Multimodal System Performance Measures Research and Application: Innovation and Research Plan

Chapter 1. Introduction

The FHWA recognized in the preamble of the final rule for the third performance management rulemaking (also known as PM3) that many commenters requested measures that were more multimodal in nature and focused on person movement. The preamble in the final rule noted these comments and provided a response from FHWA:

"The FHWA also recognizes that data collection and analytic capacity are not yet developed enough to respond effectively to many commenters' suggestions, particularly in measuring multimodal performance. Therefore, FHWA is working to develop more sophisticated performance metrics and may issue an updated rulemaking on performance measures related to person throughput and multi-modal performance in the future, following completion of ongoing research regarding multimodal system performance measures in Fall 2018."²).

This report constitutes the results of the above referenced research. FHWA initiated this Multimodal System Performance Measures Research and Application study with the goal of identifying and testing a multimodal system performance measure that quantifies the actual performance of all modes, including light and heavy vehicles, bus and light rail, and non- motorized (i.e., bicycle and pedestrian) travel (and potentially ferry travel as well) from the vantage point of the user. The research focuses on identifying existing and potential multimodal data sources necessary to develop a true multimodal system performance. This Innovation and Research plan lays out potential next steps in acquiring the data necessary to calculate the proposed multimodal measures and identifies necessary additional research.

The tasks for this research project began with defining an "ideal" multimodal system performance measure, then determining the gaps between data required by the "ideal" measure and currently available data, developing surrogates for the "ideal" measure based on data gaps, and testing those surrogate measures. Note: the term "ideal" is in quotation marks as a recognition that it would be difficult to identify a truly ideal measure, but that the goal of this task would be to get as close as possible to "ideal." Recognizing the scope and breadth of developing a truly multimodal system performance measure and the continuing data limitations, the end products of the research are an innovation and research plan that includes a proposed listing of innovation activities and related research projects.

This Innovation and Research Plan contains the following chapters:

• Chapter 2 – definitions and work scope.
• Chapter 3 – research findings.
• Chapter 4 – innovation plan.
• Chapter 5 – research programs and projects.