Transportation Asset Performance
Transportation Asset Performance (TAP) is the use of Transportation Asset Management (TAM) and Transportation Performance Management (TPM) principles and Federal requirements to achieve an optimized transportation system through cyclical reporting and ongoing data evaluation and analysis.
In 2012, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) established Federal requirements for the use of TAM and TPM as Federal performance-based programs aimed at using data to improve or preserve the condition of the National Highway System (NHS) and focus the Federal-aid highway program on achieving the seven national goals identified in 23 USC 150(b). The FHWA, State DOTs, and other stakeholders have worked together to establish effective TAM and TPM programs aimed at achieving an optimized transportation system through cyclical reporting and ongoing data evaluation and analysis. The accomplishments of the TAM and TPM programs so far can be summarized as follows:
- Complete. With implementation of the final rules complete, all 52 State DOTs are meeting the requirements of the TAM and TPM programs.
- In 2018, State DOTs developed initial Transportation Asset Management Plans (TAMPs) which included investment strategies for managing the condition of pavements and bridges. In 2022, State DOTs developed updated TAMPs that also addressed resilience
- o Since 2018, State DOTs have reported performance data and targets for all required performance measures. FHWA has published the State Performance Dashboard and Reports web page, sharing all State DOT data and targets in one place.
- Accountable. The TAM and TPM programs provide greater transparency and accountability.
- State DOTs are responsible for using their TAMPs to manage the condition of their infrastructure assets. The FHWA conducts an annual Consistency Determination to ensure that State DOTs are carrying out their TAMP investment strategies.
- State DOTs and MPOs work together to set data-informed targets. They are accountable for managing performance to make progress toward the targets they set. State DOTs establish new targets at the beginning of each 4-year performance period.
- The FHWA facilitates TAMP development and the collaborative target-setting process, providing guidance, training, and technical assistance to State DOTs and MPOs.
- Consistent. Now, FHWA can uniformly track performance data and tell a national story. This is a first step in a long-term effort to better manage the performance of the Nation's highways.
- The TAMPs provide a consistent approach State DOTs can use to manage their infrastructure assets.
- State DOTs can benchmark their performance among peer agencies because they have access to consistent data.
With State DOTs consistently meeting all the TAM and TPM regulatory requirements, FHWA is looking to benefit from performance outcomes by more closely aligning the two programs. The FHWA is calling this alignment of TAM and TPM "Transportation Asset Performance" or TAP. This alignment will not create any new requirements for the two programs. By aligning the TAM and TPM programs under the TAP team, we will be able to use the information and experience from each program to better manage both transportation assets and transportation performance, and provide a more complete, consistent picture of the highway system.
More information on how TPM and TAM work together