Since highway improvement constitutes the most prevalent activity in transportation systems change during recent years, this report focuses on a review of the results of Highway impact studies, principally those conducted in rural areas. It was found that most impact studies concentrate on measuring changes in land value, land use, business activity, industrial location and manufacturing growth. Very little investigation has been made of the impact on the social characteristics of rural communities or in the area of general community response. Most studies have been of limited character in that they concentrate on the effects which occur in the vicinity of interchanges, by-pass routes, and rural routes. Conclusions differ depending upon the geographical areas in which particular studies are conducted. As a result it is difficult to draw inferences about highway impact on rural areas in general.