Strategic Planning and Decision Making in State Departments of Transportation

Abstract

This report examines the experience of state and provincial departments of transportation (DOTs) with strategic planning and synthesizes current approaches to linking strategic planning with other decision-making processes, including operational and tactical planning, resource allocation, performance management, and performance measurement. It will be of interest primarily to chief executive officers, executive team members, and other officials who are responsible for developing, supporting, and using strategic management systems in state and provincial DOTs. The report is intended to help these industry leaders strengthen the overall performance of their organizations by examining exemplary practices in various DOTs. Case studies are also provided documenting one transportation agency that has used strategic planning over an extended period and one that recently implemented strategic planning. This synthesis report contains information drawn from survey responses from U.S. state and Canadian provincial transportation agencies. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with relevant personnel from many of those agencies that responded to the survey and some that did not to clarify responses and probe additional issues. A review of the relevant literature was also undertaken to provide background on the topic, help define the overall approach, and discuss the limitations of strategic planning.