The beginnings of any roadway project involving government money are found in a
statewide transportation planning program. The state transportation department develops
a set of goals and objectives which take into account social, economic, environmental,
and developmental goals of other state, federal, and local agencies. Based on
these goals and objectives, the department identifies transportation improvement
needs throughout the state. The approach is from a multimodal standpoint; that is, not
just highways are considered, but all forms of transportation, including public transportation,
railroads, water, aviation, bikeways, and pedestrian ways (Ref. 6).