Approved by the Transportation Policy Committee on March 12, 2026
Approved by the Public Policy Committee on April 29, 2026
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 21, 2026

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports a seamless multimodal transportation system (i.e., providing travelers with multiple travel choices) that effectively meets the mobility needs of both people and freight. ASCE encourages strong cooperation between government agencies, private sector entities, and research organizations to advance safe and effective transportation operations and management practices. This partnership should work collaboratively to identify and promote best practices for asset management and innovative funding and financing options for system performance and maintenance. 

To achieve effective operation and management of transportation systems, ASCE advocates:

  • Promoting best practices in asset management to reduce life-cycle costs, enhance sustainability, and maintain transportation systems in a state of good repair. 
  • Partnering among government agencies and private entities in the research, development, and deployment of advanced technologies that accelerates the implementation of improved tools and best practices. 
  • Delivering necessary education and training.
  • Simplifying funding processes by increasing program financing flexibility, enabling revenue-generating options, and providing direct funding opportunities to recipients. 
  • Supporting the creation and assessment of safety, disaster recovery, and security preparedness plans. 
  • Conducting vulnerability assessments and establishing system resiliency that improves transportation system performance and homeland security.
  • Encouraging public-private partnerships to incorporate innovative technologies. 

Issue

All levels of government need greater emphasis on transportation safety, operations management, and maintenance due to escalating costs of construction, maintenance, and replacement, growing congestion and traffic incidents, and supply chain challenges. 

Immerging technologies (e.g., communications, data, roadside features, traffic control devices) are providing opportunities to improve system operations, management, safety, and overall transportation performance. Government agencies and private sector entities must facilitate adoption of these technologies. 

Customers increasingly expect travel choices, timely information, and reliable transportation options to meet their mobility needs. Freight movement similarly depends on a seamless transition between privately and publicly operated transportation systems. Partnerships between private and public entities are essential to support travel choice and facilitate transitions among modes. Homeland security and disaster preparedness requires an efficient and responsive transportation system. Transportation operations and homeland security can benefit from the joint planning and sharing of resources, such as communications infrastructure and traffic control operations. 

Rationale

An increased focus on transportation operations and management will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation systems. Maintaining appropriate levels of facility maintenance ensures continued service and reliability while preserving infrastructure assets and protecting public investments. Integrating advanced technologies into transportation operations can further improve system safety, efficiency, and reliability for the movement of people and freight. 

ASCE Policy Statement 495
First Approved in 2002

Policies related to operations and management of transportation systems include:
PS 382, Transportation Funding 
PS 434, Transportation Trust Funds 
PS 532, National Infrastructure Bank