The potential for various failure processes impacting transportation embankments temporarily impounding water has not been a common consideration in the design and management of these structures. However, changes in water elevations due to land development and climate change has prompted concern about impoundment on seepage rates and overall stability of the constructed embankments. The goal of the research was to examine how different aspects of dam safety can be incorporated in transportation embankment management. Current U.S. Mid-Atlantic state policies were summarized, evolving issues pertaining to water impoundment were investigated, transportation and dam embankments were compared, and seepage and slope stability numerical modeling were conducted to understand how example transportation embankments behave under various water impoundment scenarios. Performance assessment of granular materials commonly used in transportation embankments indicates their ability to withstand piping erosion but poor slope stability during rapid drawdown. Results demonstrate the need for infrastructure inventories and hydrologic research on this topic.