Huntingburg discusses adding AI-powered road assessment system
Huntingburg Street Superintendent Jason Stamm asked the Board of Public Works to approve a new AI-powered road management system to streamline street assessments and maintenance tracking in Huntingburg.
The software from Vialytics could automate the pavement surface evaluation rating (PASER) process, which is currently performed manually by street department staff.
Stamm and one other employee are certified to rate roads under the PASER system, and four others are set to be trained. The department conducts PASER ratings annually in the late winter or early spring by driving every section of street in the city’s inventory. The process takes approximately a week to complete. These ratings are crucial for the city’s asset management plan and Community Crossing grant applications.
Stamm told the board that each person conducting the street inspection could assign a different rating. “Anytime you do anything, there’s human error. I can look at a street, Kelly can look at one, Dustin can look at one, and we can come up with three different grades on that street,” he said.
The new system would utilize iPhones mounted on municipal vehicles to collect data on road conditions. The system captures photos every 10 to 15 feet along city streets in both directions. An algorithm then automatically processes these images to identify road distress and assigns PACER ratings without human interaction.
The Vialytics system would eliminate this subjectivity by using consistent AI analysis to evaluate road conditions.
Beyond PASER ratings, the software also inventories street signs, manholes, and storm drains. All data is integrated into a GIS map with color-coded ratings and can be exported directly into the format required by the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) for federal and state funding applications.
The system also includes a work order component that enables staff to report and assign maintenance tasks immediately through their smartphones.
“All my guys get a cell phone stipend the way it is,” Stamm said. “If I am out doing this and see a pothole, I can send a work order to somebody right away. It pops up on their phone, and they know to go do it. Whereas now I have to write it down, hope I don’t lose the note, and then get it to them.”
The software stores a permanent electronic record of all work orders and historical road conditions, providing valuable data for tracking maintenance activities over time.
The board expressed interest in the system’s flexibility, noting that they could assess road conditions more frequently than the current annual process.
“The PASER ratings become more of a competitive issue when we’re filing for these Community Crossing grants,” Mayor Neil Elkins noted. “We want to be on par with everybody else.”
The system is currently in use in 25 counties and 15 cities across Indiana. The annual cost of the system is $12,500, with a three-year commitment, totaling $37,500. This includes one iPhone; however, the city can opt to use existing city phones with the Violytics software already installed.
With two members absent from the meeting, the board decided to table the decision until all members could be present.
