A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies

Abstract

Transportation agencies such as state departments of transportation often struggle to understand, measure, and apply sustainability concepts in their core activities. This paper describes research performed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program entitled, “Sustainability Performance Measures for State Departments of Transportation and Other Transportation Agencies,” which developed guidance for transportation agencies to understand, quantify and apply concepts of sustainability through performance measurement. A flexible, generally applicable framework was developed to provide transportation agencies with the tools required to apply sustainability in a holistic manner through performance measurement. The framework assists an agency in the understanding of sustainability, directs an agency toward the practical implementation of sustainability through performance measurement, and encourages the coordination with partner agencies and stakeholders. The research also covered the various types of applications of sustainability performance measures, and identifies specific examples and case studies, tools, and approaches to applying sustainability. It details how transportation agencies can take a practical, phased approach to implementing performance measurement for sustainability, taking into account the resources available. The authors also provide a “sustainability checklist” to ensure that the framework application is consistent with the basic principles of sustainability. This research culminated in a guidebook to give transportation agencies the information and resources needed to successfully tailor and implement a sustainability performance measurement system to meet their specific needs.

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