Functional Classification

Functional classification is a way of categorizing public roads based on how they are currently used, or what function they currently serve in the context of the context of the larger road network. Functional classifications are intended to reflect how people are moving through the road network, or the function that any given route currently serves.

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.

Through the functional classification review process, we will ensure Alaska DOT&PF has a functionally classified inventory of all public roads in the state based on existing conditions. That data may then be used as a tool to inform decisions about how to plan for the future of Alaska's road network, but this process in itself does not include making and recommending any changes to Alaska's road network.

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. Likewise, pedestrian facilities like separated paths, sidewalks, and trails are not assigned functional classifications.

Functional classification categories

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.

Interstates, which is a subcategory under the arterial classification, are designated through a separate process through the Federal Highway Administration, so those designations will not change. Alaska's interstates include the Richardson, Parks, Glenn, and Tok Cutoff Highways and segments of the Seward and Sterling Highways.

How do safety issues and crash data affect functional classifications?

While safety is a critical component of roadway planning and design, crash data and safety issues are not factors we consider when looking at how a road is used, or what function it serves in the larger network. During the functional classification update, we will be examining where people are going and which routes they use to there. The scope of this effort does not include planning or designing safety improvements. However, DOT&PF is highly focused on safety improvements through other efforts including the Partners in Safety program, the Highway Safety Improvement Program, the Alaska Highway Safety Office, the Complete Street approach, the Anchorage Vision Zero Task Force, and more.

What's next?

We have finished our first draft of the Alaska-specific criteria we will use to classify roads, and the Federal Highway Administration is reviewing and providing comments. After this process is complete, we will post the criteria to the website. We are also preparing the mapping applications that will help us with the functional classification analysis.

Here is our current schedule of key milestones:

• Criteria development: September - November 2024
• Internal review of current functional classifications: October 2024 - January 2025
• 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

Past outreach and how to stay involved

We hosted our first virtual public meeting on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

If you missed the meeting or want to view the materials again, you can find them here:

• Visual materials shared at presentation
• Meeting recording (via Zoom, enter passcode g5xVVx%9)
• Question and answer summary 

We will also be attending the Alaska Municipal League conference in Anchorage from December 11-12, so be sure to stop by and talk with our team.

Questions?

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