>SELECT DISTINCT table1.section_id, table2.lane_number FROM data\table1 ;
> INNER JOIN data\table2 ON table2.element = table1.element ;
> WHERE ((table2.beg_odometer>=table1.beg_odometer AND table2.beg_odometer<=table1.end_odometer) OR ;
> (table2.iri_end_odometer>=table1.beg_odometer AND table2.end_odometer<=table1.end_odometer)) AND ;
> table2.survey_year = cYear INTO TABLE data\my_test DATABASE data\temp
>
>I am just wondering if this can be refined to run faster, or if there is some
>other better approach.

How about:

SELECT DISTINCT table1.section_id, table2.lane_number FROM data\table1 ;
   INNER JOIN data\table2 ON table2.element = table1.element ;
   WHERE (table2.beg_odometer BETWEEN table1.beg_odometer AND table1.end_odometer) OR ;
         (table2.end_odometer BETWEEN table1.beg_odometer AND table1.end_odometer)) AND ;
          table2.survey_year = cYear ;
   INTO TABLE data\my_test DATABASE data\temp

?