Functional Classification

Functional classification is a way of categorizing public roads based on how they are used, or what function they serve. Alaska DOT&PF is responsible for making sure all public roads in the state, regardless of who owns them, are properly classified using guidance from the federal government and input from communities, tribes, and agencies. We are required to review statewide functional classifications every ten years and we're in the middle of that process now.

The three main functional classification categories are:

• Arterial: Higher speed, higher traffic volume roads that move travelers longer distances. There tend to be more lanes of travel and less access to driveways and side streets than other roads. Examples are freeways, expressways, and major highways like the Glenn and Parks Highways, Minnesota Drive in Anchorage, and Glacier Highway/Egan Drive in Juneau.
• Collector: Medium speed, medium traffic volume roads that move travelers medium distances. There tends to be more access to driveways and side streets on collectors than on arterials. Examples are thoroughfares and minor highways like Tundra Ridge Road in Bethel, Goldstream Road in Fairbanks, and Spruce Avenue in Wasilla.
• Local: Low speed, lower traffic volume roads that move travelers short distances. There tend to be fewer lanes of travel and maximum access to driveways and side streets. Examples are neighborhood roads and roads in urban commercial centers.

Within each of these categories are additional sub-categories.

We'll be looking at every public road in the state to see if their functions have changed due to population changes, road improvements, new residential or commercial developments, new recreation opportunities, planned land use changes (like planned subdivisions or recreation areas), and anything else that changes the way people move around. Some roads may have different classifications on different segments if the way the road is used changes along its length. For example, if a road begins in an urban area serving a commercial district, and ends as a low-volume neighborhood road, it may be classified as a collector in the commercial area and a local road when it enters the neighborhood.

We expect most of the functional classifications will stay the same. When we identify that changes are needed, we will work closely with local governments, planning agencies, tribes, and owners to gather input and be sure our decision-making process is open and clear.

You can view Alaska's current functional classifications, determined during the last review in 2011, on this website.

Why does Functional Classification matter?

The functional classification of a road can determine management and maintenance priorities, project funding eligibility, and how roads are designed. For example, roads that primarily move travelers long distances like interstates and freeways will have different design standards for how wide the lanes are, how sharp the curves are, and what the speed limit should be than neighborhood roads that primarily serve residential areas. Functional classification can also determine if and what kind of emergency funding is available if a disaster occurs.

How do you decide how roads are classified?

The Federal Highway Administration has provided guidance for how roads should be classified based on their function. Following that guidance, we are currently in the process of creating Alaska-specific criteria that we will publish as soon as it is reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration.

Which roads are included?

Alaska DOT&PF is responsible for making sure all public roads in the state, regardless of who owns them, are properly classified. A public road is any road that is the responsibility of a public entity and is open to public travel. Roads are considered open for public travel if they are passable by a standard passenger car, not blocked with gates or prohibitive signs, and are open with exception of seasonal closures, extreme weather, or other emergencies.

Boardwalks and ice roads are not considered public roads for the purposes of functional classification.

What's next?

Right now, we're working on the criteria we will use to classify roads, which will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration for review, and preparing the mapping applications that will help us with the analysis.

We are hosting our first virtual public stakeholder meeting on Wednesday, November 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Scroll to the top of the page for information on how to join the meeting. We will provide updates at key milestones in the project's progress including to announce public meetings, to share mapping tools, and to announce proposed changes to existing Functional Classifications.

We will also be attending the Alaska Municipal League conference in Anchorage from December 11-13, so be sure to stop by and talk with our team.

Here is our current schedule of key milestones:

• Criteria development: September - October 2024
• Internal review of current functional classifications: October 2024 - January 2025
• Stakeholder outreach and coordination for proposed functional classification changes: February - June 2025
• Public review and comment of proposed functional classifications: July - November 2025
• Proposed functional classifications sent to Federal Highway Administration: December 2025
• Final functional classifications implemented: January - February 2026

Questions?

Please contact the DOT&PF Functional Classification Project Manager, Lisa Idell-Sassi, at lisa.idell-sassi@alaska.gov or (907) 465-4109.