The City of DeRidder completed an Automated Road Analyzer (ARAN) project — the first initiative of its kind for the city.

In the past, the Department of Public Works evaluated streets by driving each one and assigning a general condition grade of red, yellow, or green. Those ratings served as a guide for street reconstruction and paving priorities. Final decisions were then influenced by a combination of council input, Public Works recommendations, traffic volume, and available budget.

With this new technology, DeRidder can now assess every street using scientific data rather than opinion, printed maps, and highlighters.

ARAN technology gathers precise data on pavement conditions, giving municipalities a more accurate way to prioritize maintenance, reduce repair costs, and support equitable pavement management across the city.

While council input and traffic data will still play a role in future decisions, this technology helps remove politics from the process and creates a more objective, data-driven approach to street planning.

The project also included the collection of comprehensive roadway video. This means Public Works employees will now be able to virtually “drive” city streets from their computers whenever they need to review road conditions or reference specific areas.