Transportation Planning For Operations: Quick Guide to Practitioner Resources
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Contact Information: OperationsFeedback@dot.gov
Transportation professionals like you have
important questions about the complex transportation
challenges of planning for operations. The
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has
developed a number of knowledge resources
to help provide answers to planners, operators,
public safety professionals, and transportation
decision makers.
This brochure lists the resources available
including guidebooks, case studies, and workshops.
They were created with the input of transportation
professionals across the country to help improve
planning for the management and operation
of transportation facilities.
All publications are available from the U.S.
Department of Transportation's Planning for
Operations website at: http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov.
READ ON TO FIND THE RIGHT RESOURCES FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS.
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WHAT IS TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
FOR OPERATIONS?
Planning for operations is a joint
effort between planners and operators
to integrate management and operations
(M&O) strategies into the planning
process for the purpose of improving
regional transportation system efficiency,
reliability, and travel options. M&O
strategies aim to maximize the performance
of existing and planning infrastructure
through multi-modal, multi agency, and
inter-modal systems, services, and projects.
|
Publications
Metropolitan Planning for Operations
Resources, tools, and case studies to help
integrate M&O strategies into metropolitan
transportation planning
 |
Advancing Metropolitan Planning
for Operations: An Objectives–Driven,
Performance–Based Approach –
A Guidebook
Presents an objectives–driven,
performance–based approach for
integrating M&O strategies into
the metropolitan transportation plan
(MTP) to maximize performance, fulfill
Federal planning requirements, and meet
customer needs.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10026/
index.htm
|
"What is the FHWA–recommended
approach for incorporating M&O into
the metropolitan transportation planning
process?"
|
 |
Advancing Metropolitan Planning
for Operations: The Building Blocks
of a Model Transportation Plan Incorporating
Operations – A Desk Reference
Offers MPOs and their State and local
partners a menu of options for incorporating
operations into their plans. Provides
an organized collection of sample operations
objectives, performance measures, and
excerpts of a metropolitan transportation
plan incorporating operations.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10027/index.htm
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"Where can I find sample objectives,
performance measures, and a model plan
for integrating operations into a transportation
plan?"
|
 |
The How: Case Studies for Advancing
Planning for Operations
Presents six case studies of regions
around the country where agencies are
applying elements of an objectives–driven,
performance-based approach to planning
for operations.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publications.
htm#pfo
|
"How are other regions finding
success in planning for operations?"
|
 |
Congestion Management Process:
A Guidebook
Describes a flexible framework of eight
congestion management actions as part
of an objectives–driven, performance–based
approach. Also highlights the role of
the congestion management process (CMP)
in supporting livability, multi modal
transportation, environmental review,
collaboration, demand management and
operations strategies, documentation,
and visualization.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/congestion_management_process/cmp_guidebook/
|
"How can we implement an effective
congestion management process?"
|
 |
Showcasing Visualization Tools
in Congestion Management
Provides examples of visualizations
that can be used as part of the CMP.
Identifies different types of visuals,
including maps, 3-D images, and charts,
as well as techniques such as use of
video, and describes data needs.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/congestion_management_process/cmp_visualization_tools/
|
"How can we better communicate
congestion issues to decision makers,
the public, and other stakeholders using
visualization tools?"
|
 |
The Role of Transportation
Systems Management & Operations
in Supporting Livability and Sustainability:
A Primer
This primer describes nine key elements
for managing and operating transportation
systems that support advancing livability
and sustainability. It provides a vision
of how the regional transportation system
could look in the future if M&O
strategies were comprehensively implemented
to advance livability and sustainability
goals.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12004/index.htm
|
"How can we increase livability
and sustainability with M&O strategies?"
|
 |
Statewide Opportunities for
Integrating Operations, Safety, and
Multimodal Planning: A Reference Manual
Provides "how–to" information
to assist State DOTs in integrating
these functional areas to produce better
investment decisions. Identifies and
describes opportunities at various levels
of decision making – statewide,
regional, corridor, and project –
and the benefits of these approaches.
Describes the benefits, challenges,
stakeholders, and implementation actions
for each opportunity. Also includes
toolkits, case study examples, and self-assessment
checklists at each level of decision
making.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/statewide/manual/index.cfm
|
"How can State DOTs integrate
operations, safety, and planning?"
|
 |
Statewide Opportunities for
Linking Planning and Operations: A Primer
Highlights the benefits of linking
planning for operations at the state
level. Identifies and describes five
major types of opportunities and provides
case studies of successful practices.
Also includes a self-assessment questionnaire
to help State DOT planning and operational
staff understand how well they are currently
linking planning and operations.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08028/index.htm
|
"What are the best practices
for integrating operations into planning
at the state level?"
|
Statewide Planning for Operations
Resources that speak to the particular challenges
and opportunities in planning for operations
at the state level
 |
Statewide Opportunities for
Integrating Operations, Safety, and
Multimodal Planning: A Reference Manual
Provides "how–to" information
to assist State DOTs in integrating
these functional areas to produce better
investment decisions. Identifies and
describes opportunities at various levels
of decision making – statewide,
regional, corridor, and project –
and the benefits of these approaches.
Describes the benefits, challenges,
stakeholders, and implementation actions
for each opportunity. Also includes
toolkits, case study examples, and self-assessment
checklists at each level of decision
making.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/statewide/manual/index.cfm
|
"How can State DOTs integrate
operations, safety, and planning?"
|
 |
Statewide Opportunities for
Linking Planning and Operations: A Primer
Highlights the benefits of linking
planning for operations at the state
level. Identifies and describes five
major types of opportunities and provides
case studies of successful practices.
Also includes a self-assessment questionnaire
to help State DOT planning and operational
staff understand how well they are currently
linking planning and operations.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08028/index.htm
|
"What are the best practices
for integrating operations into planning
at the state level?"
|
Regional Coordination and Collaboration
Resources to help transportation agencies
work together to improve transportation operations
 |
The Collaborative Advantage:
Realizing the Tangible Benefits of Regional
Transportation Operations Collaboration
Examines collaborative strategies to
improve transportation system performance
and a process to assess the benefits
of collaboration. Nine case studies
of collaborative efforts demonstrate
tangible benefits.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/benefits_guide/index.htm
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"What are the benefits of regional
collaboration for my agency?"
|
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Getting More by Working Together
— Opportunities for Linking Planning
and Operations: A Reference Manual
Helps transportation planning and operations
managers understand the value of working
together and the benefits of pursuing
regional M&O strategies. Identifies
10 opportunities — such as data
sharing, funding and resource sharing,
and performance measures — to
strengthen the connections between planning
and operations functions. A self-assessment
guide helps agencies gauge current process
in linking planning and operations.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/lpo_ref_guide/index.htm
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"What are important opportunities
for planners and operators to collaborate
for mutual benefit?"
|
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Regional Transportation Operations
Collaboration and Coordination: A Primer
for Working Together to Improve Transportation
Safety, Reliability, and Security
Directed at transportation professionals
and public safety officials responsible
for day-to-day management and operations
within a metropolitan region, as well
as agencies already involved in regional
collaborative efforts. Includes a collaboration
self-assessment and examples of successful
case studies.
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/repts_te/13686.html
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"How do we understand and build
the fundamental components of regional
collaboration?"
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Collaborative Tools to Integrate Operations
into Planning
Resources that support the development and
use of collaborative management tools that
promote effective planning for operations
 |
Regional Concept for Transportation
Operations: The Blueprint for Action
– A Primer
Introduces the Regional Concept for
Transportation Operations, a management
tool to help agencies think through,
plan, and implement management and operations
(M&O) strategies in a collaborative
and sustained manner.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/rctoprimer/index.htm
|
"How do we build a strategic
plan to guide collaborative transportation
efforts?"
|
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The Regional Concept for Transportation
Operations: A Practitioner's Guide
This practitioner's guide is a collection
of the observed successes and lessons
learned from four metropolitan regions
as they developed Regional Concepts
for Transportation Operations (RCTOs).
RCTOs are a management tool used by
planners and operations practitioners
to define a strategic direction for
implementing effective regional transportation
management and operations in a collaborative
manner.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop11032/index.htm
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"What valuable lessons can we
learn from other regions that have used
an RCTO?"
|
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Applying a Regional ITS Architecture
to Support Planning for Operations:
A Primer
This primer offers transportation planners
and operations managers a menu of opportunities
for applying the regional ITS architecture
to enhance planning for operations.
It provides specific entry points for
leveraging the regional ITS architecture
in integrating operations into the planning
process.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12001/index.htm
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"How can we leverage our regional
ITS architecture in planning for operations?"
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Analysis of Management and Operations
Resources to support the quantitative analysis
of management and operations strategies
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Operations Benefit/Cost Analysis
Desk Reference
Provides practitioners with guidance
on how to effectively and reliably estimate
the benefits and costs of operations
strategies. It includes background information
on benefit/cost analysis including basic
terminology and concepts. It is intended
to support the needs of practitioners
just getting started with B/C analysis
and unfamiliar with the general process.
It also describes some of the more complex
analytical concepts and latest research
in order to support more advanced analysts.
This Desk Reference is supported by
an Operations B/C decision support spreadsheet
tool, called the Tool for Operations
Benefit/Cost (TOPS-BC).
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12028/index.htm
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"How do I effectively and reliably
estimate the benefits and costs of operations
strategies?"
|
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Applying Analysis Tools in
Planning for Operations
Examines the use of software and analytical
tools as well as basic analysis methods
to support planning for operations.
Tools and methods include traffic signal
optimization tools, simulation tools,
sketch planning tools, and archived
operations data. Accompanying case studies
help planners and operations professionals
better use existing analysis tools and
methods to analyze, evaluate, and report
the benefits of investments in M&O
strategies.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10001/index.htm
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"How do we analyze and evaluate
the expected impacts of management and
operations investments?"
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Organizing for Operations
A resource to prepare organizations to effectively
plan and implement management and operations
 |
Creating an Effective Program
to Advance Transportation System Management
and Operations Primer
Offers high-level guidance on key program,
process, and organizational capabilities
that are essential to effective transportation
system management and operations within
agencies. It is aimed at program and
activity-level managers responsible
for M&O related activities in State,
regional, and local transportation agencies.
The "capability maturity" approach presented
here identifies the key areas that impact
program effectiveness: business processes,
systems and technology, performance
measurement, culture, organization and
workforce, and collaboration.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12003/index.htm
|
"What capabilities does my agency
need for a strong management and operations
program?"
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Workshops
Integrating Planning for Operations into
Metropolitan Transportation Plans and Programs
– A Workshop
Beginner – Intermediate | 1/2 –
2 Days
This workshop aims to assist metropolitan
planning agencies and their planning partners
adopt and begin to utilize and integrate key
elements of planning for operations into their
metropolitan transportation plans and programs.
The session consists of an introduction to
planning for operations and then one or more
modules, focusing on specialized topics. Modules
are selected to respond to the specific interests
of the region(s) represented at the workshop.
Module options include:
- Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for
Operations
- Benefit-Cost Analysis of Operational Strategies
- Integrating Travel Demand Management into
the Transportation Planning Process
- Developing a Regional Concept for Transportation
Operations (RCTO)
- Supporting Livability and Sustainability
with Operations
- Applying the Regional ITS Architecture
to Support Planning
- Organizing for Operations
- Advancing Traffic Incident Management
(TIM) in Regional Planning
- Marketing Operations to Decision makers
Contact: James.Colyar@dot.gov
Advancing Planning for Operations in Metropolitan
Areas (NHI 133111)
Beginner | 1 1/2 – 2 Days
This course provides a foundational understanding
of planning for operations. It focuses on
the use of specific, measurable objectives
and performance measures to advance operations
in the metropolitan planning process. It encourages
enhanced regional collaboration and coordination
between planners and operators in advancing
M&O and integrating the congestion management
process in transportation planning. The course
includes an optional half-day workshop tailored
for the region.
More information available at:
http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/course_search.aspx
Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for
Operations
All Levels | 1 Day
This workshop provides planners and operators
with insights into the range of best practice
models, analysis methods, and analytical approaches
currently used for decision making. Some of
the tools that are discussed include: sketch
planning, travel demand models, simulation
models, application-specific models, and the
use of archived data for performance monitoring
and reporting.
Contact: James.Colyar@dot.gov
Benefit Cost Analysis of Operational Strategies
All Levels | 1 Day
The Office of Operations is conducting workshops
for interested stakeholders to explain and
validate the Benefit-Cost (B/C) for Operations
Desk Reference and Decision Support Tool.
The B/C guidance and tool will assist planners
and operations practitioners in assessing
the economic value of management and operations
(M&O) strategies. The tool will perform
sketch planning B/C analysis, provide guidance
on sophisticated B/C models based on user
needs, and will provide estimates of life
cycle costs for M&O strategies.
Contact: jim.hunt@dot.gov
Implementing an Effective Congestion Management
Process as Part of Performance-Based Planning
Beginner | 1 Day
This workshop is intended to be a refresher
on the development of the congestion management
process (CMP). It features best practice examples
from CMPs developed by other transportation
management areas, and also aims to cover changes
from previous guidebooks, explore Federal
requirements, and provide an overview of the
components of an effective CMP.
Contact: ben.williams@dot.gov
Contact
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Toll-Free "Help Line" 866.367.7487
www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov
September 2013
FHWA-HOP-13-049
