Accountability at a glance: California is harnessing the power of the Internet to provide transparency of management on a $3 billion program of transportation improvements

Public Roads, Sept-Oct, 2007 by Richard G. Chavez, Allan Kosup, Bart Desai, Donna Huey

"Caltrans is looking at expanding the Dashboard statewide," Haven says. In particular, the Dashboard's communicative power likely would lend itself well to projects that the State conducts as part of the transportation bond measure passed by California voters in 2006, Haven notes.

A powerful tool for communication and program management, the Dashboard is expected to ensure continued public trust in the TransNet Program. "This type of transparent information shared among all stakeholders truly promotes the stewardship of this critical transportation program for the residents of San Diego," Boda says.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The system also may serve other public agencies seeking to convey critical information on transportation projects to the public, while improving communication among project participants and enhancing project oversight. "Public agencies and the elected officials who guide them often lose sight of the 'goal,'" Valle says. "A Dashboard keeps you focused on specific goals, measurements, and your 'customers.' Nothing shows up on the Dashboard that each one of us involved doesn't think, 'How will the public perceive that?' A Dashboard system keeps all connected to the goals, the customers, and the tools necessary to deliver a project."

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: Dashboards in Other States

Some other States and localities also use Dashboards for public accountability and project management:

* Florida Department of Transportation: www.dot.state.fl.us/planninq/ftp/default.htm

* Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development: www.timedla.com

* Maryland Department of Transportation: www.e-mdot.com/Planninq/Plans Proqrams Reports/Reports/Attainment Reports/Final 2004 Attainment Report.pdf

* Minnesota Department of Transportation: www.dot.state.mn.us/dashboards

* Missouri Department of Transportation: http://search.mo.gov/search?q=cache:sqQAMKQxl_AJ:www.modot.mo.gov/about/documents/Tracker_PDF_Jan07/January07.pdf performance measures&access=p&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTFclient=modot&num=10&site=modot&proxystylesheet=modot&oe=UT-8

* New York City Mayor's Office of Operations: www.nvc.gov/html/ops/html/mmr/mmr.shtml

* Ohio Department of Transportation: www.dot.state.oh.us/BusinessPlan0607

* Sightline Institute: www.siqhtline.org/research/cascadia_scorecard

* Virginia Department of Transportation: http://dashboard.virginiadot.org

* Washington State Department of Transportation: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability

Richard G. Chavez, P.E., the principal transportation engineer for SANDAG, oversees the TransNet Early Action Program. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Colorado State University.

Allan Kosup is the corridor director for improvements on S.R. 76 and I-5 for Caltrans. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of California, Irvine.

Bart Desai, P.E., is a vice president in HNTB's San Diego office and project manager for the firm's oncall contract with SANDAG for the TransNet Program. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from India's University of Bombay.