Dear Friend,

As someone who has downloaded some of our helpful resources focusing on metropolitan planning organizations (The Innovative MPO) or performance measures (Measuring What We Value), we wanted to let you know about a new opportunity for a yearlong training academy focused on both of those things.

In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), we are organizing a new year-long training academy for metro regions that are hoping to learn more about the emerging practice of performance measurement, and applications are now open.

Register for an upcoming webinar October 21st at 2 p.m. EDT to learn more, and read more about how the Academy works and how to apply.

We know performance measures is wonky stuff, but with money for transportation harder to come by than anytime in recent history, a more accountable system that sets goals with input from the community, chooses transportation projects accordingly to meet those goals, and then measures the outcomes in a feedback loop will be essential for ensuring we get the best bang for the buck going forward.

This year-long Transportation Leadership Academy will educate local business, civic, elected leaders, and practitioners at the early stages of performance measure development, and will prepare participants to act on opportunities within their communities while plugging them into a dynamic national network of like-minded leaders throughout the country.

There are scores of smart, capable people at the local level who are trying to make great things happen in their communities, and we’re hopeful that this academy will provide participants at the metropolitan level with the tools and support they need to set up a system for measuring performance to guide their planning and project selection processes.

Register for the October 21st webinar, and download your application and find answers to common questions. Applications are due on November 13th.

Stephen Lee Davis 
Director of Communications
Transportation for America