State DOTs are being asked to do more than ever. For decades, state transportation officials have been the primary stewards of our country’s roads and bridges, but their role is evolving. Just as they once made the transition from highway departments to transportation agencies, state DOTs must now deliver mobility, access, and community building. And they must deliver these services while facing declining revenues, extreme weather events, and the difficult legacy of past displacement caused by their predecessors’ highway building and “urban renewal.”
To meet these challenges, forward-thinking DOT leaders and dedicated career staff are employing innovative new ideas and practices. They are finding new ways to meet community needs, operate more efficiently, build political support, and ensure the long-term prosperity of their states. Where they succeed, others can follow, adapting models and frameworks to their local contexts.
Transitioning from status quo to innovation
State DOTs were responsible for one of the largest infrastructure projects in recent history. The Interstate highway system boasts more than 40,000 miles, costing nearly $300 billion in 2024 dollars. While this effort connected the nation in just a few decades, each new lane-mile added to the now largely built-out system offers diminishing returns. Even with countless innovations already taking shape at the state level, the United States is losing ground on years of progress, underscoring the need for more rapid implementation of emerging best practices.
In just the last 20 years, spending on highway construction has tripled to roughly $150 billion per year. Yet the average American spends more time commuting each day and more time stuck in traffic every year. Progress toward safer roads has reversed in the last decade, making U.S. roadways the third most dangerous among 34 peer countries, even as death rates continue to decline elsewhere. Deaths of people walking and biking have increased by around 80 percent in the last 15 years—amounting to more than 10,000 lives lost. Finally, the transportation sector is now the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., surpassing both the industrial and power sectors. Without a new approach, these concerning trends are likely to continue and worsen.
State DOTs have the potential to tackle big challenges by leveraging their strengths as innovators and creators—but doing so requires a shift in focus and a willingness to adapt. Each state is at a different stage of this journey, and the solutions often look different depending on the local context. By learning from other states’ experiences, however, agencies can jump straight to applying proven innovations, building on the successes and lessons learned from others across the country.
SSTI supports DOT leaders and staff
SSTI helps agency leaders and staff through convening, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. Forward-thinking leaders can join peers at our annual meeting—a two-day event with field visits, guest speakers, and lively discussions. DOT staff advancing climate initiatives and multimodal strategies can connect through our Sustainability Network. Contact us to learn more.
About this framework
The Innovative DOT provides a forward-looking framework for those ready to lead. Building on our original Innovative DOT handbook, last updated in 2015, this guide offers targeted strategies to address today’s urgent challenges, drawing from recent lessons learned as culture and technology have evolved.
Our recommendations reflect more than a decade of expertise in best practices, gathered through peer learning, technical assistance, and in-depth research. This resource will continue to grow as we add emerging tools, policies, and expert-vetted replicable strategies, offering insights for practitioners and engaged communities to make meaningful progress toward more equitable, sustainable, and resilient transportation systems.
Each section corresponds with a different aspect of agency functions—from planning to operations. The four key steps include: 1) set your agency on a path to resilience, 2) build for people, not just cars, 3) make the most of your assets, and 4) fuel a culture of innovation.
You can explore these resources from start to finish or focus on the areas that are most relevant to your work. While implementation of the principles may look different in each state, a truly effective DOT will strive to align all functions with the agency’s core values and goals.
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Introduction | 1. Planning | 2. Delivery | 3. Operations | 4. Culture
Published February 2025.
The Innovative DOT was written by Chris McCahill and Eric Murphy with input and feedback from Steve Davis (Smart Growth America), Nick Donohue (former Deputy Secretary, Virginia DOT), Garrett Eucalitto (Commissioner, Connecticut DOT), and Kerri Woehler (Assistant Secretary, Washington State DOT). It was made possible through support from the Barr Foundation. The authors are solely responsible for its contents.