Performance-based Planning and Transportation Performance Management

New Federally Legislated Performance-based Planning and Transportation Performance Management Requirements for States, Transit Agencies, and MPOs

Federal transportation legislation (MAP-21 and additional requirements under the most recent FAST Act) outlines several requirements associated with performance-based planning and performance management, specific federally mandated performance measures, and a collaborative target-setting process for transit agencies, state departments of transportation, and metropolitan planning organizations.

See links below for more specific legislated information via the United States Government Publishing Office:

FHWA and FTA User friendly Guidance can be found at these links respectively: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/ andhttps://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/asset-management/tam-rulemaking
FHWA’s Office of Planning Performance-based Planning and Programming Presentation from the Transportation Performance Management (TPM) Technical Implementation Workshop can be downloaded here from the FHWA TPM website here: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/.
MPO performance-based planning and coordination regulations can be found here or here.
MPO and State Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for highway performance measures and targets can be found here.
MPO and DOT regulations for transit performance measures and targets can be found here and here.

Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Performance-based Planning and Management Responsibilities and Progress

Organization of Information

To organize the TPO’s performance measurements and coordination with DOT and Transit partners, the TPO staff prepared an overview presentation (download here) and a Regulations and Responsibilities summary table (download here). The table includes information which describes the current understanding TPO staff have in relation to these requirements, measures, and targets. Continued updates will be made to this table as more information becomes available or as clarifications are provided by FHWA and/or FTA. Information will be shared on an on-going basis to ensure current and best available information is provided in a timely manner to the TPO policy committee and board as well as the public.

Summary of Specific Requirements and Compliance Dates

The following bullets provide a summary of the five overarching requirements placed into effect through the above referenced legislation as of calendar year 2017. Other legislative measures may still be under consideration, but not yet made it into law (This webpage will be updated as new information becomes available). Documents and resources applicable to the requirements of our TPO made available via the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as well as any progress being made by our TPO (MPO) are included as links to downloadable formats under each applicable bullet. Comments and questions associated with the TPO’s performance management process can be directed at TPO@chattanooga.gov or by calling the Strategic Long Range Planning Director, Melissa Taylor at 423-643-5944.

Written procedures/agreements (FHWA/FTA Oversight per 23 CFR 450.314 (h)): Written agreed upon procedures between the MPO, the transit agency, and state DOTs on the performance-based planning process and the approach to data collection and target-setting were required to be in place by May 27, 2018. The agreements related to this requirement may be viewed here.

Safety (FHWA Oversight per 23 CFR 490 Subpart B): There are five safety performance measures which apply to all roads and these measures were the first legislated requirements referred to as PMI. The Tennessee and Georgia Departments of Transportation (TDOT/GDOT) have adopted targets. The TPO had until May 27, 2018 to set and adopt targets; this is 180 days from the August 31, 2017 state reporting deadline. On January 24, 2018, the TPO Executive Board approved supporting the State of Tennessee and State of Georgia annual safety targets. The TPO has continued to support the states’ targets annually (view resolution here). Download the FHWA Safety Fact Sheet here and the latest target information here.

Highway Asset Management (FHWA Oversight per 23 CFR 490 Subparts C and D): There are four pavement and two bridge condition measures which apply to the National Highway System (NHS*) only (click here to view the TPO’s portion of the NHS and here to download the FHWA Asset Management Fact Sheet). State targets were adopted May 20, 2018. A highway condition Report Card for each state is provided from the national Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) database and can be downloaded for Tennessee here and Georgia here. On October 24, 2018, the TPO Executive Board approved by resolution support of State of Tennessee and State of Georgia pavement and bridge condition targets. The TPO has continued to support the states’ targets (view 2020 resolution here).
- 2020 2-year Progress and Target Adjustments: UpdatedTennessee Department of Transportation pavement and bridge condition target information can be found here

Highway System Performance (FHWA Oversight per 23 CFR 490 Subparts E, F, G, and H): There are several measures legislated to address congestion, freight, and congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ). Two of these measures addressing travel time reliability apply only to the NHS. The other two measures are CMAQ and apply only to designed non-attainment areas; these measures are not applicable to our TPO (For this reason additional resources have not been included on this webpage). Click here to view the TPO’s NHS Map and here to download the FHWA System Performance Fact Sheets for Reliability, Freight, and CMAQ. The State of Tennessee and State of Georgia set targets on May 20, 2018. The TPO Executive Board elected to support the states’ targets on October 24, 2018 (view resolution here). The TPO has continued to support the states’ targets (view 2020 resolution here). Target information can be found here and will be updated as necessary.

Transit Performance (FTA Oversight per Title 49 Section 5326):
- Transit Asset Management (TAM): There are several transit measures associated with transit agencies’ rolling stock, equipment, facilities, and infrastructure which must be part of the legislated Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan. Transit agencies must complete initial TAM plans by October 1, 2018. Click here to view the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority’s (CARTA) TAM Plan. CARTA is considered under the asset management legislation to be a Tier 1 agency. Agencies were to set targets as of January 17, 2017, but were given an optional “report” year for 2017. CARTA made minor adjustments to their 2017 targets and set targets in January 2018. Download the FTA Transit Asset Management Fact Sheet here. The TPO Executive Board approved support of the agency’s targets on August 23, 2017 and has continued to review annual targets (view most recent resolution here). The latest target information can be found here and will be updated as necessary.

- Transit Safety: Transit agencies must certify and implement transit safety plans by December 31, 2020. CARTA's safety plan is available here. Safety plans must include performance targets based on the following safety performance criteria established under The National Public Transportation Safety Plan:
  - Fatalities – total number of reportable fatalities and rater per total vehicle revenue miles by mode
  - Injuries – total number of reportable injuries and rater per total vehicle revenue miles by mode
  - Safety events – total number of reportable events and rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode
  - System reliability – mean distance between major mechanical failures by mode

The TPO Executive Board approved support of the agency’s targets on December 15, 2020 (view resolution here). The latest target information can be found here and will be updated as necessary. More information is available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/PTASP.

System Performance Report

In addition to including performance measures and targets in the long-range Metropolitan/Regional Transportation Plan (MTP/RTP) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the MPO is required to include a system performance report upon adoption of specified targets. This report must include an evaluation of system performance with respect to the performance targets. For MPOs that voluntarily elect to develop multiple scenarios when developing the MTP, the MPO must conduct an analysis as part of the systems performance report on how the preferred scenario has improved the conditions and performance of the transportation system and how changes in local policies and investments have impacted the costs necessary to achieve the identified performance targets. [23 CFR 450.324(f)(4)(ii)]

The progress description should include the information that is available at the time of the plan adoption, such as information that has been reported as part of the reports required under 23 CFR 490.107. With subsequent adoptions of the Transportation Improvement Program and long-range Metropolitan/Regional Transportation Plan, States and MPOs must continue to include a system performance report. These reports must describe the progress of the MPOs in meeting the performance targets in comparison with system performance recorded in previous years.

- - Metropolitan Transportation Plan Compliance: The CHCNGA TPO’s long-range Regional Transportation Plan System Performance Report can be found on page 249 of the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan that became effective on January 23, 2019 which can be found here.
  - Transportation Improvement Program Compliance: The CHCNGA TPO’s Transportation Improvement Program System Performance Report is included as an Addendum to the previously adopted 2017-2020 Transportation Improvement Program and has been updated as needed for inclusion of all performance measures, targets, and system evaluation. The latest Adjustment to this Addendum can be found here.

Download TDOT’s general presentation on the topic here.