Elaine L. Chao, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, announced a new initiative to support transportation needs in rural areas of the country. Named, the Rural Opportunites to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES), this new initiative analyzes available funding to make sure rural infrastructure has its needs met. It will address challenges by helping those associated with rural infrastructure when it comes to accessing DOT grants, financial projects, and how to use data to better assess needs for projects.