Performance Based Planning
Overview
The federal transportation act, MAP-21 (2012), set in motion the requirement to have a performance-driven, outcomes-based, transportation planning and decision making process. Transportation Performance Management is a strategic approach that uses data and system information in order to help make transportation investment and policy decisions (see Figure). It is systematically applied as part of an ongoing process. It is hoped that the approach will help improve communications between decision makers, stakeholders and the traveling public on transportation investment decision making.
National performance goals established in MAP-21 and carried into the FAST Act include: safety; infrastructure condition; congestion reduction; system reliability; freight movement; economic vitality; environmental sustainability; and a reduction in project delivery delays. The performance-based transportation planning process is designed to work toward achieving these national goals. The goals look to achieve a reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, maintain transportation infrastructure in a state of good repair, achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System, and improve the national freight network to provide access to national and international trade markets and support regional economic development. Progress toward these national goals is measured through use of performance measures and targets, integrated into performance-based plans by RTC, WSDOT and C-TRAN with TIPs programming investments into transportation projects and programs that can help meet the national goals.
RTC coordinates with WSDOT and C-TRAN to decide on performance targets and from October 1, 2018, Performance Based Planning and Programming is integrated into RTC’s Regional Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program.
WSDOT provides informative folios to explain implementation of Performance Based Planning, Performance Measures and Performance Targets on WSDOT’s MAP-21 Performance Management web page.
Related RTC Board Meeting Materials
2022 Transportation Performance Measurement (TPM) Summary Report February 2023
2022 Safety Target Setting, Adopted January 2022
C-TRAN’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan and Safety Performance Targets, RTC Adopted March 2021
C-TRAN’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan Document, C-TRAN Adopted October 2020
2021 Safety Target Setting, Adopted February 2021
2020 Safety Target Setting, Adopted January 2020
2019 Safety Target Setting, Adopted March 2019
Target Setting for Transit Asset Management, Pavement and Bridge Condition, System Performance and Freight, Adopted October 2018
2018 Safety Target Setting, Adopted January 2018
MAP-21 Safety Performance Measures and Target Setting, Background Information December 2017
Transit Asset Management State of Good Repair, Initial Performance Targets, Adopted June 2017
Transit Asset Management Performance Targets, Background Information May 2017
Regional Collision Data Trends and MAP-21 Compliance April 2017
