State-Local Coordination in Managing Land Use and Transportation along State Highways

The access that state highways provide to adjacent land enables the development of that land. Although access alone does not ensure that development will occur, land with access from a state highway has considerably greater development potential than land without such access. City governments regulate the development of the land, while state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) wield authority over the adjacent state highways. This separation of authority creates a significant challenge for state DOTs as they work to expand state highway facilities in a bid to stay apace with the explosive growth of U.S. metropolitan areas. This paper identifies methods adopted by local governments and state DOTs to coordinate land use policies and manage development along state highways. We find that, regardless of whether a state has legislation that supports state-local cooperation, the city government’s willingness to partner with the DOT remains a critical factor in the success of coordination efforts for managing land use along state highways.