Mn/DOT Links
- Mn/DOT Strategic Vision - Critical Issues and Strategic Directions
- Mn/DOT Planning & Programming - Transportation Planning
- Statewide Transportation Plan: 2009-2028 - Minnesota's Long Range Transportation Plan
Minnesota Links
- Statutes - Minnesota Statutes requiring performance data
National Links
- AASHTO Quality Information Center
- TRB Performance Measures - Measures from around the country
- FHWA Performance Measurement Exchange - Best Practice exchange
Mn/DOT's Performance Measurement
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has been developing performance management tools since the early 1990s, and now has a system that spans most of its major products and services and transportation priorities. With Mn/DOT’s performance-based planning system – clear policy priorities, performance trend data, and performance forecasts are used to guide development of the capital program and many operational decisions.
Mn/DOT’s eight districts manage resources to achieve performance targets for the Department’s priorities – such as safety, pavement and bridge preservation, and snow and ice removal. They manage to performance targets for a wide range of transportation services and assets.
Regular face-to-face performance reports to executive management and districts provide accountability and are a forum for policy review and problem-solving to improve results.
Benefit/cost analysis and performance evaluation of options allow Mn/DOT the opportunity to channel resources to projects and services with the best results for the dollars invested.
Mn/DOT also uses performance measures widely in day-to-day operations, maintenance, administration and construction project development (e.g., for keeping projects on schedule)
Performance-Based Planning at Mn/DOT
After completion of the 2003 Statewide Transportation Plan, Mn/DOT integrated performance based resource allocation into its highway planning, programming and project development process. Each year every Mn/DOT district, following uniform guidance, identifies investment priorities. These priorities are based on quantifiable performance measures and targets that establish an impartial statewide basis for identifying critical transportation improvements for the entire trunk highway system.
Mn/DOT’s performance based planning process helps manage the capital budget efficiently. Department and district executives meet annually to review the actual and predicted results of their four- and 10-year construction program against statewide performance targets for safety, smooth pavements, bridge preservation, and travel speeds, among others. Each district prepares a performance-based scenario that identifies total resource needs to meet performance targets, and a fiscally-constrained plan that sets forth projects to be built with available revenues.
This performance-based approach, described in the 2009 Statewide Transportation Plan, provides the framework and guidance for developing Mn/DOT District 20-Year highway investment plans. These 20-year investment plans, newly updated in 2009, provide the link between the policies and strategies established in the Statewide Plan and the capital improvements that are made to the state highway system. Together, the eight district plans constitute a State 20-Year Highway Investment Plan for 2009-2028.
Resource gaps between the performance-based scenario and fiscally-constrained plan are shared with the state legislature. Having a consistent system for defining needs has enhanced legislative funding deliberations and public dialogue.
Visit the Mn/DOT Planning and Programming site for more information on performance-based plans at Mn/DOT.