WORK PLAN

Performance-based Planning and Programming:

FFY 2020

 october 3, 2019

Proposed Action

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

Project Identification

Project Number 8820

Client

Boston Region MPO

Project Supervisors

Principal: Alexandra Kleyman
Manager: Michelle Scott

Funding Source

MPO Planning and §5303 Contract #108217

Schedule and Budget

Schedule: 12 months after work commences

Budget: $142,040

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). The MPO’s PBPP process will also coordinate with other MPO activities, such as the Congestion Management Process (CMP), that monitor regional transportation performance.

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (also known as MAP-21) and its successor, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (or FAST) Act, direct states, public transportation providers, and MPOs to use this performance-driven, outcome-based approach. As a result, PBPP is now an important component of the “continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive,” or 3C, transportation-planning process that 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 how spending decisions affect the overall performance of the transportation system; help to improve its decision-making; and help to increase accountability and transparency in its planning processes.

Objectives

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

• Maintains compliance with federal requirements

2. Applies performance management principles to MPO planning processes to make them 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 to achieve performance goals 
4. Provides information about MPO performance in clear, engaging, and actionable ways

Work Description

In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2020, MPO staff will continue to expand on PBPP activities begun in prior years. FFY 2020 activities will include updating federally required performance targets, collecting performance data, and preparing performance reports and communication materials. MPO staff will also explore ways to further integrate PBPP principles into MPO planning processes and to expand the set of performance measures that the MPO tracks over time, and the performance targets that it sets.

Task 1  Develop Federally Required Performance Targets

MPO staff will provide information and recommendations to help the MPO update federally required performance targets. Staff expects that these will include the MPO’s transit asset management and roadway safety targets. The MPO may also need to consider target updates in other roadway performance areas if MassDOT decides to adjust its four-year performance targets that the MPO voted to support in 2018. MPO staff will monitor the development of Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans in the region during 2019 and 2020, as the MPO will also need to adopt federally required transit safety performance measures after the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority establish their plans and targets. 

As part of this task, MPO staff will gather and analyze data, review target-setting methodologies, and make recommendations to the MPO on approaches for updating targets. Staff will continue to coordinate with MassDOT, federal agencies, the region’s transit providers, other MPOs and states, and other stakeholders to support this task.

Products of Task 1

Data analysis, memoranda, and presentations to support target setting for federally required performance measures

Task 2  Explore Other Performance Measures and Targets

MPO staff will explore additional (non-federally required) performance measures and recommend measures that are relevant to the MPO’s transportation goals and appropriate to its activities. Staff will also explore and recommend additional and/or long-term targets that the MPO might decide to set for federally required or non-federally required performance measures. As part of this task, staff will conduct research; gather and analyze data; coordinate with MassDOT, transit agencies, other states and MPOs, and other stakeholders; and make specific recommendations to the MPO.

Products of Task 2

Data analysis, memoranda and presentations to support the incorporation of other performance measures and targets into the MPO’s PBPP practice

Task 3  Integrate PBPP Elements into MPO Planning Processes

During FFY 2020, this task will include the following elements:

• Integrate PBPP into TIP Development: MPO staff will continue to gather project-level performance data and research approaches for estimating the progress that existing and proposed TIP investments may make with respect to federally required performance measures and targets.
• Integrate PBPP with LRTP Implementation: MPO staff will integrate PBPP with the implementation of the current LRTP, Destination 2040, scenario planning, updates to the Needs Assessment, and activities that will lay the groundwork for the next LRTP.
• Integrate PBPP into Other MPO Planning Activities: MPO staff will identify performance research and data needs that can be addressed through UPWP studies. Staff may also explore opportunities to incorporate PBPP elements into the UPWP study selection process. Staff will also consider ways to integrate current CMP performance monitoring activities into the MPO’s larger PBPP framework.

Products of Task 3

Memoranda, presentations, and documentation recommending MPO process improvements related to PBPP; performance data related to projects and programs

Task 4  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. In FFY 2019, MPO staff enhanced the existing Performance Analysis chapter in the TIP and created a Systems Performance chapter for Destination 2040 that includes the MPO’s current federally required performance measures and targets. MPO staff will continue to report on performance in FFY 2020. When doing so, staff will continue to seek out new, efficient, and engaging ways to share data and results, including the following:

• Prepare Federally Required Performance Reports: MPO staff will prepare a Performance Analysis chapter for the FFYs 2021–25 TIP, which 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. Staff will also prepare a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program Mid-Performance Period Progress Report, per federal requirements.
• Report Performance Information 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 updating existing data and text, and by adding new data, performance targets, and new performance topic areas. Where practicable, staff will incorporate progress information in the dashboard as well. This work will be coordinated with work on other MPO applications, such as the LRTP Needs Assessment application and the CMP 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. For example, this may include updates to the LRTP System Performance report, first prepared for Destination 2040.
• Develop PBPP Communication Tools: MPO staff will develop or update brochures, presentations, or other materials to describe the MPO’s PBPP framework and to help guide the MPO board through its PBPP decision-making processes. Staff will also update content on the MPO’s PBPP webpage on an ongoing basis.

Products of Task 4

Performance report in the FFYs 2021–25 TIP; CMAQ Mid-Performance Period Progress Report; updates to the MPO’s Performance Dashboard; other performance reports and documents as needed; and content for the MPO’s PBPP webpage

Task 5  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. As part of this task, MPO staff will seek opportunities to connect with staff from other state departments of transportation, MPOs, and other organizations who are working on PBPP.

Products of Task 5

Documentation of findings regarding PBPP best practices

Exhibit 1
ESTIMATED SCHEDULE
Performance-based Planning and Programming: FFY 2020