Transforming Locate Operations: How the City of La Crosse Boosted Efficiency with KorTerra
The Challenge: Outdated Systems Leading to Inefficiencies
Managing water, sewer, and stormwater systems for over 51,000 residents is no small task, and for the City of La Crosse, outdated processes were creating major roadblocks. The city’s locate operations relied on a fax-to-email-to-automatic-print system that had been in place for years but was rapidly becoming inoperable Tickets had to be physically printed, which not only wasted time but also increased the risk of emergency requests being overlooked.
With just one locator on staff handling nearly 10,000 tickets annually, the workload was overwhelming. The locator frequently worked overtime, and when demand spiked, team members from other departments had to be pulled away from their primary responsibilities to assist with locates. This constant juggling act meant longer response times, inefficiencies in ticket management, and added strain on personnel. As the city’s infrastructure demands continued to grow, it became clear that a modern, streamlined approach was necessary to keep up with the increasing volume and complexity of locate requests.
The Solution: Implementing KorTerra’s Advanced Technology
To modernize its damage prevention efforts, the City of La Crosse partnered with KorTerra. By leveraging KorTerra’s locate management technology, the city saw immediate improvements in efficiency and accuracy. Key benefits included:
- Ticket Screening & Clearing: Reduced the number of unnecessary on-site locates by 50%, allowing staff to focus on critical tasks.
- Mapping & Dig Box Features: Streamlined the locating process, significantly cutting locate times in the field.
- Emergency Text Notifications: Enabled locators to receive urgent ticket alerts directly, eliminating the need for time-consuming office calls.
- Centralized Ticket History: Digitally stored all ticket data, removing the need for printed records and hand-drawn maps, improving accessibility and organization.
The Results: Increased Productivity & Cost Savings
By transitioning to KorTerra’s digital solutions, the City of La Crosse experienced a dramatic transformation in their locate operations:
✅ 50% of tickets cleared without a truck roll, allowing internal resources to focus on their core responsibilities.
✅ 500+ hours of overtime eliminated annually, reducing staff strain and operational costs.
✅ $50,000–$80,000 in annual savings as internal resources were able to focus on their core responsibilities when previously they had to be brought in to support locating.
✅ Improved sustainability by eliminating paper tickets and manual processes.
With these efficiencies in place, the city’s damage prevention department can now operate more effectively, ensuring that locate requests are handled faster and more accurately than ever before.
A User Experience That Delivers
John Lindahl, Locator for the City of La Crosse, praised KorTerra’s user-friendly interface:
“The user experience with KorTerra is perfect. It is intuitive, fast, and easy to use. I give it all A+’s on the locator side.”
By investing in the right technology, La Crosse has significantly improved their locate management process, reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency. If your municipality is facing similar challenges, it may be time to explore how KorTerra can help modernize your damage prevention efforts.
About KorTerra, Inc.
KorTerra is the leading provider of damage prevention software, protecting billions of dollars in underground infrastructure. For over 30 years, the leading stakeholders in gas distribution, pipeline operation, telecommunications, electric distribution, contract locating, and city, county, and state governments have trusted KorTerra as their damage prevention solution. KorTerra helps mitigate risk and ensure the safety of field personnel by providing secure software platforms for processing 811 locate tickets, tracking and reporting asset damages, meeting regulatory compliance, and more. Explore additional solutions at korterra.com and follow KorTerra on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Paige Nygaard – KorTerra, Inc.
952.368.1911
marketing@korterra.com