Construction and maintenance of transportation systems can result in direct, indirect and cumulative effects on ecosystems. Typically, mitigation of unavoidable adverse impacts occurs on a project-byproject basis and commonly attempts to restore the same affected resource as close to the site where the impact occurs. This piecemeal approach may fulfill regulatory requirements but greater mitigation value may be achieved for a similar investment by evaluating and prioritizing off-site mitigation

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... opportunities in the context of the entire ecosystem. Additionally, project-by-project environmental permitting practices involve repetitious procedures that sometimes unpredictably delay project delivery. Recently-released federal guidance encourages agencies to collaboratively and strategically plan infrastructure projects and related mitigation with goals of conserving and connecting important habitats, while increasing predictability and transparency of planning and regulatory permitting processes.