The first step in ROW acquisition occurs early in the design process and is the determination of the amount of land needed for the new or improved facility. Once this is completed, ROW parcels and legal descriptions of the individual parcels are prepared, as required by law, by a registered professional land surveyor.

On projects requiring additional ROW (including temporary or permanent easements), the goal of the department is to set the ROW footprint as early in the project development as possible.

Extreme care should be used in determining the ROW footprint

to ensure that all additional ROW needed for the project is finalized prior to commencing additional ROW acquisition tasks.