Defining the ideal relationship between land use and transportation has long been a conundrum for those involved in the planning of either. A number of studies have focused on the impacts of new roads on land use, because improvements to the transportation network increase access to land parcels, which often brings more opportunities for development and growth. Several such studies have concluded that, while new roads have little to do with the rate of growth in a region, they do shape our cities and towns by attracting new development and redevelopment (Salila, Handy, and Kockelman 2003). Few studies, however, have addressed the impacts of land use on new roads. That there is a significant impact is clear, and controlling that impact will require land use policies that guide development in a way that distributes local traffic more evenly throughout the local road network, maintains the long-term mobility of our highways, and maximizes mobility for through traffic.

Though striking a balance between competing land use and transportation objectives has multiple benefits, reducing congestion is the primary goal of those wrestling with this issue. Congestion on our roadways is one of the first signs that urban growth and development have outpaced the rate of improvements to the transportation network. While economists will point out that some amount of congestion is good for business, planners know-and economists agree-that too much congestion will have negative impacts that will outweigh the good. Thus, finding and maintaining that balance between development levels and traffic flow is important, especially in rapidly growing areas.

Controlling development, which involves adopting and implementing land use policies, is largely the responsibility of local government. With states investing millions of dollars in major transportation improvements every year, it is not surprising that each state has an interest in protecting its investments through land use policy, as well. However, the specific activities that can be undertaken at the state level to ensure such protection are few. As part of the US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study, the study team identified a broad range of land use policies that can inform the decisions of those who can make a difference in protecting the mobility of a new roadway, and identified the ways in which those policies can be translated into action at all levels of government.

View the Land Use Guidelines (3.2 MB), which contains specific examples along US 64 and NC 49.

A generic version of this document has also been developed, which removes the specific examples along US 64 and NC 49. View the Generic Land Use Guidelines Document (884 KB).