• Regional Concept for Transportation Operations
• The How: Case Studies Advancing Planning for Operations
• Congestion Management Process
• Regional ITS Architecture
• Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations

 

• Data Collection and Sharing
• Funding and Resource Sharing
• Institutional Arrangements
• Performance Measurement

 

• Glossary
• Analysis Tools
• Policy and Guidance
• Publications
• Training

Performance Measurement Examples

The examples on this page illustrate how some states and regions are using performance measures to link planning and operations. If you have an example that you'd like to share, please send an email describing what your state or region is doing to p4o@dot.gov.

Focusing on the Customer: Washington State DOT

As part of Washington State DOT's efforts to define performance measures for traffic congestion, the agency moved beyond traditional measures of average travel speeds to define measures focused on travel reliability (e.g., though use of a "buffer index" to account for non-recurring delay). These measures were developed through coordination between planners and operators, and involve on-going coordination in tracking performance. Prior to this effort, non-recurring delay did not receive this systematic consideration.

WSDOT publishes a quarterly report on the state's transportation system titled Measures, Markers, and Mileposts. Also referred to as the Gray Notebook, the report highlights the status of current projects, details where transportation funds are being used, and updates progress on management and operations measures such as incident clearance time and travel information provision. Washington State DOT has found the customer-oriented performance measures to be very effective in drawing attention to the benefits associated with its transportation investments and in building credibility for the agency.

According to a Washington State DOT staff person, "The Secretary felt that by building the state DOT's accountability, the agency could attract more funding. The Secretary focused on making the case that WSDOT is on top of things. The best way to do that was through operations data because it gets at aspects of the system that the public cares about."