Linking Transportation Planning to Program Implementation

This study developed measures of effectiveness (MOEs) to quantify the influence of recommendations from a long-range transportation plan (LRTP) on the implementation of projects in a statewide transportation program. MOEs included percentage of LRTP projects in the implementation program, percentage of projects placed in the program before appearing in the LRTP, and percentage of projects started before the LRTP was superseded by an updated LRTP. These MOEs were computed by comparing LRTPs with the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Six Year Improvement Programs (SYIP) over a 25-year period for the Hampton Roads region. The results suggest how regional long-range transportation planning influences the projects selected for implementation. For example, only 6% of the implemented projects appeared in the program prior to the LRTP. The number of LRTP projects implemented are relatively low, but about two thirds of the projects are initiated while the LRTP is current. Accordingly, the LRTP is evolving from its intended long-range visioning function to serve as a shorter-term programming document, where a small proportion of projects are selected for immediate implementation. The utility of these metrics is that they represent a feasible approach for quantifying the implementation aspect of long-range transportation planning.