**GAO-08-198**                      Published: Jan 08, 2008. Publicly Released: Jan 08, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

Pressure on state and local governments to deliver highway projects and services, and limits on the ability of state departments of transportation (state DOT) to increase staff levels have led those departments to contract out a variety of highway activities to the private sector. As requested, this report addresses (1) recent trends in the contracting of state highway activities, (2) factors that influence state highway departments' contracting decisions, (3) how state highway departments ensure the protection of the public interest when work is contracted out, and (4) the Federal Highway Administrations' (FHWA) role in ensuring that states protect the public interest. To complete this work, GAO reviewed federal guidelines, state auditor reports, and other relevant literature; conducted a 50-state survey; and interviewed officials from 10 selected state highway departments, industry officials, and FHWA officials.

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## Topics

Transportation

Commuter transportationContract oversightContractor violationsContractorsFunds managementGround transportationHighway planningInternal controlsInterstate highwaysPerformance measuresPolicy evaluationPublic roads or highwaysRisk managementState highwaysStrategic planningTransportationTransportation contractsTransportation costsTransportation planning