Connecting Rural and Urban America is the third in a series of three reports that AASHTO is releasing that addresses key issues for state transportation programs and for the authorization of the federal highway and transit programs. Connecting Rural and Urban America discusses how American highways are the thread connecting life in the cities, towns, and farmlands; the connections that ensure the safety and security of our country. Highways across rural states create a "bridge" for traffic between population centers for people and freight. Simply put, they connect all Americans, urban and suburban as well as rural. This report outlines the importance of the transportation that links rural to urban areas.