Increasingly, jurisdictions are finding that multimodal measurement techniques are needed to quantify the performance of the transportation system to respond to federal requirements and monitor progress toward community goals. This study reviewed the current state of the practice on Multimodal Transportation Performance Measures and Standards. In the context of this study, performance measures are methods to objectively measure the system, while standards describe an acceptable level of performance.

Over 160 different performance measures, indicators and tools were considered and assessed for their applicability to a broad range of planning applications. Measures were compared based on the type and scale of the planning application, including system planning, corridor or project planning, as well as site planning. The evaluation also included techniques for weighting of various measures, and assessed the pros and cons of different methods for applying multimodal measures to site planning.

The study identified preferred measures that emerged within the context of Washington County’s existing policies and processes. Washington County, Oregon, is a large and diverse county with a variety of urban and rural environments. Different definitions of system adequacy were necessary given the range of land use contexts. Both system completeness (the presence or absence of the system for a given mode) and system performance (assessment of system functionality) measurement techniques were recommended.

Other jurisdictions may learn from the assessment and the criteria used to consider Multimodal Performance Measures and Standards. Considerations included: ease of application, understandability for policy makers and the general public, availability of data, the decision being considered, and applicability within a safety-based review framework. Case studies and scenario testing provided insight for how different Multimodal Performance Measures and Standards might function in different situations or circumstances. Such case studies were useful for considering the effects of different methods, tools, and measures, and helped to inform the recommendations of the study. The results of this assessment are informative for agencies considering adopting Multimodal Transportation Performance Measures and Standards, or applying such techniques within ongoing planning studies.