Incorporating Management and Operations and the Congestion
Management Process into Metropolitan Transportation
Planning
FHWA/FTA Webinar
June 24, 2008
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Session Purpose
• Create understanding the recommended approach for advancing the CMP and M&O in the transportation planning process
• Illustrate how this approach can be applied
• Provide an in-depth look at how a CMP can be fully integrated into the planning process
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Overview
• Background on the initiative• Overview of M&O and CMP• An objectives-driven, performance-
based approach• The resulting MTP and TIP• The role of transit
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Purpose of Initiative
• To improve the performance of the transportation system through more effective integration of the congestion management process (CMP) and management and operations (M&O) into the planning process
• To equip planners and operators to use an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to integrating M&O strategies into metropolitan planning process
• To promote ongoing collaboration and coordination among transportation operators including public safety agencies and between planners and operators
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SAFETEA-LU Requirements
Sections 3005, 3006, and 6001:• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) shall include:
“Operational and management strategies to improve the performance of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the safety and mobility of people and goods”
• Long Range Statewide Transportation Plan should include:“capital, operations and management strategies, investments, procedures, and other measures to ensure the preservation and most efficient use of the existing transportation system. ”
• One of 8 planning factors to be considered in metropolitan and Statewide planning: “Promote efficient system management and operations”
• For TMAs, a Congestion Management Process (CMP) is required. Any highway capacity projects in ozone or carbon monoxide non-attainment areas must result from the CMP
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What is Management and Operations (M&O)?
• M&O is an integrated program of strategies designed to get the most efficient and safest use out of existing and planned infrastructure
• M&O strategies are those actions that are taken to optimize the performance of the transportation system
• Many M&O strategies enable transportation agencies to provide better customer service in the near-term without incurring the high costs and time to implement major infrastructure projects
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Examples of M&O Strategies
• Traffic incident management
• Traveler information services
• Road weather management
• Freeway management
• Traffic signal coordination
• Work zone management
• Electronic payment/toll collection
• Transit signal priority
• Emergency response and homeland security
• Freight management
• Travel demand management
• Transit fleet management and dispatching
Regional ITS Architecture provides a blueprint for how ITS (used for many M&O strategies) can be coordinated on a regional level.
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“Samples of Daily Transportation Operations Activities” by Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG)
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Benefits of Improved M&O
• Benefits of M&O to the public include– Improved system reliability– Improved service efficiency– Enhanced public safety and security– Reduced traveler delays– Improved access to traveler information– More efficient transportation investments
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What is the CMP?
• A systematic approach applied in a metropolitan region to identify congestion and its causes, propose mitigation strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented strategies
• As an integral part of the planning process that influences decisionmaking, the CMP feeds projects and strategies directly into the Plan, TIP, and STIP and, replaces the CMS that was often a standalone process
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What is the difference between the CMP and the former CMS?
• The CMP:– Is an integral part of the planning process that influences
decisionmaking– Focuses on on-going efforts to collect, analyze, and preserve
data resources to monitor performance over time– Has an increased emphasis on incorporating management and
operations for congestion mitigation
• For each region, the changes needed to transform its CMS to a CMP depend on how the CMS was previously implemented.
• Moving to a CMP may be a major shift for some regions and a very small change to those that already had a strong CMS.
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Relationship between M&O and the Congestion Management Process
The CMP actualizes the operations objectives through a systematic approach for:
• Developing performance measures• Identifying and analyzing problems• Collecting data• Developing strategies• Monitoring performance
Regional operations objectives in the MTP
Congestion mitigation strategies including M&O strategies
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Objectives-Driven, Performance-Based Approach
• Goals and objectives focusing on the efficient management and operation of the transportation system are included in the plan
• Performance measures are used to track progress toward the objectives
• Initiatives including M&O strategies to meet the objectives are included in plans and implemented through the State and MPO transportation improvement program (TIP) in coordination with local agencies
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Using the Approach to Incorporate M&O into the Plan
• M&O goals• Regional operations
objectives• Performance measures for
management and operations
• Resulting MTP and TIP
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M&O Goals in the MTP
• Goals describe desired end state• Examples of M&O goals:
– “Maximize Transportation System Management and Operations” Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) – 2035 Regional Transportation Plan
– “Improve transportation system performance” Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) – 2030 Regional Transportation Plan
– “A reliable commute” - Metropolitan Transportation Commission - 2030 Plan
• Other goals in the plan may focus on safety, economy, land use, etc.
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Regional Operations Objectives to Actualize Goals
• Objectives are specific, measurable statements relating to attainment of goals
• Developed collaboratively and used to prioritize investment decisions
• Examples:– By 2010, reduce the clearance time of traffic incidents on
freeways and major arterials in the region from a current average of X minutes to an average of Y minutes.
– By 2020, reduce the variability in travel time on freeways and major arterials in the region such that 95% of trips (19 out of 20) have travel times no more than 1.5 times the average travel time for a specific time of day.
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Sample Transportation System Performance Measures
Travel time Average travel times; Average travel speeds
Congestion extent Lane miles of congested conditionsAverage hours of congestion per day
Delay Vehicle-hours of recurring delayNon-recurring delay
Incident occurrence/delay
Median minutes from time of incident to clearance
Travel time reliability Buffer time; Buffer time index
Transit performance On-time performanceTransit travel times in comparison to personal vehicle travel times
Customer satisfaction Percent reporting being satisfied
Person throughput Peak hour persons moved per lane
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Regional ITS Architecture and Performance Measures
Provides direction to planners and operators on how data sources can be tied together to support regional operations performance measures
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Basics of the
New Approach for CMP
• Fully integrated into the planning process• Specific congestion management objectives drive the
process• Increased emphasis on incorporating management and
operations strategies for congestion mitigation • Focuses on ongoing efforts to collect, analyze, and
preserve data resources to monitor performance over time
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Congestion Management Process (8 Steps)
Identify areas of application
Utilize congestion management objectives in the plan (including operations objectives)
Define system/network of interest
Develop performance measures
Institute system performance monitoring plan
Identify/evaluate strategies
Implement selected strategies/manage system
Monitor strategy effectiveness
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Resulting Metropolitan Transportation Plan and TIP include…
• Vision, goals, and regional operations objectives that address M&O
• Measures that allow the region to track progress toward achieving its objectives
• Strategies for M&O and other strategies recommended by the CMP
• Funding allocations for M&O and congestion management strategies
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Key Role of Transit Agencies in Advancing CMP/M&O in the Plan
• Contribute to decisions at the MPO and State level regarding investment priorities, land use, and economic development
• Participate in developing regional operations objectives
• Provide operations data to planning partners• Recommend transit-based strategies for improving regional
transportation system performance• Implement performance-based objectives in their planning processes• Collaborate with other transportation operators in regional operations
efforts
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Benefits of Objectives-Driven, Performance-Based Approach
• Strategic approach guided by objectives and performance measures ensures most effective strategies for improving system performance are included in transportation plans
• CMP fully integrated into planning process helps inform decisionmakers about trade-offs between competing alternatives
• Helps agencies prioritize investments to achieve agreed upon objectives
• Agencies can gain support from public and elected leaders by demonstrating accountability through performance measures
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View the Guidebooks
• FHWA Planning for Operations Website
http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov
• An Interim Guidebook on the Congestion Management Process in Metropolitan Transportation Planning
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/cmpguidebook/cmpguidebook.pdf
• Management & Operations in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan: A Guidebook for Creating an Objectives-Driven, Performance-Based Approach - Interim Draft
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/moguidebook/moguidebook.pdf
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Upcoming Dates
• Summer 2008 Informational Workshops– Locations:
• Seattle, Washington, July 31• Chicago, Illinois, August 7• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 12• Denver, Colorado, August 14• Providence, Rhode Island, September 9• Atlanta, Georgia, September 23
• Interested in attending? Contact [email protected]
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For More Information
• Contact: – Rick Backlund, FHWA-Operations,
[email protected], 202-366-8333 – Egan Smith, FHWA-Planning,
[email protected], 202-366-6072 – John Sprowls, FTA-Planning,
[email protected], 202-366-5362