Successful Approaches to Applying Project Management Performance Metrics to Achieve Strategic Process Improvements

Transportation agencies use a range of project management performance measures to track the status of engineering and project delivery activities. Most state departments of transportation (DOTs) monitor “on-time” and “on-budget” performance and report these measures to internal leadership and external stakeholders. While these metrics appear straightforward, definitions and calculation methods vary significantly across agencies, influencing how performance is interpreted and communicated. Given public expectations for timely and cost-effective project delivery, DOTs are seeking practical approaches to more consistently track development progress and clearly communicate results to stakeholders. OBJECTIVE: This scan will document how state DOTs define, measure, and apply “on-time” and “on-budget” performance metrics. The team will examine key elements such as: When measured activities begin and end; How and when current schedules are compared to baseline schedules; Which cost estimates are used to establish baselines and track current performance, and at what project milestones. Recognizing the interrelationship among scope, schedule, and budget, the scan will also explore how agencies monitor and manage scope throughout project development, if and how scope changes are captured, and how those changes inform performance reporting. In addition, the scan will document the organizational structures supporting project delivery performance management, including centralized and decentralized models (e.g., project management offices, Chief Engineer’s Offices, strategic initiatives offices). The study will identify practices that support effective implementation and reporting of established performance measures.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=6017
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $210,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-68, Scan 25-03

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Irvin, Deborah

• Start Date: 20250915
• Expected Completion Date: 20280914
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Performance measurement; Project management; Quantitative metrics; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01982450
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-68, Scan 25-03
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 17 2026 3:06PM