Planning for Transportation Systems Management and Operations within Subareas – A Desk Reference

Scoping the Effort and Building a Team.

The team working on a subarea planning study or operations plan should encompass many different agencies and partners who together operate services and influence operations in the subarea. The team may come from a range of different agencies and service providers, including transit providers, local bus services, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, neighborhood associations, utilities, goods movement, and other constituencies affected by changes and improvements in the subarea. In addition, it is valuable to involve planners, traffic engineers, transit operators, law enforcement, and other organizations that play a key role in the subarea. Getting the agencies and other constituencies together is often a critical component of success in gaining an early understanding of who operates in the subarea, what their opportunities are for enhancing operations, and ways to work together to optimize system performance to the benefit of travelers, and others who depend upon or are affected by the transportation system in the subarea.

Transportation planning in a subarea 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 subarea, planning for transportation operations should recognize and build upon existing programs that can benefit the transportation system users and operators.

Develop a clear definition of the subarea where TSMO strategies are to be introduced. While an effort to advance TSMO can focus on limited facilities within the subarea, the subarea should be looked upon as more than an individual or independent geographic area and should consider the interconnected nature of movement within, into, and out of the subarea to maximize the effectiveness of the selected TSMO strategies. Components of a subarea may include a surface streets, major arterials, transit rail and bus services, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, parking, and provisions for accommodating rideshare programs.

Think carefully about the boundaries and definition of a subarea to assess and develop solutions comprehensively. Defining a subarea will often start 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 subarea. Document existing ITS equipment, real-time traffic and bus monitoring, park and ride facilities, traffic signal timing plans, and other technologies and facilities relating to subarea operations, since operational improvements can build upon these assets. In addition, identify available resources, such as transit traveler information systems, ridesharing programs, and incident management programs.

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

This may be the most important step in the process since it establishes how the subarea 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 subarea. 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 subarea 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 subarea can identify existing gaps, performance needs, and opportunities for improvements. In many cases, performance data are 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 subarea as opposed to selecting and implementing strategies in isolation. Planning for an integrated set of strategies allows planners and operators to leverage synergies among strategies. Build on the assessment of potential strategies using available analysis tools so that the subarea plan involves a set of promising strategies that achieve the operations objectives for the subarea. Given the wide array of potential strategies to consider, include those that focus on highway and traffic operations, transit operations, demand management, and capacity. Selecting strategies for a subarea involves both quantitative and qualitative assessments of what would work best to fit within the specific context of the subarea.

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

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 TMSO strategies that, together, provide wide-ranging benefits to subarea management and operations. This document, along with other FHWA references and guides, helps to address the range of needs for improving subarea performance.

Programming for TSMO.

Identify and understand the various sources of funding for TSMO strategies in the subarea 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 subarea.

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 subarea plan includes consideration for life cycle management and operation.