Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-13-013
Date: May 2013
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How to Build a Transportation Asset Management Plan

Build your transportation agency's case for infrastructure investments with two new courses from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI) that teach participants how to develop a Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP).

A TAMP is a business plan that outlines necessary infrastructure investments and explains how the resources will be used. Start learning the basics of developing a TAMP with the free 1-hour Web-based training course, "Introduction to a Transportation Asset Management Plan" (Course No. FHWA-NHI-131106C).

The training covers the typical content of a plan, including how this content relates to requirements in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21); key components such as performance projections and financial summaries; expected involvement of transportation agency personnel in developing and updating a plan; and how TAMPs are being used by agencies. Also featured are audio clips from leaders in State highway agencies discussing the ways they expect to use their TAMPs and expected benefits.

The Web-based training is a prerequisite for attending the more comprehensive 1.5-day training course, "Development of a Transportation Asset Management Plan" (Course No. FHWA-NHI-131106B). This course discusses the role of a TAMP as a planning, communication, and accountability tool and provides the templates and guidelines agencies need to develop or enhance their own plan. The focus is on the three primary components of a TAMP: strategic performance measurement, risk assessment, and financial management. Participants will learn strategies for incorporating risk into investment decisions and determining whether their agency is making sustainable, long-term investments in its assets.

Both TAMP courses are designed for senior- and mid-level managers from State and local transportation agencies who have responsibility for asset management decisionmaking. Potential participants may include members of asset management steering committees and staff who work in planning, engineering, maintenance and operations, financial management, traffic and safety engineering, system operation and management, and information technology.

The course fee for "Development of a Transportation Asset Management Plan" is $350 per participant, with a minimum class size of 20 and a maximum of 30. For more information on taking both TAMP courses, visit www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov and select "Search for a Course." To learn more about developing a TAMP, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset, or contact Nastaran Saadatmand at FHWA, 202-366-1337 (email: nastaran.saadatmand@dot.gov), or Steve Gaj at FHWA, 202-366-1336 (email: stephen.gaj@dot.gov).

A Transportation Asset Management Plan outlines necessary infrastructure investments and explains how the resources will be used. (Photo Credit: © www.iStockphoto.com/GreenStock)