ALDOT Statewide TSMO Program Plan ALDOT Statewide TSMO Program Plan 20190522REV | Page 42

5.3 CONTINUOUS TSMO PROGRAM SUCCESS
5.3.1 Culture of Collaboration
As previously noted, TSMO relies on integration and coordination for success. As ALDOT advances its
TSMO program, fostering a culture of collaboration will be essential for this integration and coordination
to take place. This collaborative culture will need to be fostered both internally and externally.
For internal collaboration, FHWA advises that embedding TSMO is a key priority within an agency and this
embedment generally requires the integration of TSMO into other agency functions, plans, and programs,
which may include Planning, Programming/Funding, Project Development/Design, and Maintenance and
Asset Management. FHWA further delineates how TSMO can be integrated within these various
functions 2 :
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Planning – The TSMO program should support the goals and objectives in the agency's long-
range transportation plan and serve as a basis for identifying these objectives and priorities.
TSMO thinking and TSMO strategies should permeate all relevant planning documents, including
freight plans, bicycle/pedestrian plans, and safety plans. The strategic objectives of the TSMO
program plan also should be integrated into corridor plans, and sub-area planning.
Programming/Funding – The TSMO program's priorities should be integrated into investment
and funding decisions, including integration into the TIP and STIP.
Project Development/Design – TSMO needs to be considered at the project level when
considering both project design and strategies to incorporate into a project (e.g., transit signal
priority, dynamic lane control, demand management).
Maintenance and Asset Management – TSMO needs to consider how its assets (including ITS
equipment, transportation management centers, etc.) are maintained and replaced over their
life-cycle.
Integration of TSMO within ALDOT will help further support this internal collaboration, and integration
can be further supported with internal educational materials disbursement, such as via a TSMO-specific
website, as well as regular CMM assessments that include action plans that include necessary partnerships
to address critical needs.
For external collaboration, FHWA advises that for TSMO to permeate an agency, TSMO considerations
must be integrated into processes and procedures used throughout an area or region, such as other types
of transportation planning studies. As an example of this collaboration, FHWA cites Caltrans’ collaboration
and integration efforts that include conducting forums where Caltrans District staff meets with MPOs and
other regional partners to advance mutual priorities. ALDOT is currently hosting similar meetings, called
“TSMO Leaders Workshops,” which should continue on a regular basis and include a diversity of
stakeholders and partners—both internal and external—to further foster the culture of collaboration
needed to advance ALDOT’s TSMO goals.
FHWA, Developing and Sustaining a Transportation Systems Management & Operations Mission for Your
Organization: A Primer for Program Planning, https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop17017/ch6.htm
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