As U.S. transportation agencies undertake their first-generation asset management plans, they will need to anticipate how those plans will be integrated into the complex decision-making environment for managing transportation infrastructure. The era of asset management is likely to lead state transportation agencies, MPOs, and local governments into a closer partnership. Similarly, within transportation agencies the traditional silos of planning, design, construction, maintenance, and information will see the need for closer coordination. Agencies that expand their asset management approach are likely to use common data, information, and communication channels as the platform for linking the many partners needed for asset management success. The information contained in this discussion paper was prepared at the request of the Transportation Asset Management Expert Task Group (TAM ETG).