A lane management system (10) for operating an automated vehicle includes a navigation-device (20), a vehicle-detector (34), and a controller (40) suitable for use on a host-vehicle (12). The navigation-device (20) is used to determine a preferred-route (22) to a destination (16) of the host-vehicle (12). The vehicle-detector (34) is used to determine a relative-location (36) of an other-vehicle (38) proximate to the host-vehicle (12). The controller (40) is in communication with the navigation-device (20) and the vehicle-detector (34). The controller (40) is configured to determine an alternate-route (44) when the relative-location (36) is such that a preferred-lane (46) of the preferred-route (22) is obstructed whereby the host-vehicle (12) is unable to follow the preferred- route (22). Alternatively, the controller (40) is configured to determine an initiate-time (48) to perform a lane-change (52) necessary to maneuver the host-vehicle (12) into a preferred-lane (46) of the preferred-route (22) so the host-vehicle (12) can follow the preferred-route (22), wherein the initiate-time (48) is determined based on the relative-location (36).