Each State has a different process for making transportation decisions. In some, the legislature annually approves the transportation capital investment program. Others have independent or quasi-independent commissions, boards, or authorities that are responsible for transportation decisions. In all cases, elected officials at the local, regional, or State level need good information to guide their decisions, and the ISTEA planning process is designed to provide this. This guide discusses how good transportation planning can be conducted by States and presents a new framework for transportation decision making as envisioned in ISTEA.

The transportation sector is faced with new legislative mandates as reflected by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. ISTEA, coupled with the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990, provides an impetus for change in transportation planning and project implementation. Statewide transportation planning is one of the mechanisms for change that ISTEA provides. Statewide transportation plans integrate planning for multiple transport modes to balance the mobility needs of the state with future revenue sources. To support this requirement, FHWA and FTA have issued statewide transportation planning rules. These rules identify twenty-three factors to be addressed in statewide plans. The case studies included in this report demonstrate examples of coordination.

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