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Conference on Performance Measures for Transportation and Livable Communities

SEPTEMBER 7-8, 2011 • AUSTIN, TEXAS

CLOSING SESSION:
REVIEW OF CONFERENCE THEMES

Presiding

ERIC GLEASON, Texas Department of Transportation

The closing luncheon featured four panelists who provided their thoughts on the general themes emerging from the conference. The panelists also highlighted areas for further research and follow-up activities. The topics covered by the panelists are summarized below.

	Eric Gleason Texas Department of Transportation
	Joe Zietsman Texas Transportation Institute
	Lynne Bly Minnesota Department of Transportation
	Christopher Forinash U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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Eric Gleason

Texas Department of Transportation

• The conference reflected a very high energy level throughout all the sessions.  The speakers provided interesting examples and applications of performance measures associated with transportation and livable communities from different areas throughout the country.
• A number of innovative applications within public agencies were presented by speakers.  Rather than thinking and working “outside the box,” it may be more practical and more appropriate for public agencies to work “at the edge of the box.”  New methods, approaches, and techniques can be brought to the edge of the box and incorporated into practice within the box.  This approach can help others understand the new concepts and methods and build support for their use.
• The differences and similarities between livability and sustainability were noted by speakers.  While there may be differences between these two terms and concepts, they are very inter-related.  Livability has more of a quality-of-life focus, while sustainability has more of an environmental, economic, and social focus that is nearer the edge of the box.  It is worth discussing if it would be of use to separate the two terms and better define each or combine them into one general broad concept.  There are benefits to both approaches.
• Speakers noted that transportation is a means to other ends, it is not an end in itself.  Transportation is a key element of livable and sustainable communities.  Transportation provides mobility and accessibility for people.  Transportation can enhance the quality-of-life, but it can also detract from the quality of life.
• Public transportation plays a key role in livable communities.  Transit is important in urban, suburban, and rural areas.  There is support for transit, bicycling, and walking in many areas.  There is a need to define the key issues and the most appropriate approaches to addressing these concerns.  There are cultural changes underway in many areas that influence peoples’ needs and desires for transit, biking, walking, and driving.
• Participants discussed performance measurement at the national, state, metropolitan, and local levels.  Participants discussed that these performance measures may be slightly different, but they should be coordinated and compatible.

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Joe Zietsman

Texas Transportation Institute

• Speakers at the conference highlighted a wide range of activities underway throughout the country related to transportation, livability, sustainability, and performance measures.  The presentations and discussions in the sessions were excellent.
• As several speakers noted, it appears that performance measurement will be included in a new federal surface transportation bill.  It was suggested that the transportation profession can learn from other disciplines that have used performance measures for many years.  It was also noted that performance measures can served as an equalizer among different situations.
• The need to have accurate and timely data for performance measures was also discussed.  Data that addresses transportation elements and livable community characteristics are needed.  A well thought out plan for collecting and processing, analyzing data is needed.
• The importance of communicating with the public and policy makers was also discussed.  Numerous methods can be used to present information and to obtain input and feedback from key stakeholders.  Performance measures provide key data for decision making related to transportation and livable and sustainable communities.

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Lynne Bly

Minnesota Department of Transportation

• Senator Watson provided a caution on the language used in transportation performance measures.  He suggested avoiding lightening-rod terms and the use of technical jargon.  The senator suggested that people readily understand and support a call for “lifestyle support systems.”  This suggestion keys well with the quality-of-life reported by research in Minnesota that found that people in focus groups, as well as via surveys, can easily explain what quality-of-life is and what really matters to them, their security, and their happiness.  Transportation is valued as their connection to what matters, rather than for its own sake.
• As mentioned in one of the sessions this morning, livability provides an opportunity for transportation to play a leadership role in leveraging other interests, in achieving a means to many ends.  The Minnesota GO visioning work has shown that public workshop participants placed the highest priority on choices that leverage limited resources to achieve multiple public purposes.  Transportation professionals have been progressing from a position of consultation, to coordination, and to collaboration with local transportation partners and other state and federal agencies.  We are moving from a 3C (continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive) to 3M (multipurpose, multimodal, multi-party/jurisdictional) world.
• The public is also telling us that accessibility is important to their quality-of-life and livability.  They recognize the value of different modes for different trip purposes.  A high priority is also given to strong regional connections – access to major regional centers – but that too is seen as a multimodal situation.
• Reliability is a critical facet to livability.  System redundancy, or its lack, has implications for our security, vulnerability for our freight systems and economic well-being, and for emergency services, and evacuations when necessary.
• Many speakers noted the value transportation professionals bring to the table through their ability to digest data and, through analysis, and make it comprehensible.  Transportation professionals can tell a story that helps provide a strong knowledge base for public sector decision making.

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Christopher Forinash

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• A first general theme from the conference is that sustainability and livability matter to the public and that there is public support for sustainable communities.  A national opinion survey in 2011 found that 79 percent of Americans – regardless of political affiliation – support sustainable communities.  Further, 66 percent of the respondents believe their region needs more sustainable communities.  Approximately 80 percent of the respondents believe that sustainable communities are an important part of rebuilding the national economy.  The poll also found overwhelming public support for the DOT-EPA-HUD Partnership’s core principles.
• A second general theme from the conference is that transportation is a public service and performance measures can help operationalize the benefits provided to different groups.  The third general theme is that there is still confusion over livability and sustainability.  While there are differences between livability and sustainability, there are many similarities and it may not be worth using scarce resources to argue over definitions.  The Partnership’s livability principles focus on providing more transportation choices, promoting equitable affordable housing, enhancing economic competitiveness, supporting existing communities, coordinating policies and leverage investments, and valuing communities and neighborhoods.
• A fourth general theme from the conference was the use of performance measures at different levels, including long-range plans, programs, corridors, systems, and project development.  A fifth general theme was that place and context are critical to selecting performance measures and to realizing flexible criteria.
• Speakers at the conference provided numerous examples of local and regional leadership in the development and use of performance measures with transportation and livable communities.  Innovation at the local level has created great examples, especially of specific goals and measures emerging from local priorities.  Speakers discussed the use of performance measures even in cases where an agency cannot always control the outcome or get credit for success.  Other speakers noted the power of scenario planning and the link to developing performance measures that resonate with the public and with stakeholders.  Still other speakers stressed that the process used is critically important to the successful development of performance measures.
• At the national level, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities seeks to support and highlight best practices and to develop data sources for use by all groups.  There is also a commitment to better coordinate activities of the three departments and make it easier for state and local governments to work with different programs.  The national focus is also rewarding performance.
• A number of research challenges were identified during the sessions and discussions.  Examples of these research challenges include identifying and analyzing the fiscal and economic impacts of livable communities and including other transportation impacts, such as emergency response, schools, and health with performance measures.  The need for quick-response methods to integrate into scenario planning was discussed.  Also discussed was the need to examine the resiliency of transportation systems to better respond to disasters, climate changes, and emergencies.

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