Specific, Measurable, Achievable

Any plan, to be taken seriously, must include both a process for evaluating progress towards the goals and objectives identified and a system of measuring that progress. Monitoring progress towards achieving goals and objectives is helped by developing performance measures during the planning process.

In general, performance measures must be directly relatable to goals, utilize available data that is trackable over time, and measure progress. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), “Performance measures are a qualitative or quantitative measure of outcomes, outputs, efficiency, or cost effectiveness.”

Rulemaking is the process that Federal agencies use to create or promulgate regulations. In general, legislatures first set broad policy mandates by passing statutes, then agencies create more detailed regulations through rulemaking. These specific rulemaking areas then, serve to fulfill the goals established in MAP-21 and the FAST Act. It is expected that in the coming years these rules will be amended, or added to, reflecting the passage of authorities contained in the IIJA.