Information Needs To Support State and Local Transportation Decision Making into the 21st Century

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) established new requirements for data development and dissemination that have had an impact on federal, state, and local transportation planning processes across the United States. As transportation professionals look ahead to the 21st century and the reauthorization of ISTEA, broadscale and rapid changes will surely challenge transportation decision making and affect future needs for data to support sound transportation planning. The conference provided an opportunity for participants to (a) identify the types of data that are critical for planning and policy analysis; (b) identify data-collection requirements; (c) discuss the appropriate roles of and relationships among federal, state, and local agencies in the context of data collection and dissemination; and (d) review the impact of technological advances on data collection and dissemination. The invitation-only conference included participants from state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and federal agencies providing broad representation of the transportation planning and policy communities. Significant effort was made to include a full spectrum of policy, management, and front-line analysts who have extensive experience in answering policy questions, supporting the planning process, and responding to federal reporting requirements.