City of Ferris, Texas, Tackles Road Improvements with AI-Powered Road Assessment Tool

Overview:

The City of Ferris, Texas, leveraged road management tooling provider Vialytics’ AI-powered road assessment software to complete its first comprehensive evaluation of all 29 miles of the city’s roadways in under six hours of drive time, automating a previously manual process. 

The project replaced a manual process and created an objective, data-driven foundation for prioritizing repairs, which also helped to shape Ferris's 2026 bond proposal for street, road and sidewalk improvements.

Results and Impact:

Efficient use of Staffing Resources:

• Staff were onboarded by Vialytics and able to use its road condition assessment app while driving
• Approximately two staff hours were spent per mile for the initial assessment
• The assessment helped establish a repeatable baseline for future condition monitoring

A Shift to Preventative Maintenance:

• The City found that 78% of roads are within the optimal window for lower-cost preventative treatment and developed a five-year capital improvement plan

Fair and Transparent Planning:

• The assessment data will inform Ferris’ budgetary processes and influence future decisions made around construction materials and forward lifecycle planning
• Future integration with ArcGIS will further enhance these planning and visualization efforts

The Challenge:

The City of Ferris is a fast-growing suburban city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that has doubled over the past four years, with a population of more than 5,000. Rapid residential growth, coupled with increased traffic volumes, has placed a new strain on local streets – particularly those related to draining and water infiltration. Two major Texas Department of Transportation projects – Loop 9 and the widening of FM 664 – are expected to further impact roadway wear and traffic. 

Up until this point, Ferris had never conducted a full citywide road condition assessment, which limited its ability to plan proactively or justify long-term capital investments. 

The Solution:

Ferris implemented Vialytics’ AI-powered road assessment tool that automatically detects and classifies 15 types of road damage. The tool gathers road condition assessment data while driving and can be installed on smartphones and mounted on any vehicle’s dashboard. 

“Before Vialytics, we simply didn't have the capacity to conduct a comprehensive assessment of our road infrastructure... This tool allowed us to accomplish in 60 staff hours what would have otherwise required either a significant consulting contract or years of piecemeal visual assessments… More importantly, it gave us objective, defensible data to bring to our residents when we talk about infrastructure investment priorities.” - Brooks Williams, City Manager, City of Ferris, Texas. 

Implementation and Investment:

Ferris invested just $10,336 in a one-year contract with Vialytics to support its road condition assessment, an approach that delivered a citywide baseline at a fraction of the cost of traditional pavement evaluation methods.

• Road miles assessed: 29
• Staff drive time: ~6 hours
• Full staff time commitment (setup, capture, analysis): ~60 hours
• Vehicles used: City-owned and employee-owned

By assessing roads with Vialytics, and using the data gained to inform planning, Ferris found that 78% of roads are within the optimal window for preventative treatment. The data help them to conclude that acting now with lower-cost preservation and resurfacing strategies can help avoid at least $5.72 million in reconstruction expenses over the next decade.

Ferris’ use of Vialytics demonstrates how a small, but fast-growing community can implement AI to transform its infrastructure planning processes. By completing its first-ever full road condition assessment, the city established a transparent, data-driven and repeatable framework for prioritizing road repairs and balancing budgetary decisions.