Performance Measures and Targets

Transit Asset Management Targets

The final rule on Transit Asset Management (49 CFR Part 625) requires transit agencies to set targets for transit assets by January 1^st, 2017 and for MPOs to set regional targets 180 days after that. The intent of the regional target setting is to assess region-wide attainment of transit State of Good Repair (SGR) performance and better determine how funding decisions support regional targets for SGR. These targets cover four broad areas of asset categories: Equipment, Rolling Stock, Infrastructure, and Facilities. The RPC region includes no relevant transit infrastructure as defined in the TAM rule and therefore must only set targets for equipment, rolling stock, and facilities.

Targets are set by aggregating the existing asset inventory of rolling stock, equipment, and facilities from the three transit providers in the region (CART, COAST, and UNH Wildcat Transit) to develop a baseline regional inventory and understanding of what percentage of those assets are at or beyond their useful life as defined by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Expected replacements or additions to any of the existing inventory over the next year are then incorporated into the analysis to provide the FY 2018 Target.

The targets were approved by the MPO on July 12, 2017 and were be submitted to NHDOT to fulfill the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements. While the exact methodology and timing is still being worked out, these targets will be updated when we update our Long Range Transportation Plan and/or TIP.

2017 RPC Transit Asset Management Targets

Highway Safety Performance Targets

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) implemented the final rule on the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) effective April 14, 2016. This regulation (23 CFR 490) requires that five safety related performance targets must be set and published annually by State DOTs by August 31^st and MPOs within 180 days after the state targets are established. This target setting is intended to coordinate the efforts of the State Department of Transportation, State Office of Highway Safety, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations, as well as the specific planning efforts of the State Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), Highway Safety Plan (HSP), and the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), into measures that help to assess the safety performance of the transportation system. The federally required targets assess and report safety improvements in five ways:

• Number of Fatalities:The total number of persons suffering fatal injuries in a motor vehicle crash during a calendar year.
• Rate of Fatalities:The ratio of total number of fatalities to the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT, in 100 Million VMT) in a calendar year.
• Number of Serious Injuries:The total number of persons suffering at least one serious injury in a motor vehicle crash during a calendar year.
• Rate of Serious Injuries:The ratio of total number of serious injuries to the number of VMT (in 100 Million VMT) in a calendar year.
• Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Non-motorized Serious Injuries:The combined total number of non-motorized fatalities and non-motorized serious injuries involving a motor vehicle during a calendar year.

In addition, the MPOs in New Hampshire are tracking additional safety metrics that are not required by the Federal rule. To date, this includes a single measure:

• Motorcycle Fatalities:The number of fatal crashes involving motorcycles

HSIP Targets are applicable to all public roads, regardless of functional classification or ownership. The targets established for number and rate of fatalities, and number of serious injuries must be identical to those established for the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) Highway Safety Grant program in the annual Highway Safety Plan. In New Hampshire, the process used to develop the required safety measures included in the annual Highway Safety Plan formed the basis for the establishment of the five FHWA mandated targets by NHDOT and the MPOs. This involved coordination and consultation between the New Hampshire Departments of Transportation and Safety, as well the four MPOs in the state. Currently available fatality, serious injury, and volume data were analyzed to establish 2007-2017 conditions in terms of total fatalities, fatality rates, total serious injuries, serious injury rates, as well as total non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries. Five year rolling averages were developed from these values and utilized to compute projected values. HSIP Targets are set annually.

RPC 2019 HSIP Performance Targets - January 10, 2019

RPC 2018 HSIP Performance Targets - January 9, 2018

Pavement, Bridge, and System Reliability Performance Targets

On May 20^th, 2017 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) final rules on “National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Pavement Condition for the National Highway Performance Program and Bridge Condition for the National Highway Performance Program” (referred to as “PM2”) and “National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Freight Movement on the Interstate System, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program” (referred to as “PM3”) went into effect starting the clock for States and MPOs to establish baseline conditions and performance targets for these programs. The rule requires State Departments of Transportation to set 2-year and 4-year targets for PM2 and PM3 measures by May 20, 2018, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to set 4-year regional targets within 180 days after that. Targets are to be established for nine measures within the three performance areas:

Pavement Condition (PM2)

• Percentage of pavements of the Interstate System in Good condition:Initially this utilizes the International Roughness Index (IRI) and pavements with an IRI value of under 95 are considered in “Good” condition. Starting in 2020 this measure will also be incorporating “Full Distress” metrics and these are described further in the Target Development section of this document.
• Percentage of pavements of the Interstate System in Poor condition: Initially this utilizes IRI only and pavements with an IRI value of greater than 170 are considered in “Poor” condition. Starting in 2020 this measure will also be incorporating “Full Distress” metrics and these are described further in the Target Development section of this document.
• Percentage of pavements of the non-Interstate National Highway System (NHS) in Good condition: Initially this utilizes the International Roughness Index (IRI) and pavements with an IRI value of under 95 are considered in “Good” condition. Starting in 2020 this measure will also be incorporating “Full Distress” metrics and these are described further in the Target Development section of this document.
• Percentage of pavements of the non-Interstate NHS in Poor condition:Initially this utilizes IRI only and pavements with an IRI value of greater than 170 are considered in “Poor” condition. Starting in 2020 this measure will also be incorporating “Full Distress” metrics and these are described further in the Target Development section of this document

Bridge Condition (PM2)

• Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Good condition:Classification is based on National Bridge Inventory (NBI) condition ratings for bridge deck, superstructure, substructure, and culvert and the lowest rating of any of those components determines the overall rating of the bridge. Ratings greater than or equal to 7 are considered in “Good” condition.
• Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Poor condition: Classification is based on National Bridge Inventory (NBI) condition ratings for bridge deck, superstructure, substructure, and culvert and the lowest rating of any of those components determines the overall rating of the bridge. Ratings less than or equal to 4 are considered in “Poor” condition.

Travel Time Reliability (PM3)

• Interstate Travel Time Reliability Measure:Percent of person-miles traveled on the Interstate that are reliable. This is defined as the ratio of 80^th percentile travel times (longer) to a 50^th percentile (normal) travel time for each segment and are collected into annual totals to determine the overall percentage of reliable travel.
• Non-Interstate National Highway System (NHS) Travel Time Reliability Measure:Percent of person-miles traveled on the non-interstate NHS that are reliable. This is defined as the ratio of 80^th percentile travel times (longer) to a 50^th percentile (normal) travel time for each segment and are collected into annual totals to determine the overall percentage of reliable travel.
• Freight Reliability Measure: Truck Travel Time Reliability (TTTR) Index. TTTR is derived by dividing the 95^th percentile travel time by the 50^th percentile (normal) travel time for each segment for five periods of the day and the largest ratio is multiplied by the length of the segment. The sum of all length-weighted segments is then divided by the total length of Interstate in the state/region.

States are required to establish 2-year and 4-year targets for Pavement Condition, Bridge Condition, and Travel Time Reliability reporting progress on a biennial basis beginning in May 2018. MPOs are required to establish 4-year targets only for those same measures within 180 days of the State target setting.

Pavement Condition data is collected by NHDOT annually through specialized equipment mounted to a vehicle. Data is collected in 0.1 mile increments for all segments of the National Highway System in New Hampshire. For the first 4-year targets, pavement condition will be measured based on only the International Roughness Index (IRI), however over the next two years a transition will be made to incorporate all four required components so that the 2020 update will include “full distress and IRI” measures. Bridge Condition data is collected by NHDOT through the regular inspection of bridges and includes all structures that meet the federal definition of a bridge. Conditions are reported in square feet of deck area and are based on the condition of the deck, superstructure, and substructure, or culvert. Each of those 3 bridge components is evaluated and the lowest rating determines the overall bridge rating. Overall ratings of 7 or better indicate that the bridge is in “Good” condition, while overall ratings of 4 or less indicate that the bridge is in “Poor” condition. Travel Time Reliability data is collected utilizing vehicle probe data in the National Performance Measure Research Data Set (NPMRDS). This data consists of average travel times for each segment of the National Highway System and is calculated at 5 minute intervals for each day of the year and aggregated to different levels for the purposes of calculating travel time reliability measures.

RPC PM2 & PM3 Targets - October 10, 2018