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November

 2010

The Use of an Objectives-Driven, Performance-Based Approach 

at the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission 

The Experience of a Small MPO

The Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study (CUUATS) serves as the transportation-focused arm of region’s metropolitan planning 

organization (MPO), the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), for the Champaign-Urbana Urbanized Area. CUUATS has adopted 

an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to metropolitan transportation planning that is evident throughout its recent plan, Choices 2035. 

Through the development of Choices 2035, CUUATS and its planning partners defined 12 regional goals, several of which tie directly to improving 

transportation systems management and operations (M&O). Specific objectives were identified to support each of the 12 regional goals. For each 

objective, measures of effectiveness to track progress toward the objective and recommended actions were identified. The plan includes an evaluation 

of whether the prior plan objectives were met using established measures of effectiveness (MOEs). CUUATS has witnessed a number of positive outcomes 

as a result of instituting an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to planning, including increased public engagement, a greater level of 

government accountability, and a safer, more bike-friendly community.

Background

CCRPC is the MPO for the Champaign-Urbana 

Urbanized Area, an area of approximately 40 square miles 

with a population of over 126,000 in east central Illinois. 

This region is the home to the University of Illinois 

at Champaign-Urbana, a school with nearly 42,000 

undergraduate and graduate students.1

CUUATS coordinates with the Illinois Department 

of Transportation, Champaign County, the Cities of 

Champaign and Urbana, the Village of Savoy, the University 

of Illinois, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, 

and the general public to develop the region’s metropolitan 

transportation plan (MTP). Because of the large population 

of students, pedestrian and bicycle access and safety are top 

priorities in the region.

Overview of the Approach 

in Champaign-Urbana

CUUATS first integrated the objectives-driven, performancebased approach into the development of its MTP in 2001, 

with the development of its 2025 metropolitan transportation 

Figure 1. CUUATS Study Area.

Source: CUUATS

1 University of Illinois, Facts 2009-2010. Available at: http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/facts.html. 
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SAFETEA-LU Planning Factor #4

Increase the accessibility and mobility of people and freight

Planning Process Level Description

Goal 5. All transportation system users will have convenient, multi-modal access to all parts of the urbanized area and will travel with increased 

mobility during peak traffic hours

Objectives Improve average vehicular travel 

time by at least 1.5 minutes during 

peak hour periods on major traffic 

corridors by 2035

Improve access for persons 

with disabilities to all parts of 

the urbanized area by 2035

Improve truck freight movements in 

the urbanized area and reduce their 

effect on mobility and accessibility 

for other transportation modes by 

developing and implementing a 

truck route plan by 2035

Improve the mobility of all 

transportation system users 

by applying the CUUATS Access 

Management Guidelines to 

selected major corridors by 2035

Measures of Effectiveness Level of Service Number of APSSystems 

Installed

Truck ADT Volumes on Selected 

Major Corridors

Number of Corridors with

Managed Access Travel Time Studies

Number of ADA Accessible 

Sidewalk Ramps Constructed

Congestion

Strategies Continue signal upgrades, periodic 

re-timing, and coordination of 

all new and existing signalized 

intersections

Install APS systems at 

intersections with high traffic 

volumes and/or high pedestrian crossing volumes

Prepare a comprehensive truck 

route analysis to determine the 

safest and most efficient routes 

for trucks in the urbanized area

Review Access Management 

Guidelines every five years

Educate residents about the monetary, health and environmental 

benefits of mode shift. Encourage the use of other modes of 

transportation in place of personal 

vehicle use

Retrofit existing ramps and 

crosswalk entrances to meet 

ADA standards

Identify congested intersections 

resulting from increased truck volumes and recommend solutions

Evaluate access point locations 

and traffic circulation patterns 

for all new development as part 

of the plan review process

Utilize car sharing programs and 

park and ride facilities to remove 

vehicle trips from the roadway 

network

Fill in gaps which assist in the 

current sidewalk network

Set delivery times for businesses 

in high traffic areas, particularly on campus and in the two 

downtowns

Work with property owners 

and developers to eliminate 

unnecessary access points 

along major corridors to 

improve mobility and safety Continue adding connected pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities 

to the existing transportation 

network, making the travel modes 

more efficient

Fix sidewalks that are in 

disrepair to make them more 

accessible and easier to use 

for disabled persons and all 

other users

Evaluate loading areas in the 

urbanized area to determine 

proper space, timing and roadway 

geometry

Responsible Parties IDOT, CUUATSStaff, Cities and 

Villages, CU-MTD

IDOT, Cities and Villages, 

CU-MTD

IDOT, CUUATSStaff, Cities and 

Villages

IDOT, CUUATSStaff, Cities and 

Villages, Developers, Property 

Owners

list of parties responsible for implementing the strategies is 

associated with each objective. Carrying out the strategies is 

typically the responsibility of partner agencies and may be 

accomplished through the individual agencies’ budgets rather 

than regional funds. Choices 2035 also contains an evaluation 

of how well the previous plan’s outcomes were met.

plan. In 2009 the MPO adopted its next MTP, Choices 2035, 

which used the approach to strategically plan for improvements 

across all goal areas. CUUATS uses a combination of goals 

and objectives to define the desired outcomes of Choices 2035, 

MOEs to track progress, and strategies to realize the objectives. 

This is illustrated by Table 1, one of 12 similar tables in Choices 

2035 created for each regional goal. As detailed in Table 1, a 

Table 1. The Use of the Approach in Choices 2035.

Source: CUUATS, Choices 2035.
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consensus on every goal and objective. The goals and 

objectives were presented to the CUUATS Policy Committee 

for review and then to the public to obtain feedback. Initially 

some members of the public thought that the objectives were 

unattainable, while others were excited to see the opportunity 

for increased accountability.

The resulting objectives were used in the MTP and followed 

the SMART principles: they were Specific enough to guide 

the approach without dictating it, could be Measured, 

were Agreed upon through collaboration with a variety 

of stakeholders, were Realistically achievable within the 

allotted budget, and had Time constraints for achieving the 

objectives. Complementary measures of effectiveness were 

developed for each objective based on available data.

Motivation for Using 

an Objectives-Driven, 

Performance-Based Approach

The use of the approach was initially motivated by planners 

at CUUATS who were interested in finding a better way to 

evaluate how well the region was doing regarding improving 

regional safety and mobility. They conduct a variety of 

studies such as traffic signal, crash, and corridor studies 

where they collect data on safety and transportation system 

performance. This familiarity with data in the region and 

the belief by the MPO that objectives should be specific 

and measurable led it to develop specific objectives for a 

range of regional goals and performance measures to track 

progress toward the objectives. The approach easily gained 

the support of the MPO board.

Developing Measurable 

Objectives

CUUATS, in conjunction with the MTP Steering 

Committee and other stakeholders, developed 12 regional 

transportation goals grouped according to the eight planning 

factors outlined in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 

Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEALU). The MTP goals and objectives were developed based on 

a combination of the SAFETEA-LU factors, local planning 

efforts, and stakeholder input as well as updates to the list 

of goals presented in the last MTP. The goals and objectives 

were developed incrementally through a series of reviews. 

CUUATS developed the initial set of goals and objectives 

and then worked with the Long Range Transportation Plan 

Steering Committee comprising MPO member agency 

managers and stakeholder group representatives to reach 
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M&O Goals and Objectives from the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan

GOAL Objective(s) Measures of effectiveness

Goal #3: Transportation modes and facilities in 

the urbanized area will be safe for all users

Objective 1: Reduce the total number of crashes in 

Champaign-Urbana by 5% by 2014.

Objective 2: Reduce the total number of fatalities and 

severe injuries in Champaign-Urbana by 25% between 

2009 and 2014

Objective 3: Reduce the total number of crashes involving 

bicyclists and pedestrians in Champaign-Urbana by 15% 

by 2014

Total Crashes per 100M VMT

Total Fatalities per 100M VMT, Total Severe Injuries 

per 100M VMT

Total Pedestrian Crashes, Total Bicycle Crashes

Goal #5: All transportation system users will have 

convenient, multi-modal access to all parts of 

the urbanized area and will travel with increased 

mobility during peak traffic hours

Objective 1: Improve average vehicular travel time by 

1.5 minutes during peak hour periods on major traffic 

corridors by 2035

Level of Service, Travel Time Studies, Congestion

Goal #9: All transportation system users in the 

urbanized area will have access to a network 

of transportation modes and infrastructure 

that maximizes connectivity between origins 

and destinations and promotes the use of both 

motorized and non-motorized modes to travel 

between them

Objective 2: Travel delay will not exceed 5.5 hours per 

person per year on urbanized area roadways due to the 

completion of an enhanced arterial fringe road system 

around the urbanized area

Hours of Delay per Person per Year, Miles of Fringe 

Road System Competed

Goal #10: To the greatest extent possible, the existing 

capacity of the urbanized area transportation 

system will be maximized through innovative 

transportation system management approaches

Objective 1: Maintain the number of vehicle miles 

traveled in 2005 through 2010

Objective 2: Decrease Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) ratio to 

be representative of level of service “D” or better by 2035

Vehicle Miles Traveled per Year

Volume to Capacity Ratio

and pedestrian facilities in order to help achieve the regional 

objective of “Increase the miles of dedicated bicycle facilities 

and signed bike routes in the metropolitan planning area by 

at least 15% by 2014.” 2

CUUATS receives limited Surface Transportation Program 

(STP) funding and this constrains its ability to fund 

projects to meet the objectives. The MPO selects projects 

and investments in the region according to the “Revised 

CUUATS Project Assessment Guidelines for Assignment 

of STP(U) Funds” developed in 2001 and revised in 2008. 

Table 2. M&O-Related Goals, Objectives, and Measures of Effectiveness.

Source: CUUATS, Choices 2035.

2 Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study, Choices 2035 Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area 

Transportation Study Long Range Transportation Plan, December 2009. Available at: http://www.ccrpc.org/transportation/lrtp2.

Achieving Objectives 

The primary mechanism for achieving the objectives in 

Choices 2035 is the implementation of strategies defined for 

each objective. These strategies are the responsibility of one 

or more agency in the region. Additionally, management 

and operations activities are typically funded and conducted 

by MPO member agencies. The objectives help guide the 

investment decisions made by the member agencies. For 

example, the Urbana City Council decided to allocate a 

portion of the city’s capital improvement plan to bicycle 
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2035 plan. The plan gives the results of the measures of 

effectiveness a good, neutral, or poor rating noted by a thumbs 

up, left pointed thumb, or a thumbs down. The “thumbs” 

approach to displaying data on regional performance in 

meeting objectives was a simple way to clearly demonstrate to 

the public how well the region performed in various areas.

Challenges and Lessons Learned 

The primary challenge that CUUATS has encountered 

in implementing an objectives-driven, performancebased approach is resource availability including data 

and funding. CUUATS has experienced difficulties 

in demonstrating the effects of proposed bicycle and 

pedestrian improvements because its current travel demand 

model only accounts for automobile travel. CUUATS 

applied for and recently received funding from the Illinois 

Department of Transportation to expand its model to 

incorporate additional modes.

CUUATS has benefited from a rich pool of prospective 

employees graduating from the University of Illinois, but 

it has recently had to decrease the number of its personnel 

due to budget cutbacks. This lack of resources has presented 

challenges for the MPO in carrying out the approach and it 

is now looking to bolster its group of staff by hiring interns 

from the planning and engineering departments at the 

University of Illinois. CUUATS reports that the MPO is 

able to maintain a high level of technical expertise because 

it provides a variety of engineering studies and planning 

services to the member organizations. The member 

organizations, in turn, provide funding to CUUATS for the 

studies and other services.

Funding constraints have led the MPO to rely more on the 

efforts of member agencies to carry out strategies defined in 

the MTP for achieving the region’s objectives. 

These guidelines include a scorecard for evaluating projects 

based upon how well the project addresses regional priorities 

such as congestion and safety. The document has evolved since 

2001 to incorporate current regional requirements, such as 

the “Complete Streets” requirement that requires all new 

roadways to have multimodal options incorporated into 

its design (e.g., bicycle facilities, traffic calming measures, 

access management, intelligent transportation systems, 

accessible pedestrian signals, etc.). The guidelines support the 

achievement of many MTP objectives, but are not directly 

tied to the objectives at this time.

Tracking Progress 

CUUATS evaluates system performance against how well the 

region has achieved MTP objectives by developing specific 

performance measures designed to help local agencies track 

the progress of each objective during the 5-year period 

between MTP updates. Local agencies collect data related to 

the performance measures through various M&O studies. 

Most of the region’s data collection efforts began in 2009 

as the 2035 MTP is the first plan with which results from 

the first objectives-driven plan could be compared (2025 

MTP from 2004). The MPO developed a database that is 

updated annually with the most current data on performance 

measures such as vehicle miles traveled (VMT), crash rates, 

travel time delay, among others. Data is collected by local 

agencies, Illinois Department of Transportation, US Census, 

and MPO staff and is reported to local agencies along with 

recommendations for transportation system improvements. 

The MPO’s geographic information system (GIS) inventory 

is also updated with the new data in order to produce a map 

of the region’s progress in meeting performance objectives for 

distribution community-wide.

The results of the region’s performance in meeting the 2025 

MTP’s objectives in the past 5 years are documented in the 
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Benefits of the Approach 

CUUATS has witnessed many positive outcomes as a result 

of using the objectives-driven, performance-based approach. 

One of the most significant impacts is that the nature 

of transportation planning has evolved. In the past, the 

public and outside stakeholders paid less attention to what 

CUUATS was striving to achieve. The general perception 

was that the MPO’s main purpose was to implement 

requirements for transportation agencies and local 

jurisdictions. The MPO has witnessed an increase in public 

input and local agency feedback as the objectives-driven, 

performance-based approach has forced the MPO to work 

more closely with the community on addressing issues and 

identifying goals and objectives that match the needs and 

desires of the region’s residents.

With the new approach, CUUATS perceives that 

accountability is now highly important to the region and 

that stakeholders are holding CUUATS accountable for 

the goals and objectives the region aspires to achieve. 

This is seen by CUUATS as a great challenge to produce 

positive results and it has helped the MPO to make even 

more changes that the community wants to see. The MPO 

noted many positive benefits as a result of the performancebased approach including the City of Urbana receiving a 

formal designation as a “bicycle-friendly” region, witnessing 

a decrease in the number of automobile collisions and 

fatalities, and improvements in public education about 

transportation. 

CUUATS plans to continue to use the objectives-driven, 

performance-based approach to focus planning efforts and 

funding decisions in the region. The MPO will explore ways 

to demonstrate the impact of future multimodal projects 

and M&O strategies on achieving MTP objectives. 

References 

Telephone interview with Rita Morocoima-Black, 

Project Manager, Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area 

Transportation Study (CUUATS), September 3, 2010.

Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study, 

Long Range Transportation Plan: LRTP Data Documentation 

and Update Instructions, April 2010. 

Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation 

Study, Choices 2035 Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area 

Transportation Study Long Range Transportation Plan,

December 2009. Available at: 

http://www.ccrpc.org/transportation/lrtp2. 

Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation 

Study, Project Assessment Guidelines for Assignment 

of STP(U) Funds, October 2001. Available at: 

http://www.ccrpc.org/transportation/pdf/

FinalProjectAssessmentGuidelines_07-25-06.pdf. 

FHWA-HOP-10-054