Planning for Transportation Systems Management and Operations Within Corridors: A Desk Reference

Chapter 6. Taking Action

While transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) at the corridor level can be advanced in many ways, and can involve coordination among operating agencies to major planning studies, it does not have to be daunting to proceed. The scope of the effort can be scaled to the needs and challenges of the corridor and can be integrated into ongoing operational coordination efforts and planning studies.

The checklist below summarizes the key points presented in this Desk Reference and can be used to guide the process for developing a TSMO plan for a corridor.

Scoping the Effort and Building a Team.

The team working on a corridor planning study or operations plan should encompass many different agencies and partners who, together, operate services and influence operations in the corridor. The team may include multiple jurisdictions (State, county, city, other municipality), as well as a range of different agencies and service providers, which may include regional transit providers, local bus services, State departments of transportation (DOTs), toll authorities, port authorities, vanpool operators, transportation management associations, or others. In addition, it is valuable to involve planners, traffic engineers, transit operators, law enforcement, and other organizations that play a key role in the corridor. Getting the agencies together is often a critical component of success in gaining an early understanding of who operates in the corridor, what their opportunities are for enhancing operations, and ways to work together to optimize system performance.

Transportation planning in a corridor should build off of broader planning efforts for TSMO, as well as operations programs and strategies at a regional and State-level. Regardless of the size of the corridor, planning for corridor operations should recognize and build upon existing programs that can benefit the corridor.

Develop a clear definition of the corridor where TSMO strategies are to be introduced. While an effort to advance TSMO can focus on one facility, a corridor should be looked upon as more than an individual facility and should consider the interconnected nature of travel across facilities in a travel-shed to maximize the effectiveness of the selected TSMO strategies. Components of a corridor may include a freeway; major arterials; local road networks; transit rail and bus services; and transportation services, including rideshare programs and parking facilities.

Think carefully about the boundaries and definition of a corridor to assess and develop solutions comprehensively. Defining a corridor often begins with a review of data on travel patterns (including origin-destination data) and connecting networks and choices available to travelers, which are informed by public perceptions.

Gathering Information on Current and Future Contexts and Conditions.

Compile information on the transportation assets, capabilities, and resources that exist within the corridor. Document existing intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment, real-time traffic and bus monitoring, park and ride facilities, traffic signal timing plans, and other technologies and facilities relating to corridor operations, because operational improvements can build upon these assets. In addition, identify regional resources (e.g., highway and transit traveler information systems, ridesharing programs, and regional incident management programs).

Developing an Outcome-Oriented Operational Concept - Goals, Objectives, and Performance Measures.

This may be the most important step in the process because it establishes how the corridor is expected to perform once TSMO strategies are implemented and operated on a day-to-day basis. Operations objectives are developed through interactions with partners and stakeholders who help define the intended objectives and performance outcomes for the corridor. These objectives can be further refined through a study process, but the initial identification of objectives is critical for setting the context for developing and evaluating corridor TSMO strategies. Objectives can be expressed in the form of an objectives tree that shows how higher-level objectives are reached by first achieving lower level objectives that support them.

Identifying Operations Performance Needs, Gaps, and Opportunities.

Gather and analyze data for performance measures to identify existing gaps between desired outcomes (objectives) and current conditions, as well as potential opportunities for improvement. Define scenarios or conduct a scenario planning exercise as a basis for understanding current performance gaps and potential opportunities. By defining scenarios, participants in the corridor can identify existing gaps, performance needs, and opportunities for improvements. In many cases, performance data is available that clearly demonstrate where problems exist and need attention, which leads to understanding where investments are needed and what efforts should be prioritized in the planning process.

Developing an Integrated TSMO Approach.

Consider TSMO strategies working together in the context of the corridor as opposed to selecting and implementing strategies in isolation. Planning for an integrated set of strategies allows planners and operators to leverage synergies between strategies. Build on the assessment of potential strategies using available analysis tools so that the corridor plan involves a set of promising strategies that achieve the operations objectives for the corridor. Given the wide array of potential strategies to consider, include those that focus on highway/traffic operations, transit operations, demand management, and capacity. Selecting strategies for a corridor involves both quantitative and qualitative assessments of what would work best to fit within the specific context of the corridor.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) document Advancing Metropolitan Planning for Operations: The Building Blocks of a Model Transportation Plan Incorporating Operations provides a guide for assembling a range of complementary TSMO strategies that, together, provide wide-ranging benefits to corridor management and operations. This document, along with other FHWA references and guides, addresses the range of needs for improving corridor performance.

Putting it All Together: Efficiency, Reliability, Travel Options, Non-Recurring Delay, Arterial Management, Freeway Management, and Transit Operations and Management.

Programming for TSMO.

Identify and understand the various sources of funding for TSMO strategies in the corridor, and prioritize TSMO projects based on funding availability and potential benefits. Use an incremental investment approach that gains benefits from early implementation while maintaining a strategic view of fully implemented solutions in the corridor.

Implementing, Monitoring, and Maintaining Level of Operations over Time.

Apply well-tested systems engineering processes to ensure that system requirements are properly specified and achieved in systems design and deployment and that the corridor plan includes consideration for life-cycle management and operation.