Office of Operations
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 21st century operations using 21st century technologies

Planning for Operations

Planning for Operations is a joint program between the FHWA's Office of Operation and Office of Planning that encompasses the important institutional underpinnings needed for effective Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations. The joint program is made up of a set of initiatives and activities intended to raise awareness, motivate action, guide evolution for three important aspects of planning for operations. The three important aspects are identified as:

  1. Regional transportation operations collaboration and coordination activity that facilitates Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations,
  2. Management and operations considerations within the context of the ongoing regional transportation planning and investment process, and
  3. The opportunities for linkage between regional operations collaboration and regional planning.

The purpose of this program is to articulate the joint approach to be used by the FHWA Office of Operations and Office of Planning to advance better planning for operations as it occurs in these three areas. While these three aspects of planning for operations are already occurring to some extent in many metropolitan areas and States, it is the intent of this program area to instill greater importance, innovation, creativity, and sustainability into how these activities take place. Better planning for operations will be especially important as FHWA begins to advance management and operations (M&0) in the context of TEA -21 Reauthorization. The Office of Operations and the Office of Planning have two goals for this joint program:

  1. To enhance the planning and operations functions in order to improve and strengthen the key institutional underpinnings and linkages that will be needed for effective transportation systems management and operations in the 21st Century, and
  2. To enhance the planning and decision-making process so that investments in operations provide regional benefit, when possible, and are on par with investments made in construction and preservation.