Enhancing Agency Performance-based Planning and Programming
Corresponding Author: Jonathan Groeger, Amec Foster Wheeler
Presented By: Richard Sarpong Boadi, Amec Foster Wheeler
Abstract
The presentation identifies the strengths and opportunities for improvement faced by ten State DOTs as they move to successfully incorporate Transportation Asset Management (TAM) principles into their agency culture to enhance performance-based planning and programming processes. This is the outcome of a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project which was aimed at assisting the State DOTs with performing a self-assessment/gap analysis and producing customized TAM strategic implementation plans based on the results. The project team evaluated the current and desired states in each of the TAM focus areas (Inventory and Condition, Asset Management Objectives and Measures, Performance Gap Identification, Life-cycle Cost Considerations, Risk Management, Financial Planning, and Investment Strategies) and developed a strategic implementation plan that guided the States through the activities/methodology needed to enhance their processes and procedures.
The self-assessment considered the adequacy of organizational strategic goals and policies with respect to asset management, whether TAM is taken into account in the agency’s planning and programming including development of the STIP, as well as, whether the agency is implementing adequate data collection and analysis policies, undertaking whole life analysis, and undertaking programmatic risk assessments to support an effective asset management program. The current practice review identified several opportunities to strengthen the agency’s asset management capabilities and processes.
The strategic implementation plans were developed in four key steps:
• Step 1. Agency staff participated in an online Gap Analysis survey.
• Step 2. Agency staff members participated in a series of face-to-face interviews.
• Step 3. Agency staff participated in a workshop to discuss and prioritize the gaps, and to discuss options for addressing them.
• Step 4. The implementation plan was developed, reviewed, and presented to Senior Staff and Executive Staff.
This presentation identifies the commonalities in TAM practices in these States. It then discuss the opportunities for improvement and the strategies involved in moving from one maturity level to the next in the TAM journey for these States. It closes with lessons learned from the process and a path forward for States.