Performance Management at WSDOT:
How it supports GMAP and
Performance Audits
Daniela Bremmer
Director of Strategic Assessment
Washington State Department of Transportation
“Measuring Up”
Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Olympia Chapter
Olympia , WA
November 2, 2006
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WSDOT Profile
• 7,000 employees
Own, manage and maintain:
• 20,000 miles of state highway lanes (86 m. vehicle miles traveled/day)
• 3,400 state bridges
• 28 ferry vessels and 20 terminals (24 m. passengers/year)
• Amtrak Cascades state supported passenger rail (420,000 passengers/year)
• Grain Train (89 grain cars)
• WSDOT is currently delivering the largest infrastructure program
in state’s history
What funds are available for WSDOT to deliver its programs for 2005-07?
2
WSDOT’s Accountability Challenge :
…….To be a high performance
organization credible with and
accountable to the Governor,
Legislature, taxpayers and
transportation delivery partners
across the state…..
3
Background: Where did we start?
WSDOT, January 2001: An Agency In Crisis:
Political and Public Pressures

30% revenue erosion from voter cutback (MVET) on
transportation taxes.

Blue Ribbon Commission and gubernatorial concerns over
departmental inefficiency and lack of accountability

Media/talk show preoccupation with state’s “transportation
crisis”

Legislature embroiled in partisan and regional contentions

WSDOT employee morale in the tank
April 2001, Secretary Doug MacDonald was hired with the
mandate to enhance accountability
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WSDOT’s approach and how the Gray Notebook
fits into the challenge
WSDOT’s Strategic Approach as
of April 2001
1. Accountability and
Transparency
2. Comprehensive Performance
Analysis and Reporting
3. Adaptive and Dynamic
Performance Measurement
Tool: WSDOT’s quarterly
performance report
 “Measures, Markers and
Mileposts”, also referred to as
the Gray Notebook (GNB)
Management
Adaptive Performance
Measurement
Governor/
Legislature
Media/
Public
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“These reports are among the best I’ve seen in
Washington state government for using
performance measurement data to tell the
agency’s story.”
The Washington State Office
of Financial Management
July 2001
“MacDonald is adopting performance benchmarks
within his agency, a recommendation high on the
list of the governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission
on Transportation last year”
Seattle P-I
November 2001
“As MacDonald’s style takes hold at DOT, we can
hope for a change in perception. Accountability
builds trust and candor, removes mysteries….”
“The Gray Notebook…is as addictive in the same
manner as a copy of the The World Almanac.”
Puget Sound Business Journal
May 2002
“The Measures, Markers and Mileposts publication
Is education in action. If you are not checking this
out, you are missing out.”
Washington Highway Users Federation
May 2002
“WSDOT’s Gray Notebook is second to none in
the country for reporting performance measures.”
Christine Johnson
FHWA Director of Field Services
November 2002
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Today : How WSDOT’s Performance
Management program supports these
GMAP needs
1. Communicate clear, relevant and easy-tounderstand measures
2. Demonstrate how programs contribute to
priorities
3. Gather, monitor and analyze program data
4. Evaluate effectiveness of programs
5. Hold regular problem-solving sessions
6. Allocate resources based on strategies that work
7. Regularly report to Governor on performance
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Incident Response: Improving Clearance Times
Total
NumberofofWSDOT
Responses
and Overall
Average
Total Number
Responses
to all Recorded
Clearance
Time
Incidents and
Average Clearance Time
Analysis - Issues Affecting Clearance Time:


January 2002 - June 2006
16,000
34 m in.
Number of Responses
Number of
Responses
Average
Clearance
Time
40
14,505
14,000
35
30
12,000
25
10,000
20
8,000
16 m in.
15
6,000
10
4,000
5
2,000
Average Clearance Time (min.)
Program
Expansion
(July 2002)
18,000

0
0
Q1
2002
Q2
Q3 Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2003
Q1 Q2
2004
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
2005
Q3 Q4
Q1
Q2
2006
Source: WSDOT Incident Response Tracking System.
Note: Program-wide data is available since January 2002. Prior to Q3 of 2003, number of responses by IRT are
shown. From Q3-2003, responses by Registered Tow Truck Operators and WSP Cadets have been reported in the
total.
1. Economic Costs
In 2003, the total cost of traffic congestion in the greater Seattle
area was over $1.2 billion. Savings due to traffic operations,
including Incident Response, were estimated at $107 million.
Source: Texas Transportation Institution
2. Safety
 Protects injured parties at an incident from further injury
 Reduces exposure of on-scene responders
 Helps prevent secondary collisions

Commercial vehicle involved;
Circumstances, such as fatal injury, and/or criminal collision
investigations;
Contacting additional entities required for vehicle/cargo and scene
recovery and time required for their work, such as:
 EMS Extrications
 Fire/Hazardous Material Units
 Department of Ecology
 Tow truck (class C & S tows for semi-truck removal)
Medical Examiner / Coroner required for transport of deceased.
Actions:
 Request a technology upgrade of our existing collision investigation
tools, Bob Maki, WSP, Budget Decision Package September 2006.
 Reinvigorate WSDOT and WSP’s Traffic Incident Management (TIM)
training program with Fire Chiefs, local law enforcement and hazmat
responders. Fred Fakkema, WSP and Rick Phillips, WSDOT.
 Reconvene statewide TIM Committee, October 2006.
 Pursue funding for statewide incident management conference,
July 2007.
 Increase the number of counties allowing offsite extrications of deceased
by July 2007. Mike DePalma, WSP and Rick Phillips, WSDOT.
 WSP, WSDOT, and the Thurston County Coroner signed the
state’s first formalized agreement in April 2006.
 WSP and WSDOT will develop consistent definitions and measurement
tools to evaluate the effectiveness of Incident Response Programs. Tim
Hannah, WSP and Anna Yamada, WSDOT, December 2006.
 Develop Incremental Performance Targets, December 2006.
WHAT WORKED WELL
3. Throughput / Efficiency
On a three-lane divided freeway:
 A car on a shoulder can reduce total throughput by 20%;
 A disabled car blocking one lane can reduce throughput by 50%;
 An accident blocking two lanes can reduce total throughput by
85%.
Source: Texas Transportation Institution
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Reducing Bottlenecks and Chokepoints
I-405/SR 167 Ramp Separation Project Congestion Benefits: Before and
After Analysis
Based on this performance measure analysis, citizens would recover
the cost of this project ($10M) in the value of avoided travel delay in
just over two years.
WSDOT has been able to develop this kind of “before” and “after” congestion reduction
DIDN’’T
benefits demonstration for only aWHAT
very small
number of WORK
projects. WELL
Source: Gray Notebook September, 2004
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How is WSDOT Addressing the Sharp Run-Up in Construction Costs?
WHAT DIDN’’T
WORK WELL
31% increase in cost from the
information presented in May
2006 – based on 2005 average
Same info simplified
WORKED WELL
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In turn: How GMAP supports WSDOT’s
Performance Management Process
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Provides broader audience for WSDOT management
successes, challenges and needs
Good venue to engage Governor and cabinet members
in problem solving process
Explore alternative formats and levels of detail to
present information to an audience that is constrained
by time and involved in many different issues
Enhances partnerships and coordination with other
cabinet agencies
Receives input from OMAP & others doing similar
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work
Tangible Benefits of Consistent Performance
Management and Reporting
Enhanced WSDOT credibility and accountability supports
positive funding considerations:
2003 State Gas Tax Increase
 Transportation Revenue Package. 5 cents/gallon gas tax
increase took effect July 1, 2003
2005 State Gas Tax Increase
 Transportation Revenue Package. 9.5 cents/gallon gas tax
increase (phased in over three years). July 1, 2005
Nov 2005: I-912
Through a simple majority vote, Washington State citizen had a choice to eliminate
the 9.5 cents gas tax that was passed by the 2005 WA Legislature.
47% voted YES – eliminate the new gas tax
53% voted NO – don’t eliminate the new gas tax
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What made the difference?

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History of transparency and accountability
Supportive Governor and Legislature
Hurricane Katrina
Public GMAP reporting combined with
continued Performance Communication in the
Gray Notebook, including the “On –Time”
and “On- Budget” Delivery Message for Nickel
Projects completed to that date
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“One Stop Shopping”— In addition to being a management
and accountability tool and basis for GMAP, the Gray Notebook
meets multiple State and Federal performance reporting needs:



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Statewide Transportation Benchmarks
Governor’s Priorities of Government (POG)
Performance Based Budgeting for the state Office
of Financial Management (OFM)
Federal Governmental Accounting Standards Board
(GASB)
Performance Audits by: state Transportation
Performance Audit Board (TPAB), Joint Legislative
Review Committee (JLARC) and the State Auditor
And feeds many special reports and communication
needs………………
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Performance Audits at WSDOT
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Department of Transportation Ferry System Performance Audit, JLARC, 1998
Department of Transportation Highways and Rail Programs Performance Audit, JLARC,
1998
Performance Audit of the Washington State Ferry System Capital Program, OFM,2001
Performance Measurement Audit and Report of WSDOT, November 12, 2004, TPAB
Overview Audit of WSDOT Capital Project Management January 21, 2005, TPAB
Overview Audit of Environmental Permitting for Transportation Projects January 21, 2005,
TPAB
Review of Accountability Mechanisms for WSDOT August 7, 2005, TPAB
Business Process Review of Environmental Permitting for Transportation Projects
October 7, 2005, TPAB
Review of Transportation Goals, Benchmarks and Ten-Year Investment Criteria and
Process February 15, 2006, TPAB
Audit of Port Angeles Graving Dock Project, TPAB-JLARC, June 2006
Review of Transportation Financing Methods, Joint Transportation Committee,
November 2006
Washington State Ferry System, Joint Transportation Committee, January 2007
Overhead and Administrative Costs Performance Audit, SAO, Spring 2007
Ferries Division Performance Audit, SAO, Spring 2007
Highway Program Performance Audit, SAO, Spring 2007
Congestion and Performance Measures Performance Audit , SAO, October 31, 2007
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Performance Management and
Performance Audits: Lesson’s to Date
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Early and frequent communication
Knowledge and expertise of agency staff
Performance measures, results and data are helpful
Executive management involvement is needed
Apply strict standards of quality control of data and
analysis agency provides as well as receives back
Difficult to balance with day-to-day work; time
consuming and resource intensive
Wrong questions – right answers?
Having staff person managing GMAP and Audit
responses is a plus
PA overload ..”too much of a good thing?”.
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So the Challenge Continues
to be ..
…….A high performance
organization credible with and
accountable to the Governor,
Legislature, taxpayers and
transportation delivery partners
across the state…..
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Resource Page

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WSDOT’s overall Accountability site:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/
WSDOT’s GMAP site:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/publications/default.h
tm
WSDOT”s Gray Notebook:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/Archives/GrayNoteb
ookJun-06.pdf
Contact:
Daniela Bremmer
WSDOT, Director of
Strategic Assessment
(360) 705-7953
bremmed@wsdot.wa.go
Eric Thomas
WSDOT, GMAP &
Performance Audit
Reporting Manager
(360) 705-7936
thomaer@wsdot.wa.gov
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