Environmental Considerations in Highway Planning

The research utilizes standard statistical methods to test a priori hypotheses concerning relationships between the influence of environmental information on planning outcomes and aspects of planning that are grouped in each of the following categories: organizational design, attitudes of planners, coordination with other agencies and the public, and timing of environmental studies and coordination. Results provide insights into the historical evolution of environmental considerations in highway planning and identify important restrictions on efforts being made to obtain and evaluate environmental information. Findings support the position that environmental information generated by early and extensive coordination with other agencies and the public exerts a relatively strong influence on planning outcomes in studies. Specific activities designed to increase the effectiveness of planning teams and to enhance the generation of environmental information are identified.