Corridor Preservation: Best Practices for Local Governments

Corridor preservation is an issue of growing concern. The costs of providing transportation infrastructure are escalating, particularly in growing urbanized areas. Right-of-way (ROW) costs often represent the single largest expenditure for a transportation improvement. ROW becomes so costly that jurisdictions are unable to provide needed transportation infrastructure, the existing system will fail to function as planned, and quality of life will suffer. It is critical for local governments to work within their authority to ensure that land for future transportation facilities is preserved as development occurs. Better coordination of land use and transportation decisions will result in a variety of benefits, including earlier public notification of the ROW needs for planned road improvements, less need to relocate homes or businesses when improvements are made, and less damage to existing sites when the land is acquired. Many jurisdictions have some method of ROW preservation, but most lack a systematic program for preserving ROW and managing access. Those that have succeeded have assembled a variety of tools they can mix and match to the circumstances at hand. No single method works for all situations or is legally available in every state. The following measures can help ensure a more successful program: develop a long-range transportation plan with broad community support, set clear priorities and complete projects on time, establish an advance acquisition funding source, establish a systematic program of policies and regulations, and provide a range of mitigation measures to address potential hardships and preserve property rights.