the maritime unions.
2:05:59 PM
SENATOR TOBIN noted that she was born and raised in Nome and
many community members in her father's social circle were DOTPF
employees who serviced the airport runways. She asked how the
128 contracts today compared to contracts 10-20 years ago. She
contended that in rural Alaska DOTPF positions are coveted and
asked if there was an increase in contract positions, because
the state has been unable to recruit and retain DOTPF employees
in rural areas. She asked if the rural airports were to have
DOTPF employees, what would it cost the state to run the
airports on average.
2:06:56 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded that the workforce is
experiencing stress all around; there are areas where it has
been tough to find contractors. The department is trying more
programs to stimulate interest in DOTPF jobs. He said it is
tough to compare contracting to in-house costs, but the
department would provide the information to the committee.
2:08:33 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON moved to slide 7, "Winter Operations
Staffing". He explained that the table shows the maintenance
districts in the state with their corresponding Equipment
Operator Positions and vacancy rates for those positions, based
on a report from January 29, 2024.
He stated the following:
• The average vacancy rate is 22.3 percent.
• Some camps within the districts have 50 percent vacancy
rates.
• Pre-pandemic DOTPF vacancy rates were 8-12 percent.
He quoted statistics from a report from the Alaska Ombudsman
Office (OMB)for the six-month period: July 15, 2023 to December
15, 2023, as follows:
• 378 DOTPF positions were vacated.
o 225, (sixty percent) left state service.
o 153 (40 percent) moved to other state positions.
o 103 of the 225 who left state service were equipment
operators with an average of 2.5 years of service,
compared with an overall average of 3.5 years of service.
He emphasized:
o Equipment operators at DOTPF are not sticking around.
o DOTPF is paying attention to these statistics and
considering possibilities (for the future).
• In contrast, during this period, DOTPF hired 358 people.
o 22 of the DOTPF new hires came from other state service.
o 152 were new to state service.
o The remainder were internal promotions.
2:11:29 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN remarked on the statistics and asked if the
department would have the appropriate equipment ready if the
positions were fully staffed.
2:11:59 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON answered, there is enough equipment. He
said what would change is overtime usage. Equipment use is
connected to scheduling and the availability of operators to
work the extra shifts. People are going above and beyond a lot
to complete the work.
2:12:33 PM
SENATOR TOBIN emphasized the importance of retaining current
employees and inquired about strategies in place for employee
retention.
2:12:45 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said the department has taken different
approaches to retention. The department recognizes that there
are ongoing union negotiations and therefore won't comment. He
said the department implemented a two-day on, two-day off work
schedule in a remote area that staff found appealing. The
department also did an exercise on the west coast with mission
critical incentive pay. He mentioned that the department could
not have maintained airport operations if significant numbers of
staff were lost. He acknowledged the challenge of finding
specialized workers.
2:14:08 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked whether DOTPF is managing their own hiring
and recruitment.
2:14:21 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON answered yes. The department has a group
focused on the recruitment process with a communications team
focused on outreach through social media and strategizing to
change the tone and language of recruitment notices. He said
effort is made to "sell Alaska right" and emphasize to non-
residents that DOTPF jobs are prevalent across the state.
2:15:12 PM
SENATOR WILSON said the Department of Family and Community
Services (DFCS) shortened the time from the interview to the
date of hire from 30 to 10 days. He relayed that a diesel
mechanic who applied to DOTPF waited 45 days to start following
his interview. He asked if DOTPF is monitoring this timeframe.
2:15:51 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON answered that the department tracks that
information and would provide it to the committee.
2:16:26 PM
BRAD BYLSMA, Manager State Equipment Fleet (SEF), Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Anchorage, Alaska
moved to slide 8 and shared the following information and said
the map shows every station that is manned with a mechanic:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Supporting Divisions: Statewide Equipment Fleet and
Division of Facility Services
51 Maintenance Shops Statewide
Over 8,500 pieces of state equipment and vehicles
for:
• Executive branch
• University of Alaska
• Other state agencies
827 public facilities
• 731 DOT&PF owned.
2:18:35 PM
MR. BYLSMA moved to slide 9, "Statewide Equipment Fleet and
Division of Facility Services Staffing", consisting of a table
organized by Maintenance Districts detailing how many mechanic
and facilities positions are available and their corresponding
vacancy rates. He emphasized the challenge of keeping up with
worker retention in wintertime. The Statewide Equipment Fleet
and Division of Facility Services provides maintenance support
to the state troopers, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
(ADF&G), and every agency under the executive branch so their
energy is spent maintaining vehicles and roads for many areas.
He gave an example from the slide highlighting maintenance
challenges for Anchorage. Winter snow and ice removal causes
wear and damage to the vehicles and creates more work for
underfilled mechanic positions.
2:21:23 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked whether the department had 700 non-DOT
vehicles in total. He commented that the number seemed low and
asked about the true dividing line between DOT and non-DOT
vehicles.
2:21:45 PM
MR. BYLSMA responded that the previous slide showed 8500 pieces
of equipment and that 800 of those belong to the University of
Alaska and other quasi-state agencies. He said that there are
7700 pieces across all departments and about 4500 are DOTPF
assets.
2:22:14 PM
MR. BYLSMA continued reviewing slide 9, speaking of vacancy
rates for facilities. He said that there is one technician for
every ten facilities to maintain. Maintaining a consistent team
of technicians and maintenance staff presents a notable
challenge in ensuring the upkeep of facilities.
2:23:00 PM
SENATOR KIEHL expressed his approval of running a lean operation
and noted that in smaller areas a lot of vehicle mechanics are
fixing buildings. He asked about the adequacy of these teams in
smaller communities.
2:23:36 PM
MR. BYLSMA responded that is correct; there is overlap in
skillset, toolset, and abilities to maintain both facilities and
equipment, therefore overlap occurs in some of the work. There
are lots of things that do not cross over, for example, heavy
duty diesel mechanics are not electricians. Although there is a
need for both, he emphasized the challenges posed by the
department's high vacancy rates for needed positions.
2:24:58 PM
SENATOR KIEHL said he applauds the department employees for
their work. He pointed out that sometimes heavy equipment
mechanics are doing the work of electricians. He asked whether
the department, if staffed with the number of workers allocated
in their budget, would be able to maintain its buildings.
2:25:20 PM
MR. BYLSMA said that, from the perspective of fleet equipment,
if the department were fully staffed, it would significantly
enhance efficiency in managing equipment and facilities,
resulting in reduced downtime and better maintenance of
operations.
2:26:12 PM
SEAN HOLLAND, Director, Central Region, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Anchorage,
Alaska, moved to slide 10:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Events Response:
Anchorage November 8-12, 2023
• Nov. 8 Snowstorm starts. National Weather Service
issues storm, high wind and flood warnings
throughout Southcentral (Valdez, Thompson Pass,
Anchorage, Turnagain Arm, Turnagain Pass, South &
West Copper River Basin, Susitna and Matanuska
Valleys, and Western Kenai Peninsula (over 50K
sq. miles = New York). Temperatures around 30-
31F.
• Nov. 8 Breaks daily snow record with 9" of heavy
wet snow.
• Nov. 9 Continues of up to 30" total snow fall, of
high moisture content snow.
• Nov. 12 Another round of snow of over 7.5"
Relevant Factors
• Equipment down-time
• Moisture content of snow
• High-traffic volumes
• Winter shift changeovers just started
• Single snow haul site
MR. HOLLAND shared that he is new to the department but spent 18
years prior with a three-year interim in the private sector. His
first day was November 7, 2023, and this massive snowstorm event
started on November 8. He shared his eye-opening experience
witnessing how response to the event was orchestrated, involving
constant communication from the commissioner down to the
maintenance superintendent and impressive strategic operations.
MR. HOLLAND drew attention to a recent newspaper report that
Anchorage has received 104 inches of snowfall this year. The
city is on track to break the record of 135 inches set in
2011/12, with the snowiest months of February, March, and April
still ahead. The average annual snowfall is 76 inches. This
November set a record with over 39 inches in one week. The snow
had high moisture content, adding up to 30 inches in just a few
days. Water content is significant because traffic compacts it,
creating snowpack. Removal of snowpack requires much slower
grader operation. Anecdotally, the crew said clearing the
November 2023 snow took twice as long to remove than a typical
snowstorm. Winter crew shifts are 24/7. On paper it appears
there are three hours when stations aren't manned, however crews
are alert and available 24/7. He said the crews are still
recovering from the recent snow event.
MR. HOLLAND pointed out the urban snow removal is challenging
because crews need to pick up and haul snow to snow dumps.
Anchorage currently has one snow dump. He said it is difficult
to predict new norms and unnecessary to gear operations based on
record seasons. The department can always do better in providing
our crews with fail safes to handle extraordinary events.
2:30:49 PM
MR. HOLLAND reviewed slide 11.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Event Response:
Anchorage November 2023
Anchorage District In-house Resources, Emergency
Contracts, Memorandum of Agreement
DOT&PF
• 48 equipment operators
• 13 plow trucks
• 9 graders
• 4 loaders
• 4 highway snowblowers
• 4 sidewalk snowblowers
Event-only Emergency Contracts
• Executed 3 emergency contracts due to November
event
square4 Provide 2 winter-equipped graders
square4 Priority 3 and 4 roadways
square4 Sidewalks
Slide 11 includes insets:
$1.17M supplemental request pending for this event
Memorandum of Agreement between DOT&PF and
Municipality of Anchorage for event response.
MR. HOLLAND noted that the items listed are high maintenance
equipment. He reported that during the November snowstorm, the
sidewalk blowers went through more shear pins than are normally
spent in an entire season. He emphasized that replacing the pins
is not a simple process and greatly slows production.
MR. HOLLAND stressed that plowing is hard on trucks, graders and
infrastructure. He emphasized that operating plows is a skilled
trade, requiring about 3 years of training.
2:32:36 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked whether there is mobile maintenance
capability for the equipment or does the equipment have to go to
a shop for repair.
2:32:56 PM
MR. HOLLAND replied DOTPF can replace shear pins in the field.
2:32:58 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN anecdotally described damage to a plow truck
caused by colliding with a protruding manway rim. He asked
whether the department sees that kind of damage often and are
there ways to prevent it.
2:34:02 PM
MR. HOLLAND answered that modifications to manhole
specifications have reduced collisions. Manhole frames and
covers are now recessed.
2:34:41 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked whether there is a minimum standard depth
that is maintained for manholes as some seem to get deeper over
time.
2:35:10 PM
MR. HOLLAND replied that the standard is one quarter inch
recessed. DOTPF adjusts the depth of manholes when resurfacing
pavement.
2:35:34 PM
SENATOR TOBIN described stop signs in her community that were
plowed through and not re-erected; so, traffic does not stop in
those places. She asked whether DOTPF will fix the damage and
who the community should alert.
2:36:20 PM
MR. HOLLAND advised that DOTPF's website provides contacts for
reporting asset damage. He mentioned the pothole hotline to
email or call. He stated that safety equipment, stop signs and
guardrails are repaired when damaged.
2:36:57 PM
MR. HOLLAND continued discussing slide 11 and said to give the
committee a snapshot of what it takes to keep a fleet
operational, he would share yesterday's operational data for the
Anchorage district.
• There are 48 operator positions, 39 of which are filled; 5
of those are seasonal. He pointed out that the average
full-time equipment operator cost to the state, not
including paycheck, is $140k to $150k each per year. That
cost varies based on regional adjustments.
• There are 13 plow trucks, 6 operational.
• There are 9 graders, 5 operational. There are 4 loaders,
all operational.
• There are 4 highway snowblowers, 2 operational.
• There are 4 sidewalk blowers, 1 operational.
He noted that starting this year DOTPF has on-call contracts for
sidewalk blowers in addition to DOTPF operators. He said by the
end of the November event, DOTPF was plowing sidewalks with
trucks because all their blowers were broken down. He explained
that DOTPF also has on-call contracts for graders to plow
Priorities 3 and 4 roadways, and snow haul. He said the State
pays $180 per hour for side dumps and $195-250 per hour for
graders and $175 per hour for sidewalk snowblowers.
2:39:36 PM
MR. HOLLAND acknowledged that change management to on-call
contracts was poor. He expressed strong conviction of the need
to maintain a core of expert crew in Anchorage. He clearly
stated it is not the goal of DOT to 100 percent replace crew
with contractors. He stated that the primary use of contractors
is to level the resources; plan for average years and in higher-
than-average years rely on contractors to fill the gap. He noted
that, in response to the November 2023 event, DOT worked with
the Northern Region to provide an additional highway blower and
the Mat-Su District to plow further down both the Glenn and the
Parks highways. This allowed the Central Region to focus on
urban areas.
2:40:44 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked about the timing of contracts to ensure
readiness when needed.
2:41:30 PM
MR. HOLLAND acknowledged that setting up of the on-call
contracts happened a little late, about seven days after the
storm began. He stated that the goal is to have the contracts in
place by October.
2:42:05 PM
SENATOR MYERS expressed surprise that Anchorage only has one
snow dump, whereas Fairbanks has 6-8. He offered that a common
spot for snow dumps is between overpasses and highway
interchanges and wondered if DOT considered these locations for
Anchorage.
2:42:30 PM
MR. HOLLAND agreed that more snow dump areas are needed in
Anchorage and said he would add the suggestions to the list of
possible locations.
2:42:57 PM
SENATOR TOBIN recalled testimony from Department of Health
personnel who explained that a significant factor in the SNAP
program backlog was the inability of SNAP personnel to get to
their office during the snow event. She noted the supplemental
request and wondered if any of the additional funds would
address the unintended consequences caused by state employees
not being able to get to work.
2:44:18 PM
MR. HOLLAND affirmed the $1.17 million supplemental request is
for cost over normal operations. It covers the contractor
payments; overtime premium and equipment use that DOTPF would
not normally incur. He acknowledged and concurred that there was
significant economic impact from kids not going to school and
people not getting to their jobs.
2:44:56 PM
SENATOR KIEHL wondered whether the team is big enough and if the
department has the assets needed to address reasonably expected
weather events.
2:45:50 PM
MR. HOLLAND replied that the question is subjective in his view
and the department is geared up for an average snow year,
provided the operator positions are filled. He affirmed that DOT
has adequate resources at hand for an average winter with 73
inches of snowfall.
2:46:34 PM
SENATOR KIEHL responded that according to the chart [slide 10],
Anchorage has experienced four years with 30 inches of snowfall
in November, leading him to question whether 73 inches of snow
for an entire winter is the right target.
2:46:55 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN suggested that the question may be, what is the
trend. He said it is the difference between looking at the
average and the trends.
2:47:02 PM
SENATOR WILSON followed up on Senator Myers' inquiry regarding
snow dumps. He inquired if is a way to get a waiver from the
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to allow snow to
be plowed directly into an inlet in an emergency there.
2:47:48 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that the department has permits
for emergency events in other areas, but not Anchorage. He said
he appreciates the suggestion, and the department will consider
it.
2:48:38 PM
MR. HOLLAND moved to slide 12 and explained the Transfer of
Responsibility Agreement (TORA) between DOTPF and the City of
Anchorage. The agreement allows DOT to plow high speed roadways
and the municipality can handle neighborhoods and smaller
streets to improve efficiency. Region is also a factor affecting
which roads are swapped by essentially determining how to use
time and equipment to efficiently plow roads. He opined that the
cost of gaining assistance from the City of Anchorage through 3
emergency contracts was not significant.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Event Response: Moving Forward
Transfer of Responsibility Agreement
(TORA) between DOT&PF and the
Municipality of Anchorage
Long-Term Contracts in Place
square4 Non-Motorized Paths: Old Glenn; Eagle River Loop;
North Birchwood; O'Malley; Jewel Lake
square4 Roads: Potter; Sand Lake; International; West
Dimond; Kincaid
square4 Roads: O'Malley; Elmore; Abbot; Hillside; Rabbit
Creek; DeArmoun; Huffman; Birch
square4 Roads: Post; Old Glenn; Eagle River Road; Eklutna
Lake; Birchwood Loop
MR. Holland observed that the November event provided an
opportunity to identify deficiencies and make improvements.
MR. HOLLAND stated that he takes responsibility for sidewalks
and pathways not being cleared. He emphasized that this is not a
reflection on the crews. Crews need to be properly equipped to
carry out the work, including when the demand is extraordinary.
2:51:48 PM
MR. HOLLAND explained that equipping summer seasonal equipment
with attachments that allow equipment to adapt to winter use
will lower equipment ownership costs. He described several
possible examples, especially for equipment that is usually
parked during the winter months.
MR. HOLLAND reported that the department intends to dedicate two
operators to start clearing sidewalks at the onset of a heavy
snow event and transition to more {sidewalk} support as soon as
roads are cleared.
MR. HOLLAND noted that the response has failed to meet
expectations on Priorities 3 and 4 roads, and the department
will continue to investigate the "triggers" for calls for more
equipment and operators and how best to meet the performance
goals.
2:53:31 PM
MR. HOLLAND said that the department would also investigate
installing gates on graders which will allow passage through an
intersection while carrying most of the snow to avoid creating
berms.
The department will also revisit the TORA with the city.
2:53:59 PM
MR. HOLLAND moved to slide 13.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Event Response: Moving Forward
Priority System in Anchorage: Non-motorized
• Significant pedestrian facilities to clear
• Limited snow storage
• "Complete Streets" policy pending
Sidewalk Priority
1)66.1 miles
2)35.3 miles
3)46.7 miles
Total 148.1 miles
MR. HOLLAND noted the significant pedestrian assets and the
challenges to clearing them, including limited snow storage and
the timing and coordination for snow handling between the
sidewalks and streets. The department will continue to assess
these methods and practices with the goal of improving outcomes
and efficiency. He noted that coupling the priority for the
roadways with the priority for the sidewalks will further help
with planning and efficiency.
MR. Holland explained that the "complete streets" policy will
include modernizing some of the roads in Anchorage to provide
extra snow storage. He acknowledged that policy includes some
road design safety features, such as "roundabouts" and "porkchop
islands, that create snow removal challenges.
2:55:31 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN wondered if the snow handling strategy might
change from pushing it aside to lifting and removing.
2:56:02 PM
MR. HOLLAND replied that it is much faster to put snow in a pile
than to put it in a truck. The process now is to pile it up and
come back later to pick it up and haul it away in a truck.
Identifying snow dumps in different areas of the city will be
important to improve efficiency.
2:56:56 PM
SENATOR KIEHL commended DOT for the vast improvement clearing
snow from non-motorized roads, compared with his past
experience, especially for people going to school and to work on
foot and by bike.
2:58:28 PM
TIMOTHY GLASSETT, Manager, Statewide Avalanche and Artillery
Program, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOTPF), Girdwood, Alaska moved to slide 14 to discuss Avalanche
Highway Closures and the Avalanche Mitigation Program. The slide
consists of several photos and two tables. Table 1 is titled
"AHI Hazard Levels and Typical Mitigation", while Table 2 is
titled "AHI and CBE Levels for Moderate and Higher AMZs". He
stated the seventh duty of DOT is to develop and implement an
avalanche control plan.to protect persons who use public
highways. This is accomplished through short-term and long-term
measures. Long term measures are engineering design. He drew
attention to an aerial photo of a section of the Seward Highway
with its old road alignment. The section of road was considered
"the most dangerous highway in North America with regard to
avalanche risk" by a preeminent avalanche engineer at that time.
With the change of road alignment, this is no longer the case.
Permanent measures are the long-term solution, but they are
capital intensive.
MR. GLASSETT described the Sterling and Seward interchange
project as an example of implementing long-term measures that
would have great effect towards reducing risk and eliminating
the need for short-term measures. He explained that short-term
measures include avalanche mitigation for preventive closures.
3:00:54 PM
MR. GLASSETT explained the tables and said DOT's primary means
to mitigate avalanches is artillery. He reported that the army
says DOT must "move away from artillery" and in 5-15 years
artillery will no longer be an option. DOT is considering long-
term solutions, including remote avalanche control systems
(RACS) and discussed new technology to mitigate avalanches.
3:02:16 PM
MR. GLASSETT moved to slide 15:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Winter Event Response:
New Technology in Avalanche Mitigation
Pioneering Drone Dock Testing: First in the nation to
test drone docks for automated imagery collection.
Purpose: Enhances snow depth modeling and weather
observation.
Digital Transformation with GIS: Leading in digitizing
avalanche paths for improved asset management.
Avalanche Hazard Reduction: Nationwide first to
receive approval for using explosives with drones for
avalanche control.
Bridging the Gap: Utilizing UAS (Unmanned Aircraft
Systems) as a step towards long-term hazard
mitigation.
Future Focus: Implementing RACs (Remote Avalanche
Control Systems) for enhanced safety.
MR. GLASSETT reported that DOT currently has two initiatives in
the research phase:
• Remote drone UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) docks are
programmed to map avalanche paths, providing more
information to decide more accurately where mitigation
should be done. That will also provide data to inform the
build-out of Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS).
• Testing UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) to determine
whether they could be used to safely, accurately, reliably
deploy mitigation explosives.
MR. GLASSETT explained that artillery as an option for
mitigating avalanche risk will go away and there is no one
system that can replace it. He asserts that UAS systems will
fill the gap for locations where RACS are not cost-effective.
3:04:34 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked why artillery would no longer be an option
and if it would be possible to observe demonstrations of
artillery and drone systems deployed to mitigate avalanche risk.
3:05:21 PM
MR. GLASSETT explained that there are multiple reasons that
artillery will no longer be an option:
• Alaska DOT currently has a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
with the US Army to use artillery which will go away as
commercial options become available.
• Alaska has gone through four types of artillery to date.
MR. GLASSETT explained that opportunities to observe
demonstrations are limited due to safety and manufacture
concerns.
3:07:00 PM
SENATOR WILSON inquired as to the timeline for discontinuing the
use of artillery.
3:07:08 PM
MR. GLASSETT replied that the timeline is indefinite. The US
Army can discontinue allowing the use of artillery at any time.
3:08:28 PM
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON noted that there is a lot more to discuss
and that DOTPF is happy to do so on any topic whenever the
committee wishes to do so. He expressed his hope that what they
were able to share today conveyed the breadth of DOT's work from
equipment operators to mechanics to facilities and how they all
work together. He emphasized that DOT does share resources to
provide service to the public and that having a strong team to
work toward common goals of plowing the roads and keeping
highways safe amongst the challenges is the direction they
intend to continue.
3:10:29 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Kaufman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting at 3:10 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 DOTPF Winter Weather Operations.pdf |
STRA 2/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |