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Asset Management-Taking the Next Step -

presented at:

4th National Transportation Asset Management WorkshopMRUTC – Madison, Wisconsin

presented by:

Tony Kane, DirectorEngineering and Technical ServicesAASHTO

September 24, 2001

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What is Transportation Asset Management?

A strategic approach to managing transportation

infrastructure

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A philosophy Long-term view Comprehensive Proactive

A process Investment choices, tradeoffs, decisions Organizational roles and responsibilities Improved horizontal and vertical

communication

A set of technical tools Management systems Integrated Data Specialized methods

What is Transportation Asset Management?

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Driving Interest in Asset Management

Aging infrastructureResource limitations Financial Human

Changing agency roles from production to operations, policy and managementIncreasing public expectations and use of systemInformation technology and advanced management systemsRegulatory and political demands Performance measures Asset valuation

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Why is Asset Management Important?

Enables an agency to support and justify legislative budget requests.Maximizes the benefits from available funding.Shows the trade-offs of alternative investment strategies.Supports decision making and enhances productivity.Facilitates decision making using readily available quantitative and qualitative information.Enables appropriate resource allocation and asset optimization.

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Why is Transportation AssetManagement so Important Now?

• $1 Trillion Investment in Highways• Shift from Construction to Preservation• Aging Infrastructure• Increasing Traffic & Growth in Movement of Goods• Reinventing Government• Performance Management & Accountability• Information Age

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Accomplishments

4 National Workshops since 1996.Numerous Organizations have held Meetings to investigate Asset Management (CERF, APWA, ASCE).FHWA has established an Office of Asset Management.AASHTO establishment of Task Force on Transportation Asset Management in 1998,and adoption of Strategic Plan in 2000.Establishment of a TRB Task Force in 2000.GASB 34 Workshops held.NCHRP Project to Develop First-Generation Asset Management Guide begun in 1999.NCHRP Project to research new tools in 2001.Joint web site is being established.

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AASHTO Strategic Plan

Goal 1: “Develop Partnerships”“Develop Partnerships” 4 strategies

Goal 2: “Develop An Understanding”“Develop An Understanding” 7 strategies

Goal 3: “Promote Tools and Research”“Promote Tools and Research” 8 strategies

Goal 4: “Inform Member States on Use”“Inform Member States on Use” 2 strategies

Goal 5: “Assist Member States”“Assist Member States” 4 strategies

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Keys to Success

Promote sustained political commitment.Provide executive leadership.Commit resources at the State and National Level.Facilitate sharing between States.Pool organizational resources between AASHTO, TRB/NCHRP, and FHWA.

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Hallmark

The “Hallmark” of Asset Management is our commitment, as the nation’s

transportation leaders, to strive continuously and collectively to

improve the way we manage the transportation systems

in the United States.

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Review of current asset management practices in the public and private sectors State DOTs

Interviews with New York, Colorado, Arizona, Washington State, California, and Michigan

Literature review of other work, conferences, surveys

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

United Kingdom: English Highways Agency Reports and handbooks by Australia and New

Zealand Selected private-sector industries’ practices

NCHRP 20-24(11) - Activities to Date

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Development of an asset management framework Definition of asset management Review of methods to describe and rate

management processes Development of rating matrices

Recommendations for asset management research program

NCHRP 20-24(11) - Activities to Date

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Principles of Asset Management

Comprehensive view of assets (highways, bridges, ITS, etc.)Long-term (life-cycle) view of asset performance and costsDecisions driven by policy goals / objectives and system performanceTradeoffs among programs, modes, actionsProjects and services delivered in most effective way availableQuality information at all stages of process

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Types of Assets Included

State-owned transportation infrastructure (typical) Roadways Bridges, other structures Operations hardware Associated features and facilities

Transportation infrastructure in which state has an interest (on a case-by-case basis): Off-system roadways and bridges Railways (freight, passenger, transit) Intermodal facilities - ports, airports, terminals… Pedestrian and bike paths

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Responsibility for different modes is fragmentedFunding often constrained by mode and functionWithin highway organization - pavement, bridge, maintenance, and other organizational units are not integratedManagement systems are stand-alone and of different vintagesSenior management does not have access to sufficient quality information to make tradeoffs effectively

Current State Practices

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Current State Practices

System preservation versus new capacity, service, or system expansionOperations (ITS) versus capital improvementsInvestments across modesPassenger versus freight mobilityRural economic development versus urban congestion mitigation

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Key Challenges - Institutional

Integrating decision-making and resource allocation across all asset classesCombining financial, management, engineering, and operational perspectivesDefining system performance measures that reflect customer perspective and user costsSenior management support and leadershipDeveloping new public and private sector rolesIncreased scope and complexity of responsibilities must be balanced against resource limits and imposed constraints

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Integrating legacy systems for different asset classesDeveloping comprehensive, GIS-compatible, enterprise-wide databasesCreating next generation management systems that support wide range of “what-if” analyses reflecting different budget and performance assumptionsImproving life-cycle analysis methodsStrengthening transportation system monitoring capabilities

Key Challenges - Technical