To effectively plan for the future, the interrelationship of transportation and land uses needs to be considered. As just one example, adding a lane makes the land on either side accessible to many more drivers. Increasing access tends to encourage different types of development. Transportation and land use are also related to the environment and the quality of life. For example, the transportation system impacts air and water quality, and shapes the character of places. Effects can be positive or negative, and may change as the years pass.

Even without any changes in roads or development, the number of miles traveled is expected to continue to rise. The following figure shows historical and forecasted growth in vehicle miles traveled. Future years (2000 and on) are forecasts from the BRPC traffic model as reported in the 1997 Transportation Plan.

Transportation includes a variety of modes, fills varying general needs, and serves populations which have different desires. The general need to get to work is the one most often studied. People are generally willing to travel further to get to work than to a store, or to go get a sandwich from where ever they are at lunch time. The following chart shows how residents of Berkshire County reported normally going to work in the 1990 Census of Transportation Planning Package (CTPP)