The study looked at ways to estimate the total cost of road needs in counties more efficiently. They used sample survey methods on road data from Michigan and Minnesota. Different sampling methods were tested, and it was found that stratified random sampling with optimal allocation required the smallest sample sizes for accurate estimates. Cluster sampling methods needed larger sample sizes. The cost of sample surveys was similar for simple random and stratified random sampling, but much higher for cluster sampling. Overall, the study concluded that sample survey techniques can be practical for estimating total road needs in entire states.