This book provides an overview of the federal role in surface transportation and the goals and structures of federal programs. Since federal financing for the interstate system was established in 1956, the federal role in surface transportation has expanded to include broader goals, more programs, and a variety of program structures. The nation has reached a critical juncture with its current surface transportation policies and programs. Demand has outpaced the capacity of the system, resulting in increased congestion. In addition, without significant changes in funding levels or planned spending, the Highway Trust Fund -- the major source of federal highway and transit funding - is projected to incur significant deficits in the years ahead. Exacerbating concerns about the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund is the federal government's bleak fiscal condition and outlook. As a result, other federal revenue sources may not be available to help solve the nation's current transportation challenges. Given the scope of needed transformation, it may be necessary to shift policies and programs incrementally or on a pilot basis to gain practical lessons for a coherent, sustainable, and effective national program and financing structure to best serve the nation for the 21st century.

TRB Special Report 268 - Surface Transportation Environmental Research: A Long-Term Strategy defines a broad and ambitious research program to address and inform major public policy debates about the effects of surface transportation facilities and operations on the human and natural environments. The committee that conducted the study identified major gaps in knowledge that could be filled through a cooperative program of research involving federal agencies, states, and environmental organizations. The committee recommended creation of a new cooperative research program to carry out its recommended research agenda. Special Report 268 Summary

This synthesis will be of interest to officials of municipal, regional, and statewide transportation agencies who are responsible for the management of surface transportation systems in metropolitan areas. It presents information on the processes used by transportation agencies to monitor, evaluate, and implement a variety of solutions to the management of surface transportation systems. This is a complex and dynamic area of application, and the examples presented herein represent a selection of such applications in 1997. The concept of transportation system management is constantly changing and will continue to change, especially with further implementation of intelligent transportation systems. This report of the Transportation Research Board provides an overview of the generalized process that transportation agencies have found to be effective in managing the various aspects of their transportation systems. Specific case examples of effective management strategies are described for several metropolitan areas including Houston, Seattle, metropolitan New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Minneapolis/St. Paul.