Performance-Based Planning

State DOTs are required by federal transportation legislation and guidance (23 CFR 490) to establish targets for five safety performance measures each year. These safety targets are closely tied to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), which is a major federal funding source aimed at reducing serious injuries and fatalities on the roadway network as well as to the Statewide Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which guides the overall safety approach in each state. Similarly, each year MPOs must also either establish their own targets or elect to support the state targets.

In New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) submits the Statewide safety targets for the five measures, which are established based on a collaborative process with the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJ DHTS) and the three New Jersey MPOs. As a result of this collaboration, SJTPO has elected to support the State targets.

Quick Facts About Safety Targets

Current Safety Targets

NJDOT 2019-2023 Targets Letter (5/31/2022)
SJTPO Policy Board Resolution Approving Targets (9/26/2022)

How Are We Doing?

State DOTs are required to submit an annual safety report to FHWA, which includes baseline values, targets, and progress toward meeting the targets. A state is considered to have met or made significant progress when at least four out of the five safety performance targets are met or the actual outcome for the safety performance target is better than baseline performance.

Met Target

Did Not Meet Target

If the State has not met or made significant progress toward meeting four out of five of its Statewide targets, then the State DOT will be required to develop and submit an implementation plan to FHWA that identifies gaps, develops strategies and action steps, and includes a financial and performance review of all federally funded safety projects. In addition, more stringent rules will apply regarding the flexibility of federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds (23 U.S.C. 148(i)).

Annual Safety Data

While the rolling five-year targets are designed to reduce the effect of anomalies that may occur from one year to another, these data are not intuitive. To further clarify the performance of the roadway network based on these five targets, the table below shows these statistics on an annual basis. Five years of this annual data is averaged together to make up the respective five-year rolling average.

Source: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/reporting/state/safety_2018.cfm?state=New%20Jersey

Annual numbers are posted as they are verified, finalized, and become available to SJTPO. Due to the extensive verification process, this can be two years after the year is complete.

The second major performance rule established (often referred to as PM2) calls for State DOTs and MPOs to establish performance measures and targets assessing the condition of pavement and bridges. These pavement and bridge targets are closely tied to the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP), which is a major federal funding source intended to provide support for the condition and performance of the National Highway System (NHS) and ensure that investments of Federal-aid funds in highway construction are directed to support progress toward the achievement of performance targets established in a state’s asset management plan. The program also supports activities to increase the resiliency of the NHS to mitigate the cost of damages from sea level rise, extreme weather events, flooding, wildfires, and other natural disasters. [§ 11105(1); 23 U.S.C. 119(b)]

Pavement

State DOTs must establish 2- and 4-year targets, regardless of ownership, for the full extent of the Interstate and non-Interstate NHS. MPOs can support the State DOT 4-year targets or establish their own within 180 days after the State DOT target is established. In the most recent targets submitted for the Mid Performance Period Progress Report, SJTPO has supported the State targets.

Quick Facts About Pavement Targets

Current Pavement Targets

How Are We Doing?

At the conclusion of each performance period, state DOTs are required to submit a four-year performance period report to FHWA, which includes baseline values, targets, and progress toward meeting the targets. The first performance period went from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, while the second performance period began January 1, 2022, and goes through December 31, 2025. The state met both two-year pavement targets and three out of four four-year pavement targets in total for the first performance period. On October 1, 2022, the full performance report for the first performance period as well as the baseline report for the second performance period was due to FHWA, although this has been delayed due to issues with the Performance Management Form (PMF) system, the FHWA portal for reporting these targets. For this first performance period, four-year targets were required for both the Interstate conditions as well as the non-interstate conditions, while 2-year targets were required just for the non-interstate pavement conditions.

*The NJDOT letter affirms the original 2- and 4-year targets for pavement, but the revised 4-year targets for % non-interstate NHS pavements in poor condition.

Met Target

Did Not Meet Target

Bridges

In addition to pavement, State DOTs must establish targets for all bridges carrying the NHS, which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS within the State. State DOTs must establish both 2- and 4-year targets for each performance period. MPOs have the option of supporting the State targets or establishing their own targets within 180 days after the State DOT target is established.

Quick Facts About Bridge Targets

Current Bridge Targets

How Are We Doing?

At the conclusion of each performance period, state DOTs are required to submit a four-year performance period report to FHWA, which includes baseline values, targets, and progress toward meeting the targets. The first performance period goes from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, while the second performance period begins January 1, 2022, and goes through December 31, 2025. The state met its 2-year targets for the percentage of NHS bridges in good conditions but fell short of the 2-year target for the percentage of NHS bridges in poor conditions. On October 1, 2022, the full performance report for the first performance period as well as the baseline report for the second performance period was due to FHWA, although this has been delayed due to issues with the Performance Management Form (PMF) system, the FHWA portal for reporting these targets.

** The NJDOT letter affirms the original 2- and 4-year targets for bridge conditions, but not the revised 4-year targets for bridges.

Met Target

Did Not Meet Target

State DOTs are required by federal transportation legislation and guidance to establish performance measures and targets assessing the performance of the Interstate and non-Interstate National Highway System to carry out the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP), Freight Movement on the Interstate System, and traffic congestion and on-road mobile source emissions for the purpose of carrying out the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ). The PM3 set of Performance Measures cover the following measures:

• Travel Time Reliability, defined as the Percentage of the Interstate and Non-interstate System (in person-miles) providing for Reliable Travel Times
  
• Truck Travel Time Reliability, defined as the Percentage of the Interstate System Mileage providing for Reliable Truck Travel Times
  
• CMAQ Traffic Congestion, which consists of two performance measures: Annual Hours of Excessive Delay per Capita as well as the Percent Non-SOV
  
• CMAQ On-Road Mobile Source Emissions, which are the two- and four-year total emissions reductions for VOC and NOx, the two ozone precursors. As ozone is the only criteria pollutant for which the SJTPO region is in nonattainment, that is the only pollutant for which it is required to create targets and submit a performance report.

Under Travel Time Reliability, the State DOTs must establish 2- and 4-year targets, for the full extent of the Interstate and non-interstate NHS. For Truck Travel Time Reliability, State DOTs must establish the truck travel time reliability for interstates only. As with the previous measures, MPOs can support the relevant State DOT 4-year targets or establish their own 180 days after the State DOT target is established.

Unlike many of the other performance measures, the CMAQ congestion measures and targets are applicable to the urbanized areas containing a population of 1,000,000 or more. As a small portion of the SJTPO region falls within the Philadelphia (PA-NJ-DE-MD) Area, it must be involved in the establishment of CMAQ congestion measures and targets for that Urbanized Area. However, beginning with the 2nd Performance Period, this rule also applies to Urbanized Areas with a population of at least 200,000. As the Atlantic City, NJ, Urbanized Area, with a population of approximately 240,000, lies entirely within the SJTPO region, SJTPO must establish CMAQ congestion measures and targets for the Atlantic City, NJ, Urbanized Area, beginning with the 2nd Performance period.

Finally, the PM3 set of measures includes on-road mobile source emissions measures and targets, which apply to any State DOT or MPO whose geographic boundaries include any part of a nonattainment area for any of the national criteria pollutants designated under the Clean Air Act. As SJTPO lies within the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-MD-DE 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area, it must establish 2- and 4-year emissions reductions targets for the two ozone precursors of NOx and VOC within each four-year performance period.

Quick Facts NHS Performance, CMAQ Targets

Current Targets

No CO or PM2.5 as SJTPO meets the NAAQS for these pollutants

SJTPO Policy Board Resolution Approving Targets (2nd Performance Period) (9/26/22)

How Are We Doing?

1. Travel Time Reliability

At the conclusion of each performance period, state DOTs are required to submit a four-year performance period report to FHWA, which includes baseline values, targets, and progress toward meeting the targets. The first performance period goes from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, while the second performance period begins January 1, 2022, and goes through December 31, 2025. As per the table below, for the Travel Time Reliability Performance Measure, at the midpoint of the first performance period, the State fell a little short of its two-year target for the Interstate system. However, it exceeded the travel time reliability target on the non-interstate roadways within the NHS.

2. Freight/Truck Travel Time Reliability

As with the Total Travel Time Reliability measured above, the Truck Travel Time Reliability Index was calculated at the mid-point of the First Performance Period. It showed the state meeting the two-year target, albeit by a very narrow margin.

3. CMAQ Congestion

As per the table below, in the first performance period, the Philadelphia (PA-NJ-DE-MD) Urbanized Area met both the two- and four-year CMAQ congestion targets for each of the two CMAQ congestion measures. As there were no performance measures or targets created for the Atlantic City, NJ Urbanized Area during the First Performance Period, it is too early to assess whether targets were met for the Atlantic City, NJ Urbanized Area.

4. CMAQ On-Road Mobile Source Emissions

As depicted in the table below, SJTPO has exceeded CMAQ emissions targets for the First Reporting Period for both the 2-year and 4-year VOC and NOx targets. The 2-year and 4-year VOC goal has been exceeded by 6.17 kg/ day and 3.54 kg/ day, respectively. The 2-year and the 4-year NOx goals have been exceeded by 74.28 kg/ day and 70.28 kg/ day, respectively. There were no SJTPO-programmed CMAQ projects that were reported in the CMAQ Public Access System between federal fiscal years 2018 and 2019. However, benefits resulting from statewide projects sponsored by NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT are distributed to the MPOs, including SJTPO. In 2018, a statewide project was completed and increased the yield of NOx and VOC exponentially; this was a one-off project and is not expected to occur again. Targets would have been met regardless of that project.

*This letter affirmed the CMAQ Mobile Source Emissions Targets just for the first Performance Period, and reported the total emissions summed across all three of the State’s MPOs, as opposed to emissions broken down by MPO.

Met Target

Did Not Meet Target

In 2012, MAP-21 mandated FTA to develop a rule establishing a strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, and improving public capital assets effectively through their entire life cycle. The TAM Final Rule 49 USC 625 became effective October 1, 2016, and requires public transportation providers to develop and implement transit asset management plans (TAMP). In addition to prescribing specific content for TAM plans, this rule prescribed four state of good repair (SGR) performance measures and calls for transit providers to set performance targets based on these performance measures. The performance management requirements outlined in 49 USC 625 Subpart D are a minimum standard for transit operators.

Quick Facts About Transit Asset Management Plan (TAMP) Targets

Current Transit Asset Management Plan (TAMP) Targets: 2022

1. Rolling Stock (Percent of revenue vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark)

2. Equipment (Percent of service vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark)

3. Facility (Percent of facilities rated below 3 on the condition scale)

The Facility Performance Targets are listed below:

4. Infrastructure (Percent of track segments with performance restrictions)

SJTPO Policy Board Resolution Approving Targets (2^nd Performance Period) (1/24/22)

How Are We Doing?

As seen from the table below, for some of the assets, NJ TRANSIT did not meet their Transit Asset Management targets. As this is an annual measure however, both the performance measures and targets are constantly being updated, so it is likely that in future iterations of this process, performance will improve.

2. Equipment (Percent of service vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark)

3. Facility (Percent of facilities rated below 3 on the condition scale)

The Facility Performance Targets are listed below:

4. Infrastructure (Percent of track segments with performance restrictions)[2]

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[1] While this performance measure covers other types of rail services including Light Rail and Hybrid Rail, as the SJTPO region contains only one rail service, the Atlantic City Rail line, which is classified as a Commuter Rail service, only the Commuter Rail target is listed herein.

[2] While this performance measure covers other types of rail services including Light Rail and Hybrid Rail, as the SJTPO region contains only one rail service, the Atlantic City Rail line, which is classified as a Commuter Rail service, only the Commuter Rail target is listed herein.

Met Target

Did Not Meet Target

On July 19, 2018, FTA published the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Final Rule, which requires certain operators of public transportation systems that receive federal funds under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants to develop safety plans that include the processes and procedures to implement Safety Management Systems (SMS). The rule applies to all operators of public transportation systems that are recipients and sub-recipients of federal financial assistance under the Urbanized Area Formula Program (49 U.S.C. § 5307) and all rail transit operator recipients. These PTASPs must include specific performance measures and targets (specified below). As with nearly all the other performance measures listed here, MPOs are required to set performance targets for each performance measure listed here but have the option of supporting the state targets.

Quick Facts About Public Transportation Safety Targets

Current Public Transportation Safety Targets

**No Security Targets included in these set of targets.

How Are We Doing?

* Awaiting status update from NJ TRANSIT