(a) It is the declared transportation policy of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas to enhance the social and economic well-being of the citizenry of this state by requiring coordination of public and private transportation activities and the effective implementation of a safe and efficient total transportation system.

(b)

(1) The purpose of this chapter is to effectuate the transportation policy set out in subsection (a) of this section by preparing and coordinating a comprehensive, balanced, multimodel transportation plan for the state, including, but not limited to, airways, highways, railways, waterways, bicycling, mass transit, and other transportation facilities and services, whether publicly or privately owned, developed, operated, or maintained.

(2) To this end, the Arkansas Department of Transportation is directed to establish and maintain coordination with all agencies of the state having transportation responsibility; local, city, and county governments; regional planning and transportation districts, commissions, and authorities; and private transportation agencies.

(3) The General Assembly further directs that each agency, authority, board, commission, department, and institution of the state and its political subdivisions regularly or intermittently involved in any effort concerning public transportation planning and operation in the state shall inform the department of its transportation plans for the future.

(4) It is further directed that all transportation proposals by any public agency, authority, board, commission, department, or institution of the state and its political subdivisions involving any form of public transportation service to be operated on state highways shall be reviewed by the State Highway Commission as to its economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in the overall transportation function of the state, its reciprocal relationships, and its coordination in the total transportation planning process for the state.