TRANSPORTATION ACRONYMS
A
Action
Strategy: Describes
the actions necessary to implement the community vision.
This includes new transportation facilities and services to be provided
and funding sources.
Air
Quality: As
described in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Clean Air
Americans
with Disabilities Act (
Area
Sources: Small
stationary and non-transportation pollution sources that are too small and/or
numerous to be included as point sources but may collectively contribute
significantly to air pollution (e.g., dry cleaners).
Arterial
Street: A
class of street serving major traffic movements (high-speed, high volume) for
travel between major points.
Attainment
Area: An
area considered to have air quality that meets or exceeds the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) health standards used in the Clean Air Act.
Nonattainment areas are areas considered not to have met these standards for
designated pollutants. An area may be an attainment area for one pollutant and a
nonattainment area for others.
Average Vehicle Occupancy (AVO):
The
average number of persons traveling in a vehicle on a facility.
B
Build Out: Having
no remaining vacant land; fully developed to the maximum permitted by adopted
plans and zoning.
C
Capacity:
A transportation facilities
ability to accommodate a moving stream of people or vehicles in a given time
period.
Capacity Accounting Procedure: A procedure followed by a city or county to account for the accumulated
requests for capacity from developments that have received development approval.
The procedure assures that transportation capacity is set aside so that
it is available when the development is complete.
Capital Facilities: The
physical structures, which serve urban development.
Capital Facilities Element: The capital facilities element of the comprehensive plan includes: an
inventory of existing capital facilities owned by public entities, showing the
locations and capacities of the capital facilities; a forecast of the future
needs for such capital facilities; and the proposed locations and capacities of
expanded or new capital facilities.
Capital
Program Funds: Financial
assistance from the Capital Program of 49 U.S.C. This program enables the
Secretary of Transportation to make discretionary capital grants and loans to
finance public transportation projects divided among fixed guideway (rail)
modernization; construction of new fixed guideway systems and extensions to
fixed guideway systems; and replacement, rehabilitation, and purchase of buses
and rented equipment, and construction of bus-related facilities.
Carbon Monoxide (CO): A
colorless, odor-less, tasteless gas formed in large part by incomplete
combustion of fuel. Human activities
(i.e., transportation or industrial processes) are largely the source for CO
contamination.
Categorical Exclusion (CE): an action that does not individually or cumulatively have
a significant impact on the human environment.
This Categorical Exclusion does not require an Environmental Assessment
or an Environmental Impact Statement.
Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC): representative
stakeholders that meet regularly to discuss issues of common concern, such as
transportation, and to advise sponsoring agency officials.
These groups effectively interact between citizens and their government.
Clean
Air Act (CAA): The
original Clean Air Act was passed in 1963, but the national air pollution
control program is actually based on the 1970 version of the law. The 1990 Clean
Air Act Amendments (CAAA) is the most far-reaching revisions of the 1970 law.
The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment is the most recent version of the 1970 version
of the law. The 1990 amendments made major changes in the Clean Air Act.
Concurrency: Requirement
that public facilities and services be provided concurrent with new development.
A process of reassessment, concurrency is the key link between land use
and transportation. The state’s
Growth Management Program very specifically defines “concurrent with
development” for transportation as meaning that “improvement or strategies
are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in
place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years.
Congestion
Management System (CMS): Systematic
process for managing congestion. Provides information on transportation system
performance and finds alternative ways to alleviate congestion and enhance the
mobility of people and goods, to levels that meet state and local needs.
Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ): A
categorical Federal-aid funding program created with the ISTEA. Directs funding
to projects that contribute to meeting national air quality standards. CMAQ
funds generally may not be used for projects that result in the construction of
new capacity available to SOVs (single-occupant vehicles).
Consultation: When one party confers with another identified party and,
prior to taking action(s), considers that party’s views.
Cooperation: The
parties involved in carrying out the planning, programming and management
systems processes work together to achieve a common goal or objective.
Coordination: The comparison of the transportation plans, programs and
schedules of one agency with related plans, programs, and schedules of other
agencies or entities with legal standing, and adjustment of plans, programs and
schedules to achieve general consistency.
Cost Estimates: Cost of new facilities or services necessary to compare
the transportation needs with the available revenues.
Costs must estimated for:
·
Maintenance
and operation of the existing and proposed transportation system.
·
Costs
of acquiring new transit vehicles or ferry vessels and related capital costs.
·
Program
costs for operating transportation services such as transit or ridesharing.
·
General
costs associated with administering, planning, and operating the transportation
system.
County Road Administration Board
(CRAB): The
County Road Administration Board was created by the Legislature in 1965 to
provide statutory oversight of
Critical Areas: As a key part in managing growth in Washington, the
Growth Management Program requires that every county and city classify and
designate critical area: wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife
habitat, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and
rare/endangered plant habitat.
Cultural: A
coded recording of recreational opportunities as related to a specific
recreational feature.
D
Deficiency: The
condition when a facility does not meet adopted level of service standards.
Degradation: The
threshold level of travel demand, which can be added to a transportation
facility before the “surplus” capacity is used up.
Delay: An
indicator of transportation level of service at intersection measured as the
length of time at which a vehicle is stopped.
Density (land use measurement): For residential development, density means the number of housing units
per acre. For population, density
means the number of people per acre or square mile.
Density (transportation measure): An indicator of transportation level of service measured as the number of
vehicles per mile per lane.
Department of Transportation (DOT): When used alone, indicates
U.S. Department of Transportation. In conjunction with a place name, indicates
state, city, or county transportation agency (e.g., Illinois DOT, Los Angeles
DOT).
Drivability: Driving
safety, ease, and pleasure as related to road conditions, lane and shoulder
width, traffic volume, and opposing traffic separation.
E
Element: A
component or chapter of the comprehensive plan.
State law requires each city comprehensive plan to include six elements.
Counties must also prepare a Rural Element.
In addition, elements addressing recreation, conservation, and solar
energy may be included at local option.
Emissions
Budget: The
part of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) that identifies the allowable
emissions levels, mandated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),
for certain pollutants emitted from mobile, stationary, and area sources. The
emissions levels are used for meeting emission reduction milestones, attainment,
or maintenance demonstrations.
Emissions budget for motor vehicles: That portion of the total allowable emissions defined in a revision of
the applicable State Implementation Plan (SIP) that identifies the allowable
emissions levels, mandated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),
for certain pollutants emitted from mobile, stationary, and area sources.
The emissions levels are used for meeting emission reduction milestones,
attainment, or maintenance demonstrations.
Emissions inventory: A
complete list of sources and amounts of pollutant emissions within a specific
area and time interval.
Environmental
Justice (EJ): Environmental
justice assures that services and benefits allow for meaningful participation
and are fairly distributed to avoid discrimination.
Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA): The
federal regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing federal
environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the
Endangered Species Act, and others.
Exceptional View Area: An
isolated area of high visual quality which is located along a state route not
eligible for Scenic and Recreational Highways designation because of its overall
low visual quality.
Exemption: a
land use type, which is exempted from Concurrency provisions of the Growth
Management Act.
Expressway: A
divided arterial highway for through traffic with full or partial control of
access and generally with grade separations at intersections.
F
Federal
Transit Administration (FTA): A
branch of the US Department of Transportation that is the principal source of
federal financial assistance to
Finance Element: The
finance element of the transportation plan assures the recommended improvements
are financially feasible to implement. It includes:
·
An
analysis of funding capability.
·
A
multi-year financing plan.
·
If
probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how
additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be
reassessed to ensure that level of service standards will be met.
Financial
Planning: The
process of defining and evaluating funding sources, sharing the information, and
deciding how to allocate the funds.
Financial
Programming: A
short-term commitment of funds to specific projects identified in the regional
Transportation Improvement Program (see TIP).
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI): A
statement indicating that a project was found to have no significant impacts on
the quality of the human environment and for which an environmental statement
will therefore not be prepared.
Fine
Particulates: Particulate
matter less than 2.5 microns in size (PM-2.5). A micron is one millionth of a
meter. See "Particulate matter" below.
Fiscal
Constraint: Making
sure that a given program or project can reasonably expect to receive funding
within the time allotted for its implementation.
Formula
Capital Grants: Federal
transit funds for transit operators. Allocation
of funds overseen by FTA.
Freeway: a
divided arterial highway designed for the safe non-impeded movement of large
volumes of traffic, with full control of access and grade separations at
intersections.
G
Geographic
Information System (GIS): Computerized
data management system designed to capture, store, retrieve, analyze, and
display geographically referenced information.
Growth
Management Act: House
Bill 2929 (RCW 36.70a and RCW 47.80).
Adopted in 1990 and all associated
amendments since that time.
Growth Management Policy Committee: A committee authorized by the Growth Management Act to represent the interest of local agencies in the development of county wide planning policies.
Growth
Management Program: New
Washington planning law that relates land use, transportation, capital
facilities, housing, public utilities, and environmental protection in its
requirements (RCW 36.70a and RCW 47.80).
Growth
Phasing: A
capacity allocation method which "preapproves" a certain level of
development capacity in an area, based upon a study of current and future travel
demands.
H
High
Occupancy Vehicle (HOV): Vehicles
that carry multiple occupants. HOVs
include buses, vanpools, and carpools. HOV
vehicles can use especially reserved HOV lanes on freeways, highways, and city
arterials.
Highway/Transit
Assignment: The
fifth and final step in travel forecasting. A forecast of the highway route or
transit route a trip will traverse. Highway/transit assignment simulates the
traffic volumes and transit ridership on the highway and transit system.
Home
- Based Trip: A
trip with one end at the residence of the trip‑maker.
Home - Based Work Trip: A
trip, for the purpose of work, with one end at the residence of the
trip‑maker.
I
Impact Area: The
geographic area within which the traffic impacts of a development must be
evaluated.
Impact Fee: A fee levied on the developer of a project by a city, county, or special district as compensation for the expected effects of that development. The Growth Management Act authorizes imposition of impact fees on new development and sets the conditions under which they may be imposed.
Implementation Measure: An action, procedure, program or technique that carries out comprehensive plan policy.
Infrastructure Capacity Monitoring System: A system established by a local government, either manual or automated, to maintain current capacity information for all public facilities for which level of service standards are established. This system needs to include all reservations of capacity issued to date through the development permitting process in order to ensure concurrency.
Intactness: The integrity of visual pattern; the extent to which the landscape is free from visual encroachments. A visual quality criterion.
Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS): The
application of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of
transportation systems.
Intergovernmental Coordination: Efforts include an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions and within a given region. RCW 36.70A.100 and RCW 47.80.010 of the Growth Management Act require intergovernmental coordination for both land use and transportation.
Intermodal: The
ability to connect, and connections between, modes of transportation.
Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA): Legislative initiative by the US Congress that restructured funding for
transportation programs; authorized an increased role for regional planning
commissions/MPOs in funding decisions; and required comprehensive regional and
statewide long-term transportation plans.
Interstate
Highway System (IHS): The
system of highways that connects the principal metropolitan areas, cities, and
industrial centers of the
L
Land Use: Refers
to manner in which portions of land or the structures on them are used, e.g.,
commercial, residential, retail, industrial, etc.
Land Use Assumptions: The proposed and existing land uses, i.e., retail, various residential densities, office, manufacturing, etc. used in developing travel forecasts. These land uses are represented by population and employment numbers in the travel forecasting process.
Land Use Based Travel Models: Land use based travel models are used to forecast future travel on the transportation system. The forecast is linked to the land use assumption. This travel forecast is used to identify future deficiencies in the transportation system and to determine concurrency.
Land Use Element: The land use element of the comprehensive plan designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land. Land uses include, but not limited to the following, where appropriate: agriculture, timber production, housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, public utilities, and public facilities. The land use element includes population densities, building intensities, and estimates of future population growth.
Land Use Strategies: An action that addresses the relationship between land uses to reduce the number of vehicular trips generated and/or reduces the length of trips.
Latent Travel Demand: Travel demand which does not currently exist but which will be attracted by the expansion of transportation capacity.
Level of Service: A method of measuring and defining the type and quality of particular public service such as transportation, fire protection, police protection, library service, schools/education, etc. The county and cities must cooperatively develop standards for level of service for public services and infrastructure as a part of the policies governing growth management.
Level of Service Standards (LOS): A gauge for evaluating the quality of service on the transportation system. Described by travel times, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. Measurement is by the letters “A to F” with “A” being free-flowing traffic to “F” heavy congestion.
Link Concurrency Management System: A system for determining
concurrency between street or road capacity and the expected traffic impact a
new development that addresses only the street or road segment immediately
adjacent to the development proposal.
Long-range Transportation Plan: A document resulting from a regional or statewide process of collaboration and consensus on a region or State’s transportation system. This document serves as the defining vision for the region’s or State’s transportation systems and services. In metropolitan areas, the plan indicates all of the transportation improvement scheduled for funding over the next 20 years.
Long Term: In
transportation planning refers to a time span of, generally, 20 years.
The transportation plans for metropolitan areas and for States should
include projections for land use, population, and employment for the 20-year
period.
M
Maintenance
Area: Maintenance area is any
geographic region of the
Metropolitan Area Boundary (MAB): An
area determined by an agreement between the governor and the metropolitan
planning organization (MPO) as defined in (23 USC 134).
Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO): Regional
policy body, required in urbanized areas with populations over 50,000, and
designated by local officials and the governor of the state. Responsible in
cooperation with the state and other transportation providers for carrying out
the metropolitan transportation planning requirements of federal highway and
transit legislation.
Metropolitan
Transportation Plan (MTP): The
official intermodal transportation plan that is developed and adopted through
the metropolitan transportation planning process for the metropolitan planning
area, in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 134, 23 USC 135 and 49 U.S.C. 5303.
Mitigation: Means
to avoid, minimize, rectify or reduce an impact, and in some cases, to
compensate for an impact.
Mobile
Source: The
mobile source-related pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC),
nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM-10 and PM 2.5).
Mobility: A
measure of transportation service performance that takes into consideration the
ability of a traveler to move from origin to destination at the time and with
the travel mode desired.
Mode:
A
specific form of transportation, such as automobile, subway, bus, rail, or air.
Mode of Travel: Means of travel such as auto driver, vehicle passenger, transit passenger, bicyclist or pedestrian etc.
Mode
Model: A mathematical formula that expresses the actions and interactions of the elements of a system in such a manner that the system may be evaluated under any given set of conditions, i.e., land‑use, economic, socioeconomic, and travel characteristics.
Multimodal Transportation Systems: Buses,
ferries, cars, and bicycles are all examples of modes of travel.
In a multimodal transportation system, each of these components is
factored in so that service can be delivered efficiently.
For example, the waterfront trolley which conveys ferry passengers to a
bus terminal
N
National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Federal
standards that set allowable concentrations and exposure limits for various
pollutants. The EPA developed the standards in response to a requirement of the
CAA. Air quality standards have been established for the following six criteria
pollutants: ozone (or smog), carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen
dioxide, lead, and sulfur dioxide.
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA): Established a national environmental policy requiring that any project using federal funding or requiring federal approval, including transportation projects, examine the effects of proposed and alternative choices on the environment before a federal decision is made.
National Highway System (NHS): The national transportation system designated by Congress that includes
the Interstate Highway System and other nationally significant roads for
interstate and interregional travel, national defense, intermodal connection,
and international commerce.
National
ITS Architecture: A
systems framework to guide the planning and deployment of ITS infrastructure.
The national ITS architecture is a blueprint for the coordinated development of
ITS technologies in the
Natural Resource Lands: Natural resource lands are agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands that have long-term commercial significance.
Non-attainment:
Any
geographic area that has not met the requirements for clean air as set out in
the Clean Air Act of 1990.
Nonattainnent Area: The geographic area designated as not meeting the NAAQS for a criteria pollutant. The boundaries are proposed by the governor, approved by EPA and include that area required to implement plans and programs for attainment of the NAAQS published in the Federal Register.
Non-home Based (NHB) Trip: A
trip that takes place between two points, neither of which is the home end of
the trip-maker.
O
Open
space: Any
parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an
open space use such as preservation
of natural resources, outdoor recreation not requiring development of play
fields or structures, or public health and safety (flood control).
Landscape settings having attributes that
are predominantly natural in character.
Operational
Conditions: Description
of the transportation facility or service. Includes
pavement width, number of lanes, access points. signalization, etc. for roads
and transit vehicle capacity, service frequency, transit stop convenience, and
safety for transit service.
Oxygenated
gasoline: Gasoline
enriched with oxygen-bearing liquids to reduce CO production by permitting more
complete combustion.
Ozone
03): Ozone
is a colorless gas with a sweet odor. Ozone is not a direct emission from
transportation sources. It is a secondary pollutant formed when VOCs and NOx
combine in the presence of sunlight. Ozone is associated with smog or haze
conditions. Although the ozone in the upper atmosphere protects us from harmful
ultraviolet rays, ground-level ozone produces an unhealthy environment in which
to live. Ozone is created by human and natural sources.
P
Particulate
Matter (PM10 and PM2.5): Particulate
matter consists of airborne solid particles and liquid droplets. Particulate
matter may be in the form of fly ash, soot, dust, fog, fumes, etc. These
particles are classified as "coarse" if they are smaller than 10
microns, or "fine" if they are smaller than 2.5 microns. Coarse
airborne particles are produced during grinding operations, or from the physical
disturbance of dust by natural air turbulence processes, such as wind. Fine
particles can be a by-product of fossil fuel combustion, such as diesel and bus
engines. Fine particles can easily reach remote lung areas, and their presence
in the lungs is linked to serious respiratory ailments such as asthma, chronic
bronchitis and aggravated coughing. Exposure to these particles may aggravate
other medical conditions such as heart disease and emphysema and may cause
premature death. In the environment, particulate matter contributes to
diminished visibility and particle deposition (soiling).
Parts
per million (PPM): A
measure of air pollutant concentrations.
Pass
Through: Traffic
using the highway system of a locality which neither originates in nor is
destined to the locality.
Peak Period: The
time period during which the maximum amount of travel occurs.
Generally, there is a morning peak and an afternoon peak period, and less
frequently, a
Pedestrian Friendly Development: Development designs that encourage walking by providing site amenities for pedestrians. Pedestrian friendly environments reduce auto dependence and may encourage the use of public transportation.
Performance
Measures: Indicators
of how well the transportation system is performing with regard to such things
as average speed, reliability of travel, and accident rates. Used as feedback in
the decision-making process.
Performance Monitoring Program: Monitoring the performance of the program is an integral part of the regional transportation plan. It determines how well the plan is being implemented and whether the system improvements and/or applied system demand strategies are having the desired effect. Each RTPO must implement and describe the performance monitoring system they have adopted.
Planning Commission: A
group of people appointed by the City Council or
Planning
Funds (PL): Primary
source of funding for metropolitan planning designated by the FHWA.
Prima Facie: Legal evidence adequate to establish a fact or raise a presumption of fact unless refuted. Legislative bodies must provide that certain facts shall be "prima facie" evidence of other facts (i.e., by providing a "rational connection" of the facts).
Project Development: The phase a proposed project undergoes once it has been through the planning process. The project development phase is a more detailed analysis of a proposed project’s social, economic, and environmental impacts and various project alternatives. What comes from the project development phase is a decision reached through negotiation among all affected parties, including the public. After a proposal has successfully passed the project development phase, it may move to preliminary engineering, design, and construction.
Public Facilities: Includes streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreations facilities, and schools.
Public Hearing: a formal event held prior to a decision that gathers community comments and positions from all interested parties for public record and input into decisions.
Public Meeting: a formal or informal event designed for a specific issue or community group where information is presented and input from community residents is received.
Public Participation: The active and meaningful involvement of the public in the development of transportation plans and programs.
Public Services: Includes fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.
Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA): The most commonly used authority for the operation of public transportation in the state. Designation of a PTBA can cover a county, less than a county, or multiple counties, but only one PTBA can exist in each of these jurisdictions. PTBA funding options include a 0.1 to 0.6 percent sales tax, a household tax up to $1 per month, a business and occupations tax, a utilities tax, and a Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) match.
Public Utilities Element: The Public Utilities Element of the comprehensive plan describes the general location, proposed location, and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunications lines, and natural gas lines.
Q
Queue:
A
line, as of people or vehicles, waiting a turn.
R
Record
of Decision (ROD): a
concise decision document for an environmental impact statement that states the
decision (selected alternative or choice), other alternatives considered, and
mitigation adopted for the selected alternative or choice.
Reformatted
gasoline: Gasoline
specifically developed to reduce undesirable combustion products.
Regional
Councils of Government/Planning Organizations: Regional
councils of government are multipurpose, multijurisdictional, public
organizations. Created by local governments to respond to federal and state
programs, regional councils bring together participants at multiple levels of
government to foster regional cooperation, planning and service delivery. They
have a variety of names, ranging from councils of government to planning
commissions to development districts.
Regional
Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP): Each
RTPO shall complete a regional transportation improvement program at least
once every two years per RCW 47.80.023. The
RTIP should cover a six-year period and be cooperatively developed by local
government agencies, public transit agencies, and the WSDOT.
It should include all regionally significant transportation projects,
programs, and transportation demand management measures proposed to be
implemented during each year of the six-year period.
It must include all regionally significant projects.
Regional
Transportation Plan: The
Regional Transportation Plan is a
product of the regional transportation planning process. It
guides the improvement of the regional transportation system. The
plan shall identify and address regional transportation issues. It
is proposed by the Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
Regional
Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO):
The
body designated by neighboring local jurisdictions within one or more counties,
through voluntary association, to achieve coordination for the region. Regions
are determined by local govemments that have transportation concems that extend
beyond their individual boundaries
and a desire and need to work together to address those concems.
Reserve
Capacity: The
capacity of a lane at an unsignalized intersection minus the demand for the land
Reserved
Capacity: The
amount of capacity reserved for use by previously approved development or
capacity otherwise committed by the jurisdiction.
Rezoning: A
growth control measure which prespecifies the type and density of development
that can occur in an area.
S
Scenic
and Recreational Corridor: The
scenic and recreational corridor includes the road, its
right‑of‑way, all elements visible from the road, as well as all
cultural, historical, and recreational elements accessible from the road and
considered important in the highway designation, regardless of whether or not
they are visible from the road. The
scenic and recreational corridor is thus a conglomeration of visible lands and
recreational and cultural resources lands, linked together by visual and
physical access. This
complex network of natural and human‑built elements varies in size and
configuration, and may be interspersed
by extensive areas of privately held lands not considered part of the corridor
by definition.
Scenic
and Recreational Highway: A
highway which has been officially designated as Scenic and Recreational by the
Washington State Legislature before December 1,1990.
A highway which has passed through a
threshold determination process and has been nominated for and has received
legislative designation for inclusion in the Scenic and Recreational Highway
program.
Scenic
Byway: Any
roadway designated as a Scenic Byway by state or federal agencies or
authorities, comprised of outstanding local or regional scenic character.
Scenic
Highway: A
federal definition based upon the interim scenic byway guidance.
A road that has been
designated through some legislation or some other official declaration for its
scenic, historic, recreational, archaeological, or cultural values. Scenic
highways are roads designated through state, federal actions along federal,
state, and local highway systems. They
can be classified as parkways, greenways, trails, heritage highways, drives,
roads, byways, backways, or highways.
Service
Level Ordinances: An
ordinance which requires that a fixed LOS be met on all of a community's
roadways or transit routes. Development
impacts are evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.
Smart
Growth: A
set of policies and programs design to protect, preserve, and economically
develop established communities and valuable natural and cultural resources.
Sources:
Refers
to the origin of air contaminants. Can be point (coming from a defined site) or
non-point (coming from many diffuse sources).[Stationary sources include
relatively large, fixed facilities such as power plants, chemical process
industries, and petroleum refineries. Area sources are small, stationary,
non-transportation sources that collectively contribute to air pollution, and
include such sources as dry cleaners and bakeries, surface coating operations,
home furnaces, and crop burning. Mobile sources include on-road vehicles such as
cars, trucks, and buses; and off-road sources such as trains, ships, airplanes,
boats, lawnmowers, and construction equipment.
Sprawl:
Urban
form that connotatively depicts the movement of people from the central city to
the suburbs. Concerns associated with sprawl include loss of farmland and open
space due to low-density land development, increased public service costs, and
environmental degradation as well as other concerns associated with
transportation.
Stakeholders:
Individuals
and organizations involved in or affected by the transportation planning
process. Include federal/state/local officials, MPOs, transit operators, freight
companies, shippers, and the general public.
State
Department of Transportation (State DOT): A
statewide agency that is responsible for conducting transportation-planning
activities in non-metropolitan areas of the State, and assisting MPOs in
transportation planning for the metropolitan areas.
State DOT’s are also responsible for developing, designing, and
constructing most of the projects on major highways in most States.
State
Environmental Protection Act (SEPA): Act
which requires consideration of altematives and mitigation of environmental
impacts for major projects and programs both public and private.
State
Infrastructure Bank (SIB): A
revolving fund mechanism for financing a wide variety of highway and transit
projects through loans and credit enhancement. SIBs
are designed to complement traditional Federal-aid highway and transit grants by
providing States increased flexibility for financing infrastructure investments.
State
Implementation Plan (SIP): Produced
by the state environmental agency, not the MPO. A plan mandated by the CAA that
contains procedures to monitor, control, maintain, and enforce compliance with
the NAAQS. Must be taken into account in the transportation planning process.
State
Planning and Research Funds (SP&R): Primary
source of funding for statewide long-range planning.
State
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP):
A
staged, multi-year, statewide, intermodal program of transportation projects,
consistent with the statewide transportation plan and planning processes as well
as metropolitan plans, TIPs, and processes.
Statewide
Transportation Plan: The
official statewide intermodal transportation plan that is developed through the
statewide transportation planning process.
Stationary
Source:
Relatively
large, fixed sources of emissions (i.e., power plants, chemical process
industries, petroleum refining and petrochemical operations, or wood
processing).
Strategy
Plan: A
plan of actions necessary to achieve the adopted goals.
Surface
Transportation Program (STP): Federal-aid
highway funding program that funds a broad range of surface transportation
capital needs, including many roads, transit, sea and airport access, vanpool,
bike, and pedestrian facilities.
System Improvement and Strategy Plan: