The Transportation Commission paused its deliberations to recognize CDOT staff and regional teams who won the agency’s annual Innovations Challenge.

Gary Vonsic presented statewide winners and people’s choice honorees drawn from regional finalists. Innovations highlighted practical, low‑cost solutions designed and deployed by front‑line maintenance crews, including ladder balance hardware to improve safe access to sander boxes, a post remover that dramatically reduces time to extract cable‑rail posts, and heated snowplow headlights that prevent ice build‑up and improve nighttime visibility.

Bob Hayes described the Operational Level of Service dashboard — a public‑facing traffic analytics tool that expanded network coverage and consolidated probe and GIS data to support mobility and reliability decisions across the state. Region teams and maintainers described how their prototypes came from daily fieldwork and were then shared through CDOT’s innovations catalog for broader replication.

Commissioners praised the culture of innovation and emphasized the safety and efficiency benefits for maintenance crews who face hazardous conditions on highways.

Next steps: CDOT said approved innovations are posted in an online catalog and that the agency works to replicate promising solutions across regions and sometimes with other state transportation agencies.