Strategically Aligning Capital Improvement Prioritization to Performance Goals

• Published in: Transportation research record Vol. 2672; no. 51; pp. 68 - 78
• Main Authors: Sperling, Elliot, Ross, Catherine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2018
• ISSN: 0361-1981; 2169-4052
• DOI: 10.1177/0361198118787639

In complying with federal reporting requirements, state transportation agencies will need to demonstrate progress toward achieveing national performance targets in their next long-range transportation plan (LRTP) and state transportation improvement program (STIP). In order to better understand current practices a survey was administered to state departments of transportation (DOTs) to gauge their overall status in complying with rulemakings on transportation performance management, and to measure DOT interest in using new metrics and prioritization techniques to advance data-driven processes for decision making. Furthermore, it was to examine evidence of cross-modal project evaluation and to explore practices by which states align decision criteria and analysis techniques with national performance goals and objectives. Survey results revealed the transition in practice toward performance-based approaches, but more limited use of cross-modal evaluation criteria. Case studies were also used to document decision criteria areas that help states advance alignment of their planning and programming processes. From the survey and case study analysis, recommendations are provided to underscore the need for multi-criteria decision analysis, or a similar decision analysis framework, to help states align project evaluation with national performance goals. As state DOTs adopt performance-based approaches they must review their project selection processes to ensure performance measures are linked to current investments, and funded projects align with agency goal areas and desired outcomes.