Transitioning to a Performance-Based National Surface Transportation Program Findings and Recommendations from March, 2010 Workshop JayEtta Hecker Director of Transportation Advocacy

Context for Workshop Current program has limited accountability for results; no requirement that “problems” be solved or that clear federal interests be advanced. Transition to performance-based program increasingly recognized as best promise for optimizing use of increasingly scarce funds. Limited consensus of “what outcome to measure” and strategy for needed transition provided impetus for workshop focus. 2

Many Voices – Many Perspectives 3 Brookings ROB PUENTES International Practitioners MARTIN CAPSTICK (UK) MARIANNE NYBERG (SWEDEN) MIKE DEEGAN (AUSTRALIA) Foundation Staff NICK TURNER SUSAN URAHN BPC NTPP MARTY WACHS, MEMBER EMIL FRANKEL JAYETTA HECKER JOSHUA SCHANK NIKKI THORPE ISTHA; Chicago MPC MARIA SALDANA Finance Commission KATHY RUFFALO Legislative Staff SUSAN BINDER JAMES O’KEEFFE NRDC COLIN PEPPARD Transit CEOs JOHN INGLISH BEVERLY SCOTT State DOTs DOUG MACDONALD DEB MILLER PETE RAHN JOHN HORSLEY Policy Commission & MPO STEVE HEMINGER Chamber of Commerce JANET KAVINOKY Researcher DICK MUDGE

Briefing Topics 1.Core Agreement Areas for a performance based national surface transportation program 2.Agreed Next Steps to begin transition to a performance-based national surface transportation program 3.Challenges and Opportunities moving forward 4.Your role 4

Core Agreement: There Should be Federal Performance Measures Centered around well defined national goals. Need for strong federal support developing and refining metrics for measuring progress toward national goals. Caution is needed to mitigate the unintended consequences of untested measures and to develop data, tools and institutional capacity. 5

Core Agreement: Federal Government Should Play a Role in Incentivizing Performance Careful and deliberate steps can be taken in next authorization bill to begin the process of linking funding to performance. Participants could envision a “bonus program” where additional funds are awarded based on achieving certain objectives related to the performance measures. 6

Agreed Next Steps to Begin Transition Baseline Development Development and Testing Early Programmatic Applications Possible Broader Applications to New Competitive Programs 7

Baseline Development Inventory current state and MPO experience applying performance measurements Support state and MPO efforts to develop baseline performance data for national interest areas 8

Development and Testing Federal funding for research and development of metrics, data, and tools Federal support and coordination of pilot testing of national outcome performance measures for participating states and MPOs 9

Early Programmatic Applications SAFETY: Strengthened performance bonus within the HSIP for measuring, refining, reporting, and improving safety performance ASSET MANAGEMENT: A new asset management program (possibly including asset performance) with development and refinement of core national metrics for both highway and transit systems 10

Possible Broader Applications within New Competitive Programs Apply national outcome-oriented performance measures to new or continued discretionary programs Could take form of codified TIGER program, new competitive metropolitan program, or renewed Projects of National and Regional Significance (PNRS) 11

Challenging Open Issues Definition of the national system Scope of control for grant recipients Time necessary for performance improvements versus funding decisions 12

Timing, Issues, and Opportunities Immediate Actions –opportunities to begin immediately during extension period, rather than delaying until next authorization bill Leadership – opportunities for both legislative and executive action Sequencing - Recognizing new authorization as a building block effort that will span years 13

Your Role in Advancing a Performance-Based Program Critical need for consistent stakeholder advancement and support for needed research, data and capacity development, and pilot efforts. What can YOU be doing as an individual, in your organization, in your TRB committees, and in your professional organizations to advance a performance foundation for the federal transportation program? 14

Thank you! 15