Monitoring systems should be developed for the evaluation and assessment of environmental

effects resulting from changes in the road system for example, traffic volume, vehicle mix, structure
modifications, and network adjustments. Data from monitoring could then be used to evaluate previous
assessments and, over the long term, improve understanding of ecological impacts.

A new conceptual framework should recommend for improving integration of ecological

considerations into transportation planning. A key element of this framework is the integration of
ecological goals and performance indicators with transportation goals and performance indicators.

Improved models and modeling approaches should be developed not only to predict how roads
will affect environmental conditions but also to improve communication in the technical community, to
resolve alternative hypotheses, to highlight and evaluate data and environmental monitoring, and to
provide guidance for future environmental management.