Legislature(2025 - 2026)BUTROVICH 205
03/13/2025 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Highway, Bike and Pedestrian Safety | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 13, 2025
1:38 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Chair
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Mike Shower, via Teleconference
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Vice Chair
Senator Bert Stedman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): HIGHWAY~ BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
SHANNON MCCARTHY, Communications Director
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented Highway, Bike and Pedestrian
Safety.
PAM GOLDEN, State Traffic and Safety Engineer
Data Modernization and Innovation Office
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented Highway, Bike and Pedestrian
Safety.
ANDY MILLS, Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the presentation
Highway, Bike and Pedestrian Safety.
DAN SMITH, Director
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented Highway, Bike and Pedestrian
Safety.
CARLOS ROJAS, Commercial Vehicle Compliance Chief
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Assisted with the presentation Highway, Bike
and Pedestrian Safety.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:38:33 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:38 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Kiehl, Shower (via teleconference) and Chair
Bjorkman.
^PRESENTATION(S): HIGHWAY, BIKE and PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
PRESENTATION(S): HIGHWAY, BIKE and PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
1:39:22 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the presentation Highway, Bike and
Pedestrian Safety by Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities (DOTPF).
1:39:57 PM
SHANNON MCCARTHY, Communications Director, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOTPF), Anchorage, Alaska, introduced herself.
1:40:01 PM
PAM GOLDEN, State Traffic and Safety Engineer, Data
Modernization and Innovation Office, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), introduced
herself. She stated that highway, bike, and pedestrian safety
effects everyone.
1:40:41 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 2 and discussed the Safe Systems
Approach:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SAFE SYSTEMS APPROACH:
• Death and Serious Injuries are Unacceptable
• Humans Make Mistakes
• Humans Are Vulnerable
• Responsibility is Shared
• Safety is Proactive
• Redundancy is Crucial
Partners in Safety
[Slide 2 includes a Safe System Approach infographic.]
MS. MCCARTHY said that this approach is a partnership with law
enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), and the public.
She stated that the goal of this approach is to have zero
traffic-related deaths. She said that Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) is data-driven but
is lacking data from the public. The Partners in Safety project
aims to gather data from the public.
1:42:27 PM
MS. GOLDEN said that Partners in Safety will attempt to reach
all major cities and boroughs within the next year.
1:42:59 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 3 and discussed traffic-related
fatalities in Alaska:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Alaska Fatalities
(5 years of fatal crash data)
Different Crash Types REQUIRE Different Solutions
Bicyclist - 7
Drugs or Alcohol - 66
Pedestrian - 70
At Intersection - 72
Unrestrained - 73
Speeding - 85
Lane Departure - 171
WHERE DO WE RANK IN COMPARISON TO OTHER STATES?
Per 100M Vehicle Miles Traveled
(and not by population)
2020 - 31st
2021 - 29th
2022 - 17th
*2022, 16 states had higher fatality rates
MS. MCCARTHY highlighted non-motorized incidents (e.g. those
involving bicycles and pedestrians) and incidents that were
related to behaviors (e.g. unrestrained and speeding).
1:44:26 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked if DOTPF measures instances of distracted
driving (e.g. texting while driving).
1:44:52 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied that distracted driving is difficult to
document, because it requires a witness. She explained that
DOTPF receives crash reports from law enforcement. Cell phone
records could potentially provide this information. She said
that the Strategic Highway Safety Plan considers this issue.
1:45:44 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked about drivers who fall asleep at the wheel.
1:45:50 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied that, while she does not have statistics
for this, falling asleep at the wheel is likely reflected in the
number of lane departure incidents. She emphasized that this is
one of the most dangerous driving incidents and briefly
discussed why, offering examples.
1:46:38 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN commented that British Columbia (BC) recently
implemented structures around winter tire quality. He asked if
DOTPF has gathered any metrics on tire quality (e.g. tread depth
and tire type) in winter crashes and if this would be valuable
information.
1:47:13 PM
MS. MCCARTHY answered that DOTPF has done research into studded
versus winter tires; however, she is not aware of a study into
the depth of tread.
1:47:39 PM
MS. GOLDEN concurred and added that DOTPF has data on blown
tires but has not done a winter tire study. She pointed out that
different areas of the state have very different weather and
thus tire requirements differ by location. She surmised that, as
a result, a statewide study would not be definitive.
1:48:19 PM
SENATOR SHOWER shared his understanding that studded tires bring
up issues of cost and damage to the road. He said there may be
data related to "studless" tires.
1:49:26 PM
MS. MCCARTHY agreed that studded tires do cause road damage and
research data is available on the DOTPF website.
1:49:58 PM
ANDY MILLS, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOTPF), Juneau, Alaska, said DOTPF has investigated the impact
of studded tires. He explained that, while studded tires do
cause damage to the roads, the increased safety they provide
must also be considered.
1:51:12 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN clarified that his question was inspired by
rental cars with inadequate winter tires. He opined that, while
drivers can decide to take on certain risks, those choices may
negatively impact other (safer) drivers.
1:52:22 PM
MS. MCCARTHY shared personal anecdote related to rental cars
without snow tires.
1:52:44 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 4 and discussed overall crashes
in both urban and rural environments. Slide 4 contains a bar
chart contrasting urban and rural crashes from 2014-2023, by
month. She pointed out that the highest number of crashes occur
in December and January. The summer months have the lowest crash
rates. Urban areas have more crashes than rural areas.
Urban vs Rural: Overall Crashes
1:53:17 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 5 and discussed serious injuries
and fatal crashes in urban and rural areas. Slide 5 contains a
bar chart contrasting urban vs rural serious injuries and
fatalities for 2014-2023, by month. She pointed out that in both
urban and rural settings, crashes are low January-April,
increasing in July and August. She emphasized that July is the
deadliest month. She stated that this is, in part, due to
speeding in the summer months. She added that EMS takes longer
to arrive in rural areas, which can lead to increased
fatalities.
1:55:08 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN noted that there are many safety concerns along
the Seward Highway in the summer, particularly on cloudy days.
He asked if headlights are required at all times on the Seward
Highway.
1:55:47 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied yes. She mentioned safety corridors and
said that, while DOTPF has decommissioned some safety corridors,
the Seward Highway and some parts of the Sterling Highway
require headlight use at all times.
1:56:06 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 6 and discussed pedestrian
representation in fatality counts. She emphasized that
pedestrians are over-represented in Alaska's fatalities. Slide 6
contains a chart titled, "National Ranking Pedestrian Fatality
Rate/100,000 population." She briefly discussed these numbers
and their impact on national rankings. She clarified that
pedestrians represent 15-20 percent of all fatalities. She added
that pedestrians are more vulnerable in crashes.
1:57:19 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 7 and discussed pedestrian
crashes. Slide 7 contains a pie chart titled, "2019-2023
Reported Fatal and Serious Injury Pedestrian Crashes by
Borough." She pointed out that 67.5 percent of the state's
pedestrian crash fatalities occur in the Municipality of
Anchorage. She noted that the Municipality of Anchorage is home
to 40 percent of the state's population. She contrasted this
with the percentages for Kenai (5.8 percent of fatalities and 8
percent of the total population) and Juneau (2.6 percent of
fatalities and 4 percent of the total population).
1:58:07 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked why Anchorage has a high number of
pedestrian fatalities.
MS. MCCARTHY answered that the density of pedestrian traffic is
one factor.
1:58:21 PM
MS. GOLDEN answered that this can be due to a variety of
factors, including the density of pedestrian traffic, sidewalk
use and availability, speed, etc. DOTPF is working to understand
this better.
1:59:27 PM
SENATOR KIEHL surmised that Anchorage is better equipped in
terms of safety (e.g. more bike paths, sidewalks, etc.) and
asked if roadway width is a factor.
1:59:57 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied yes, particularly when pedestrians are
crossing the roadway. She said that visibility is important and
offered examples of ways to increase visibility. She reiterated
that speed is a factor in pedestrian fatalities.
2:01:35 PM
SENATOR KIEHL observed that Juneau has one road that is wider
than 50 feet and estimated that Anchorage has over a dozen.
2:02:06 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 8 and continued to discuss
pedestrian crashes. Slide 8 contains a bar chart titled, "2019-
2023 High Severity Reported Pedestrian Crashes by Month." She
pointed out that the lowest months are April-June and peak in
August and September. The number peaks again in January. She
pointed out that a decrease in light tends to correlate with an
increase in pedestrian crashes. Inclement weather and time of
day are also factors.
2:02:50 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 9 and discussed crashes involving
bicyclists:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Bicyclist: Different Crash Problem
Reported Crashes 2019-2023
• ~95 crashes/year
• 77 percent are in Anchorage
• 81 percent injury
• 2.5 in 100 of all statewide fatal crashes
• Trend: total crashes declining while fatalities
are increasing again
• 88 percent at intersections or driveways
MS. MCCARTHY stated that the number of bike fatalities is lower
than that of pedestrian fatalities.
2:03:34 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 10 and discussed speed limits:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Speed Limits and Physics
• Speed plays a role in every crash
• Higher speed crashes are typically more severe
• Lowering speed limits without changing the
context of the roadway typically results in a 2-3
mph change in operating speed, unless there is
regular enforcement
[Slide 10 contains infographics illustrating the risk
of serious injury or death to pedestrians hit by a car
traveling at various speeds.]
2:04:59 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked if the chart is based on roadway sign speed
or accident reconstruction for speed at time of impact.
2:05:17 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied that the chart uses the actual speed at
impact.
2:05:25 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 11 and discussed the Alaska Highway
Safety Office:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Alaska Highway Safety Office
Highway Safety Improvement Program
ALASKA HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE
Improving Behaviors
High-Visibility Enforcement
Car Seat/CarFit Checks
Impaired Driving Education
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Education
Seat Belt Education
HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Improving Roadways
Road Safety Audits
Signals and Signs
Crosswalk Markings/Crosswalk Enhancements
Guardrail and Crash Cushions
Intersection Improvements
MS. GOLDEN stated that the Alaska Highway Safety Office supports
law enforcement, tribal entities, nonprofits, and local
government by providing reimbursable grants for high-visibility
enforcement, impaired driving enforcement, and other educational
programs. She briefly discussed the grant process and timing.
2:07:16 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 12 and discussed safety
countermeasures. Slide 12 contains an infographic to show the
crash reduction potential for various countermeasures, including
median barriers, rumble strips, roundabouts, variable speed
limits, sidewalks, and bike paths. She stated that the data is
from a national report. While Slide 12 says the proven safety
measures are underutilized, Alaska has implemented almost all of
these. Alaska is considering variable speed limits. She briefly
discussed the two variable speed limit studies that are
currently underway for sections of the Seward and Richardson
Highways.
2:08:11 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked what factors variable speed limit depends
on.
2:08:18 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied that weather is the primary factor under
consideration. She briefly discussed the process of collecting
the data. She explained that a variable speed limit is an
electronic sign that displays a new speed limit for a section of
road. She noted that this is increasingly common nationwide.
2:09:52 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 13 and discussed seat belt use. She
noted a positive trend in statewide seat belt use. According to
Slide 13, in 2023, statewide seat belt use was 95.2 percent
while in 2024 seat belt use was 92.1 percent. Slide 13 contains
a table with seatbelt use data for Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks,
Kenai, and MatSu from 2016-2014. A graph illustrating the
statewide trend in seat belt use is also included. She briefly
discussed the seat belt use data and emphasized that
communicating the importance of seat belt use is a priority.
2:10:50 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 14 and discussed intersections:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska: Intersections
• Signal conspicuity (upgrading to have signal head
for each approaching lane)
• Steps to implement leading pedestrian intervals:
Anchorage and Fairbanks
• Technologies to support law enforcement and
Emergency Medical Services
• Roundabouts first
• Retroreflective backplates
Traditional Intersection
32 Possible opportunities for a collision. Many of
those are dangerous, high speed, head-on, or angle
collisions.
Roundabout Intersection
8 Possible opportunities for a collision. Plus the
collisions that do happen are slower and less serious.
2:13:33 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 15 and discussed rural 2-lane
safety:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska: Rural 2-Lane
• Guardrail Upgrades
• Passing Lanes
• Curve Warning Signs
• Rumble/Mumble Strips and Stripes
• SafetyEdgeSM
• Improved Traveler Info
[Slide 15 also includes a cross-section view of an
overlay with the SafetyEdgeSM and images of
guardrails, signs, and rumble strips.]
2:16:42 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked for metrics or survey data for public use of
traveler tools, e.g. 511.
2:17:02 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied that 511 had close to 400,000 in 2024.
DOTPF hopes to continue improving this service.
2:17:22 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked if this data could be further broken down
into user groups (e.g. Alaskan residents and tourists).
2:17:31 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied no. She said there is an increase in
application downloads and usage during inclement weather and
surmised that this indicates that Alaskans are using the tool.
2:17:50 PM
MS. GOLDEN added that there were one million unique accesses to
511 in 2024. Usage also increases when a large crash has
occurred.
2:18:23 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN noted recent updates to low priority roads that
have resulted in steeper ditches (e.g. Island Lake Road in
Nikiski). He opined that this increases the danger to drivers
and asked how these decisions are made.
2:19:47 PM
MS. GOLDEN answered that this varies by region. She stated that
statewide policy and standardization is in development. She said
she did not have specific information regarding Island Lake
Road.
2:20:53 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 16 and discussed road safety audits
(RSA):
[Original punctuation provided.]
Road Safety Audits are conducted by independent,
multi-disciplinary teams
• Identify safety concerns to road users including
those that may be under different circumstances
• Identify near, mid, and long-term opportunities
that eliminate or mitigate the identified safety
concerns
Three packages of Safety Audits kicking off in 2025
• Rural and Remote School Safety Audits
• Statewide Road Safety Audits
• Vulnerable Road User Safety Audits
2:23:24 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 17 and discussed vulnerable road
user safety assessments. Slide 17 includes maps of high injury
corridors and intersections in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks,
Palmer. She explained that this information is available on
DOTPF's website.
2:23:51 PM
MS. GOLDEN advanced to Slide 18 and discussed new safety
efforts:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska:
New Ways of Working to Support Safety
• Complete Streets Policy Under Development
• Alaska Traffic Manual Update Alaska's with New
National Manual Updating Speed Limit Policy
• Urban Safety Corridor Selection Criteria
• Highway Preconstruction Manual
• Adding Accessible Pedestrian Signal Technology
(Leading Pedestrian Signals)
• Focus on Cruise Ship Communities/Cruise Ship
Docks Safety Measures for Significant Influx of
Pedestrians (Sitka, Hoonah)
2:27:50 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked for more information about efforts related
to highways as main streets.
2:28:43 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied that this has evolved over the past decade.
Highway engineers previously focused on cars; however, the new
policies consider the road context as a whole. She explained how
road design and speed are interconnected and emphasized that
DOTPF is working with local governments to implement changes.
SENATOR KIEHL asked it would be possible to have parking along
one of these roads - or multiple pedestrian crossings in an
area. He recalled being told that a roundabout near a school
would work to calm traffic. He asked if this is the type of
change Ms. Golden is referring to.
2:31:21 PM
MS. GOLDEN replied yes. She explained how the research and data
would be used by the various programs to ensure policies are
accommodating to all users.
2:31:58 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN commented that his constituents in Moose Pass and
Cooper Landing will appreciate this conversation. He added that
bike and pedestrian infrastructure along the roadway is vitally
important.
2:33:12 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 19 and discussed safety
corridors:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska:
Safety Corridors
Designated Safety Corridors
• Seward Highway Milepost 90-117 (May 2006)
• Parks Highway Milepost 44-52.5 (October 2007)
• Knik Goose Bay Road Milepost 0.6-17.2 (July 2009)
• Sterling Highway Milepost 83-93 (July 2009)
Rural Highways with elevated fatal and serious injury
crashes
Designation = Partnership and Support for Education,
Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Response
De-Designation with Reconstruction
• Parks Reconstruction Phase 1-3 complete
• Knik Goose Bay Phase 1 substantially complete,
Phase 2 FFY27
• Seward Highway Phase 2b FFY25, Phase 3 FFY26,
Phase 7 FFY26
• Sterling Highway FFY26
What's next? Urban Safety Corridors
MS. MCCARTHY stated that safety corridors were intended as a
temporary measure as long-term solutions were developed. She
described the process of planning and problem solving.
2:36:39 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 20 and discussed the Vision Zero
Task Force (VSTF):
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska:
Vision Zero Task Force
• Partnership with Anchorage Police Department,
Municipality of Anchorage, DOTPF Regional and
Statewide staff
• Looked at Contributing Factors
• Effectively Reducing Speeds
• Speed studies
• Operational considerations
• Public Buy In
• Enforcement
• Engineering = Physical changes to the
infrastructure that match expectations
• Prioritizing Actions
• Tudor Rd, Muldoon Rd
[Slide 20 contains a chart listing Anchorage Corridors
and their action priority and a map titled,
"Pedestrian Fatalities within the Midtown and Downtown
Anchorage, 2019-2024."]
MS. MCCARTHY explained how speeding increases the risk to
pedestrians and bikers.
2:40:00 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 21 and gave a brief overview of
the Protected Bike Lanes Pilot Project:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Improving Safety in Alaska:
Protected Bike Lanes Pilot Project
Anchorage Protected Bike Lane Pilot Study
6th Ave. (from Coastal Pl. to A Street)/A Street (from
10th Ave. to 6th Ave.)
• Phase 1 = Pine and McCarrey Streets
• Phase 2 = A St./6th Ave.
• Temporary Materials
• Utilized by approximately 100-150 users during
weekdays
• Reduced speeds slightly on A St./6th Ave.
• Did not increase crashes
• Next?
• No immediate plan for A St./6th Ave.
• Discussing Lane Drops
• 2026-2027 Winter Protected Bike Lanes
[Slide 21 contains an infographic to show the
protected bike lane, traffic lanes, and parking lane.]
2:42:02 PM
MS. MCCARTHY advanced to Slide 22 and discussed the safe systems
approach in action:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Safe Systems Approach: Tetlin to Ft. Knox
• Established Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to
inform the research
• Commissioned Corridor Study Kinney Report
• $1M brush cutting in advance of haul to increase
sight distance
• Maintenance Bridge Monitoring Plan
• Winter Maintenance Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordination
• Jaws of life
• PiLits (pronounced "Pie lights")
• 511 upgrades
• Audible bus and plow alerting
• Bridge heights
• Winter Operations dashboard
MS. MCCARTHY explained that a mining company started an ore haul
in interior Alaska. She said that some of the segments have a
lower annual average daily traffic (AADT) rate; however, there
was an increase in the number of trucks carrying ore. The
technical advisory committee (TAC) was made up of stakeholders.
She briefly discussed the corridor study and said that it
identified some safety measures that DOTPF was able to implement
immediately. She explained that the speed limit along this road
is 55 miles per hour (MPH). There are bus stops along this
stretch of road, which is unusual. She explained that, while the
bus stops were found to have adequate site distance (i.e. they
met national standards), DOTPF cleared a larger section of the
right-of-way surrounding the bus stops. She explained that this
increases visibility for all drivers. She briefly discussed the
bridge monitoring program, winter maintenance, and EMS services
on the road. She explained the 511 upgrades, which will provide
information about buses and plows on the roadway.
2:46:38 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked if audible alerting is required in the ore-
haul vehicles.
2:46:46 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied that ore-haul vehicles do have navigation
systems in them.
2:46:59 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that there is a great deal of concern about
this area and asked if there are any TAC recommendations that
have not been implemented.
2:47:14 PM
MS. MCCARTHY replied that DOTPF is still reviewing the extensive
report (which was published in November). She said some of the
larger projects would need to be programed and scheduled in the
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
SENATOR KIEHL said he would look for future updates.
2:47:42 PM
MS. MCCARTHY returned to Slide 23 and discussed the winter
operations dashboard. She offered an example of how the
dashboard benefits winter drivers by providing snowplow
information.
2:48:37 PM
DAN SMITH, Director, Measurement Standards and Commercial
Vehicle Compliance, Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities (DOTPF), Anchorage, Alaska, advanced to Slide 23:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Programs: Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle
Compliance
The goal is to reduce commercial motor vehicle-
involved accidents, fatalities, and injuries through a
consistent, uniform, and effective safety program.
Nine Weigh Stations Statewide
• Fairbanks (4 stations) 6 filled PCNs
• Anchorage (3 stations) 10 filled PCNs
• Tok (1 station) 4 filled PCNs
• Sterling (1 station) 3 filled PCNs
MR. SMITH stated that the Driver Vehicle Safety Program includes
multiple levels of inspection. He briefly discussed each
inspection level. This ranges from a license check to an in-
depth vehicle inspection.
2:50:34 PM
CARLOS ROJAS, Commercial Vehicle Compliance Chief, Measurement
Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), Fairbanks, Alaska,
discussed weigh stations. He said there are 32 commercial
vehicle compliance inspectors statewide and 9 weigh stations. He
explained that the inspectors are assigned to a weigh station
and briefly discussed their work. He said DOTPF inspects
vehicles statewide.
2:51:22 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked whether DOTPF has jurisdiction over rental
vehicles.
2:51:33 PM
MR. SMITH replied no. He explained that rental vehicles do not
meet the definition of a commercial vehicle enforced by his
division.
2:52:01 PM
MR. SMITH advanced to Slide 24 and discussed FFY2024 safety
efforts:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle
Compliance
FFY2024 - Safety Efforts
Weight Compliance Rate = 97.3 percent
Roadside
250 CMVs Weighed
Driver/Vehicle Safety Inspections
8,310 Inspections
Weigh Stations
68,908 CMVs weighed
Of the 8,310 Driver/Vehicle Safety Inspections, 82
percent of the vehicles and 98 percent of the drivers
inspected did not have any out-of-service violation.
MR. SMITH explained the process for weighing vehicles roadside.
He emphasized that this is challenging, particularly in winter
conditions. DOTPF exceeded its goal of weighing 200 vehicles
roadside and 32,000 at weigh stations.
2:53:45 PM
MR. ROJAS reiterated that the roadside driver/vehicle safety
inspections are comprehensive. He briefly described the 37-step
inspection procedure.
2:54:34 PM
MR. SMITH advanced to Slide 25 and discussed measurement
standards and commercial vehicle compliance:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle
Compliance
Vehicles Weighed per Station
Tok - 10,764
Ester - 1,684
Fox - 7,417
Richardson IB - 9,169
Richardson OB - 8,421
Glenn IB - 11,795
Hans Roelle Memorial OB - 10,277
Potter - 3,911
Sterling - 5,470
2:55:03 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked whether all trucks that meet the commercial
vehicle definition must stop at the weigh station.
2:55:23 PM
MR. ROJAS answered that when the weigh station is open, all
commercial vehicles are required to stop.
2:56:03 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about weigh station hours.
2:56:15 PM
MR. ROJAS replied that weigh stations are open 24 hours per day,
7 days per week. He explained that staff schedules are
determined based on traffic counters, etc.
2:56:45 PM
SENATOR KIEHL directed attention to slide 24 and driver/vehicle
safety inspections. He commented that 98 percent of drivers is a
great compliance rate; however, the 82 percent vehicle rate
means that close to 1 in 5 vehicles are not compliant. He asked
for additional information about the severity of the safety
violations.
2:57:17 PM
MR. ROJAS replied that there is a wide range of potential
violations, some of which are very small violations. He said one
of the most common violations is over-weight vehicles (beginning
at 1,000 pounds).
2:58:04 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked if the violations are grouped by severity.
He commented that 1 in 5 trucks having a marker light out is
less worrisome than 1 in 5 trucks having weak brakes or bad
tires.
2:58:50 PM
MR. ROJAS replied that DOTPF evaluates the inspection reports to
determine priorities. He stated that he did not have the
critical item violation percentages.
2:59:29 PM
SENATOR KIEHL indicated that he would like DOTPF to provide this
information for further consideration.
2:59:38 PM
MR. SMITH commented that the vehicle violations are in line with
the national average and the driver compliance is better than
the national average.
3:00:00 PM
MR. SMITH advanced to Slide 26 and continued to discuss
measurement standards and commercial vehicle compliance:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Driver/Vehicle Safety Inspection by Area
• Statewide Law Enforcement Partners - 499 (6
percent)
• Anchorage - 3,869 (47 percent)
• Fairbanks - 2,412 (29 percent)
• Sterling - 687 (8 percent)
• Tok - 843 (10 percent)
MR. SMITH explained how DOTPF addresses vehicles that do not
regularly visit weigh stations. In those instances, DOTPF will
visit projects and suggest ways to improve the safety score.
3:01:09 PM
MS. MCCARTHY thanked the committee. She offered to follow up
with additional information.
3:01:19 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN thanked the presenters. He emphasized the
importance of road safety.
3:02:38 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Bjorkman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting at 3:02 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| DOT&PF Highway Bike Pedestrian Safety 03132025.pdf |
STRA 3/13/2025 1:30:00 PM |
|
| 20250407 (S) TRAN 3-13-25 Response Letter.pdf |
STRA 3/13/2025 1:30:00 PM |
|
| FFY24_Violation Severity.pdf |
STRA 3/13/2025 1:30:00 PM |
|
| Impacts from Studded Tire Use.pdf |
STRA 3/13/2025 1:30:00 PM |