WisDOT: Receives national recognition for excellence in communication

From creating a public relations plan to unveil Wisconsin’s Blackout and Retro license plates, to planning innovative news conferences, to video and website production, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) celebrates recently receiving four national awards for outstanding work in communications.

WisDOT received the awards at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Communication (TransComm), held September 27-30, in San Diego, CA.

Officially known as the TransComm Skills Awards competition, state transportation departments compete in more than 30 categories, spanning everything from crisis management, to publications, to graphic design. The 2026 competition received 177 total nominations from 38 different state DOTs.

WisDOT is proud to earn the following 2026 TransComm Skills awards:

  • Excel Award, without consultant (Exceptional full public relations program):
    • The public relations plan to successfully roll out WisDOT’s Division of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) Blackout and Retro license plates, planned and executed by WisDOT’s in-house communications team, took home one of the competition’s top honors.
  • Special Events: Innovation Event
    • WisDOT’s innovative approach to planning news conferences to unveil dual-language highway signs in partnership with Gov. Evers and Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized Tribes was recognized for best innovation event.
  • Video Production, external, without consultant
  • Website, with consultant
    • WisDOT’s internal facing Safety Data Hub website which provides staff with quick and easy access to all of the department’s safety data, developed in partnership with WisDOT consultant Esri, was recognized for best website developed with a consultant. 

A full list of the 2026 TransComm Skills Awards winners can be found here.

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