Airport Project Prioritization and Asset Management at the State Level

With limited available resources, a vast amount of aviation infrastructure, and numerous airport projects that are needed to maintain and improve that infrastructure, state aviation agencies must prioritize projects and manage assets efficiently. Establishing and implementing a system in which to rank projects can serve as a framework that agencies can use to prioritize projects. Since each state aviation agency is unique and the goals of each vary, the criteria that are or could be used for prioritization also vary. This research would provide a collection of best practices that are being used by state aviation agencies to manage assets and projects. The guidance provided in the report would help states understand the variety of criteria and ranking systems that could be used and select new or modify existing measures to improve current project prioritization efforts. It is also important for this research to acknowledge that project prioritization at the state level does not always align with the FAA's prioritization of projects. As such, recommendations and techniques for addressing different project priorities could be provided in this report.

Prioritizing projects is one aspect of asset management for which states are responsible. Asset management at the state level can be challenging due to the volume of infrastructure that must be managed in order to provide a safe and efficient state aviation system. Often, states utilize system plans as a guide for managing aviation assets, as they provide an inventory of the current conditions of infrastructure and suggest and prioritize necessary maintenance and development projects. As such, it is possible that this research could be combined with the problem statement titled "Guidebook for Developing State Aviation System Plans," or there may be an opportunity for the two projects to share related information.

The objective of this research is to provide a resource for state aviation agencies to identify and implement project prioritization methods that would be effective and appropriate for their agency.