Our transportation system is made up of trains, buses, roads, trails, and sidewalks – things that help us go from place to place. Performance Management is how we do our part to meet federal goals for that transportation system. It helps us reach measurable targets set by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). By looking at metrics like delay times or carbon emissions, we can decide what road projects would best drive federal goals. For example, if we were behind in keeping truck travel times reliable, Performance Management might tell us to upgrade traffic lights on their routes first.

The 6 Transportation Performance Management Goals

Part of of the process of reaching these goals is setting targets. Targets call for a particular metrics to be achieved within a timeline. We regularly update targets to account for progress and new situations. Most recently, the COVID pandemic has decreased how much people use our roads, but increased the use of trails. These presentations go over our most recently set targets.

One of the metrics that is used to support Performance Management is Air Quality. Air Quality is important for Environmental Sustainability. It is often affected by our ability to meet Congestion Reduction goals. Cars that sit in traffic spew more pollutants in the air. As we reduce slowed traffic, we reduce the total time that vehicles use our roads.

We track Air Quality through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program. Every two years, we provide updates called CMAQ Performance Plans. In these plans, we look at the goals that have been set for us, and whether we are on track to meet them by the end of the current period. Sometimes, we will adjust these goals based on new information and feedback. Our most recent plan update covers the years of 2018 and 2019.

More about Transportation Performance Management from FHWA