Planning and Program Delivery Process

Overview

The VDOT NRO Planning and Program Delivery (PPD) Process integrates the use of the regional ITS architecture and federal systems engineering requirements into a traditional transportation planning framework for ITS projects. In doing so, VDOT NRO has realized opportunities to mainstream ITS into legacy VDOT PPD Processes. The VDOT NRO PPD Process leverages regional and statewide transportation related goals and objectives in order to prioritize investments and maximize returns on those investments. The process unifies strategic and tactical planning, project development, investment analysis, budgeting, performance tracking, and program evaluation. The process conforms to FHWA Rule 940, emphasizing the Systems Engineering Process.

The VDOT NRO PPD Process consists of the 5 steps illustrated in the figure below. The process is cyclical and temporally constrained by the VDOT fiscal calendar and other milestones. Each year, NRO Planning documents are updated based on accomplishments made over a fiscal year. Updated planning documents are considered in the development of the program for the subsequent year. This interaction is represented at the pinnacle of the cycle and can be considered as the starting point of the process.

Each step of the process has activities. The process steps apply particular steps in the systems engineering process as seen by the blue highlighting of the systems engineering diagram in each process step in the figure. Each activity is executed by specific NRO staff. The discussions that follow are intended to provide a general understanding of the process and who is involved.