"Introduction Transportation is about making connections. Transportation agencies connect both people and communities ?C reaching out across sectors of society and helping to ensure the health of our society@ our economy@ and our environment. With such an important role to play@ a transportation agency's decisions touch all aspects of society on a long-term basis. Transportation agencies are going beyond compliance ?C to do the right thing for communities and the environment. They are working to ensure that transportation projects fi t into and enhance their communities and the environment. Transportation agencies are partnering with other agencies and the public to advance ecosystem- or watershedbased approaches@ ensuring that transportation infrastructure is planned in a manner that preserves and increasingly enhances ""green infrastructure"" ?C the vital natural resources on which our communities depend. At the same time@ transportation agencies are taking increasingly positive steps ?C on-the-ground actions to preserve wildlife or to enhance communities ?C not because they are required@ but because it is the right thing to do. These initiatives are helping transportation agencies bridge the gap and contribute to the environmental@ social@ and economic well-being of their communities. A look at the numbers shows impressive trends: ? 27 state transportation agencies have implemented or are in the process of developing environmental management systems. ? 41 states have made signifi cant progress in implementing context sensitive solutions. ? 43 transportation initiatives in 30 states have been identifi ed as exemplary ecosystem initiatives. ? Agencies have identifi ed more than 100 simple actions taken to help wildlife along roadways. ? Over 550 state stewardship and streamlining programs@ policies@ and initiatives have been documented by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). ? Thousands of environmental stewardship practices@ policies@ and programs are currently in use by state transportation agencies for highway construction and maintenance. ? More than 17@000 projects to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles have been funded with transportation dollars."