AASHTO Journal - Two State DOTs Launch Revamped Websites

The Virginia Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently unveiled revamped websites for their respective organizations.

[Above logos from the Virginia and Wisconsin DOTs]

The Virginia DOT said that its new website prioritizes user experience and makes popular content – such as real-time traffic alerts and resources for business partners – easier to find, with Virginia 511 resources integrated to help the public quickly access that real-time traffic information.

The agency added that its website – last redesigned in 2008 – is also now more easily accessible for all types of users, including those accessing it on mobile devices, needing translation options, or using assistive technology. It also features equivalent auditory and visual content alternatives, translation options, tags to group information, and streamlined viewing and functionality for mobile browsers.

“We are excited to be delivering a website built with the future in mind,” said Virginia DOT Commissioner Stephen Brich in a statement. “We know that people are seeking information to help them move through the Commonwealth, and VDOT’s new site provides a modern way for all users to find that information easily.”

Meanwhile, the new website for the Wisconsin DOT features a “fresh new look” along with enhanced Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant accessibility and a mobile-responsive design for streamlined access to business needs.

The agency said its new website is designed to provide quicker access a host of Department of Motor Vehicle or DMV services such as online registration and driver license renewal; real-time travel and road condition information at 511WI.gov; safety information from the division of Wisconsin State Patrol; plus information about the 350-plus ongoing transportation construction projects statewide.

The agency added that, in 2022, its website served more than 8 million visitors, including more than 2 million people who renewed their license plates online.

This new website design further improves the user experience to help them efficiently find transportation information, noted Craig Thompson, Wisconsin DOT’s secretary and president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for 2023-2024.

“We strive to serve all who use our transportation system and much of that begins online,” Thompson said in a statement. “We understand the importance of easily accessing our project, road condition, safety and licensing information. We are excited about the improved customer experience and we’re confident the new website will better serve its more than eight million annual visitors.”