Governance is at the core of any transportation issue. Public, private, and nonprofit actors are the machinery that enables the economy to function, compete effectively for employers and labor, and foster innovation. The ability of agencies to respond to changing and expanding demands varies across the country as is shaped to a large extent by a range of different institutional and organizational structures. Governance determines who makes decisions about capital and operating plans and sets out a process for how those decisions are made. Each structure has its own implications for funding, equitable and effective service patterns, and economic growth.