ALDOT Statewide TSMO Program Plan ALDOT Statewide TSMO Program Plan 20190522REV | Page 17

5 TSMO PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
The transportation industry recognizes the importance and need to shift to a mindset of leveraging
technology, relationships, and opportunities to maximize the effectiveness and efficiencies of current and
future systems. This is evident by the support and emphasis that has been placed on TSMO by national
legislation and agencies such as FHWA and AASHTO.
The following program recommendations have been developed based on current national best
practices, ALDOT stakeholder and partner agencies’ input, and data analysis. These recommendations
support the ALDOT TSMO vision and goals; to guide ALDOT into the future of transportation and
accomplish the mission of providing a safe, efficient, environmentally sound intermodal transportation
system for all users.
The recommendations are programmatic in nature and are structured in three main topic areas: Program
Structure, Programmatic Processes, and Continuous TSMO Program Success. A table of recommendations
is provided at the end of each sub-section and summarizes the key recommendations and associated goal
that is supported: Safety, Mobility, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.
5.1 PROGRAM STRUCTURE
5.1.1 TSMO Integration
To support ALDOT as it develops and refines its TSMO program structure and overall mindset toward
TSMO technologies and capabilities, it is important to remember that TSMO strategies are tools within a
larger toolkit that the department can leverage, but they are not the only available options. For example,
FHWA has stated that TSMO may in some cases replace the traditional option of adding capacity to a
roadway to mitigate congestion, but there may be instances in where capacity building is still the best
solution, which is why TSMO considerations should be made early in the project development process
such as the concept development stage:
TSMO can serve as an alternative to adding capacity for some areas by increasing the mobility and
reliability of the existing system enough to meet current and projected needs, and do so more
quickly. Other times TSMO may improve conditions enough to delay when a road expansion
project is needed, enabling the agency to stretch their limited funding to more areas. There will,
however, always be a need to increase capacity and add new infrastructure throughout the
transportation system. In some cases, that is the best solution given the circumstances. TSMO
strategies can be added to these capital projects and serve as a complement to extend the
performance life of the new corridor. —FHWA, What is TSMO? 1
Additionally, FHWA notes that TSMO strategies complement more traditional solutions and that TSMO is
a suite of options that typically approach performance from a systems-level perspective. Because of the
complementary nature and systems-level perspective of TSMO, TSMO strategies generally require
coordination between and within multiple jurisdictions, agencies and modes. To facilitate this
1
FHWA, What is TSMO?, https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tsmo/index.htm#q6
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