WORK PLAN

Performance-based Planning and Programming: FEderal Fiscal YEar 2019

SepTember 20, 2018

Proposed Action

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) reviews this work plan.

Project Identification

Project Number 8819

Client

Boston Region MPO

Project Supervisors

Principal: Alexandra Kleyman
Manager: Michelle Scott

Funding Source

MPO Planning Contract #105757, MPO §5303 Contract #102694, and subsequent MPO §5303 contract

Schedule and Budget

Schedule: 12 months after work commences

Budget: $155,300

Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.

Background

This work plan focuses on the MPO’s performance-based planning and programming (PBPP) process, which will integrate performance management into the development of the Boston Region MPO’s certification documents, including the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). These certification documents identify investments the MPO will make using federal transportation planning and capital improvement dollars.

Performance-based planning and programming applies data to inform decisions aimed at helping to achieve desired outcomes for the region’s multimodal transportation system. PBPP processes involve the following steps:

• Setting goals and objectives for the transportation system
• Selecting performance measures and setting performance targets
• Gathering data and information to monitor and analyze trends
• Using performance measures and data to make spending decisions
• Monitoring, analyzing, and reporting decision outputs and outcomes

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and its successor, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, direct states, public transportation providers, and MPOs to plan using this performance-driven, outcome-based approach. As a result, PBPP is now an important component of the “continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive” (3C) transportation-planning process, which MPOs must follow to maintain their federal certification. The Boston Region MPO can also use PBPP practices to help achieve its specific goals and objectives. These practices will help the MPO to understand better how spending decisions affect the overall performance of the transportation system, to improve its decision-making, and to increase accountability and transparency in its planning processes.

Objectives

MPO staff will implement a PBPP process that accomplishes the following:

1. Maintains compliance with federal requirements

2. Applies performance management principles to MPO planning processes so that they are more data-driven, transparent, and better able to achieve the MPO’s transportation goals
3. Supports collaboration between the MPO, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the region’s municipalities and transit providers, federal agencies, and other stakeholders in order to achieve performance goals 

Work Description

In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019, MPO staff will continue PBPP activities begun in prior years as part of the LRTP program. These activities include reviewing federal guidance, collecting performance data, setting performance targets, and developing PBPP communication materials and reports. MPO staff will also explore ways to further integrate PBPP principles into MPO planning processes and to expand the set of performance measures the MPO tracks over time.

Task 1  Develop Federally Required Performance Targets

MPO staff will provide information and recommendations to help the MPO set targets for federally required highway and transit performance measures. Staff will review federal regulations and guidance, gather and analyze data, develop performance baselines, and create or update target-setting methodologies. MPO staff will continue to coordinate with MassDOT, federal agencies, the region’s transit providers, other MPOs and states, and other stakeholders as part of target-setting processes. If the MPO wishes to set targets for additional performance measures, MPO staff will support those processes as well.

Products of Task 1

Memoranda and presentations to support target-setting for federally required performance measures

Task 2  Integrate PBPP Elements into MPO Planning Processes

This task will include the following elements:

• Integrate PBPP into LRTP Processes. MPO staff expects to identify ways to measure the progress MPO investments have made or will make toward achieving goals and objectives set during the Charting Progress to 2040 (current LRTP)and Destination 2040 (future LRTP) development processes. Staff will coordinate with the LRTP manager to identify investment strategies that will support progress in performance areas. Staff will also work towards integrating performance measures—including federally required measures—into program definition, project evaluation, and scenario planning processes. Performance reporting for the LRTP is discussed in Task 3.
• Integrate PBPP into TIP Processes. MPO staff will continue to gather performance data and information to identify the progress that existing and proposed TIP investments may make on federally- required and other performance measures. To support this work, staff will coordinate to create data management tools and processes, which may supplement or be integrated into the MPO’s TIP Interactive Database. Staff will coordinate with the TIP manager to integrate performance measures and data into the TIP criteria and into project evaluation and selection processes. Performance reporting for the TIP is discussed in Task 3.
• Integrate PBPP into Other MPO Planning Activities. MPO staff will identify performance research and data needs that can be addressed through Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) studies. Staff may also explore opportunities to incorporate PBPP elements into the UPWP study selection process. Staff also will explore opportunities to integrate current Congestion Management Process (CMP) performance monitoring activities into the MPO’s larger PBPP framework.

Products of Task 2

Recommended updates to TIP project selection criteria

Memoranda and presentations recommending TIP, LRTP, and other MPO process improvements

Performance data for MPO-funded or candidate projects and programs

Task 3  Monitor and Report on Performance

Federal agencies require MPOs to report performance measures and targets, along with anticipated and/or realized progress, in certification documents. MPO staff will work to meet these requirements as part of a broader effort to effectively communicate the MPO’s PBPP framework and progress. This task will include the following elements.

• Report on Performance in the LRTP. MPO staff will develop an LRTP performance report that will discuss the MPO’s performance measures and targets, an evaluation of system performance with respect to performance targets, and where appropriate, progress made towards performance targets. Work to produce this performance report will be coordinated with the development of Destination 2040, which is scheduled for adoption in spring 2019.
• Report on Performance in the TIP. MPO staff will develop a TIP performance report that will discuss the MPO’s performance measures and targets and, to the extent practicable, the anticipated progress that TIP projects will make toward achieving performance targets. This work will be coordinated with the development of the FFYs 2020-24 TIP, which is scheduled for adoption in spring 2019.
• Report Performance through the MPO’s Performance Dashboard. In prior years, MPO staff developed a performance dashboard, which is a web-based visual tool that houses, organizes, manages, and presents performance measurement data. Staff will continue to develop this reporting tool by adding new data, performance targets, and new performance topic areas. Where practicable, staff will incorporate progress information as well. This work will be coordinated with work on other MPO applications, such as the LRTP Needs Assessment application and the Congestion Management Process dashboards.
• Support Other Performance Reporting and Documentation. Staff will develop additional performance reports or documents for the MPO or for partner agencies, such as MassDOT, as needed.
• Develop PBPP Communication Tools. MPO staff will develop or update brochures, presentations, or other materials to describe the MPO’s PBPP framework and to guide the MPO through PBPP decision-making processes. Staff will also update content on the MPO’s PBPP webpage on an ongoing basis.

Products of Task 3

Performance report in Destination 2040

Performance report in the FFYs 2020-24 TIP

Updates to the MPO’s Performance Dashboard

Other performance reports and documents, as needed

Content for the MPO’s PBPP webpage  

Task 4  Expand the MPO’s PBPP Practice

Staff will research PBPP topics on an ongoing basis to recommend and apply best practices in target-setting, monitoring, and analysis. Staff will also examine performance measures used by other agencies and recommend measures that are relevant to the MPO’s transportation goals and appropriate to its activities. If the MPO wishes to set targets for additional performance measures, MPO staff will support those processes as well.   

Products of Task 4

Memoranda and/or presentations describing recommended PBPP practices, performance measures, and/or targets

KQ/MS/ms