The Community Impact Assessment handbook describes how community impact assessment is important for quality of life, responsive decisionmaking, coordination, and non-discrimination. Communities are always in a state of change. The community and its makeup influence planning projections, choice of transportation mode, and the impacts of projects on the community. The need for collecting accurate and useful information for use in the development of transportation projects has been recognized for some time. It requires that the effects of transportation projects upon residences, businesses, tax base, and other community resources be considered during transportation decisionmaking.
Communities are in the best position to know current business and population trends.
However, there are several credible sources which can also provide comparable information. Also, Public involvement activities can encourage the public to provide this data directly while providing a glimpse at the demographic makeup and values of part of the community. The public can help identify what impacts to their community system are of concern and what mitigation might be acceptable, and what will not. As the community continues to change, and impacts of transportation alternatives and their mitigation are revealed, they can create new impacts on or concerns in the community.