Transportation Terms and Abbreviations
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Access management is a comprehensive approach to the management and regulation of driveways, medians, median openings and traffic signals. The goal of access management is to limit and separate traffic conflict points. By reducing conflict, we can increase safety and traffic operations. |
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A meeting of various state and federal transportation and environmental resource agencies to review project status and issues. This meeting provides for the involvement of agencies during a project’s development. The resource agencies included are: PennDOT, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Federal Highway Administration. |
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Any one of a number of transportation proposals for a project including: no-build, new alignment (offline), and network upgrade (online). A combination of the three types of alignments can also be used. Alternatives are developed during the preliminary alternatives analysis phase. |
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Preliminary engineering and environmental studies of a wide range of alternatives. The objective is to reduce the number of alternatives for more detailed study, and then, after substantial and detailed engineering and environmental studies, to identify a preferred alternative. |
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The average number of vehicles that travel on a road during the day. To calculate the ADT, traffic engineers take the total traffic volume during a given time period in whole days (24-hour periods), which is greater than one day and less than one year, and divide it by the number of days in that time period. |
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The capacity of a facility (such as a freeway or signalized intersection) is defined as the maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles can reasonably be expected to traverse a section of a lane or roadway during a given time period under prevailing roadway, traffic and control conditions, usually expressed in vehicles per hour. |
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The general, inclusive, long-range plan for future development of a community. The plan identifies needed infrastructure improvements and funding needs for future capital improvements in an area. |
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The point at which agencies and the public offer their agreement with recommendations or findings. Although unanimous consensus is seldom achieved, continuous coordination throughout the study process is expected to garner support from most agencies and much of the public. |
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Land between two termini within which traffic, transit, land use, topography, environment and other characteristics are evaluated for transportation purposes. |
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Established state and national standards and procedures that guide the establishment of roadway layouts, alignments, geometry, and dimensions for specified types of roadways in certain defined conditions. |
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The year for which a roadway facility is designed, normally 20 years after planned completion, taking into consideration projected volumes of traffic. |
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Intensive engineering and environmental studies of a small range of alternatives which are modified to avoid or minimize disruptions to environmental resources. The objective is to identify a preferred alternative and document it in the NEPA Document. |
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This process is used to determine the significance of a potential historic property. FHWA applies National Register of Historic Places criteria to decide if a property is historic. |
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Required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, an EIS is the highest level environmental document that provides "full and fair discussion of significant environmental impacts. It informs decision-makers and the public of the reasonable alternatives which would avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the human environment." PennDOT developed a 10-Step Transportation Project Development Process to be used as a guide in the development of EISs. |
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A group of approximately ten Federal and State agencies or commissions who review projects for their consistency and sensitivity to environmental laws and policies. Regulatory agencies are empowered to issue permits or recommend approval or denial of a permit. These agencies review PennDOT projects during monthly Agency Coordination Meetings, also known as ACM meetings (see ACM definition). |
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Final design begins after the environmental document is approved by FHWA and includes the preparation of detailed engineering plans, specifications, and estimates for approved transportation projects in addition to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and construction contract advertisement and award. |
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A minor road that runs alongside a main road (especially a major highway) giving access to houses, stores, offices and other businesses. This helps limit access points on busy roadways. |
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A building, structure, site, district or object which is significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture. |
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Soil that is saturated or flooded long enough during the growing season to develop conditions which indicate the possible presence of wetlands. |
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Positive or negative effects upon the natural or human environment resulting from transportation projects. |
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A rating system used by traffic engineers to determine a roadway’s ability to provide adequate capacity for the volume of traffic (number of vehicles) using the road. The six levels are designated "A" through "F". LOS A - Excellent traffic flow, favorable progression, most vehicles do not stop at all. LOS B - Very good traffic flow, short delays, more vehicles stop than under LOS A causing higher levels of delay. LOS C - Traffic flow is still good, but the number of vehicles stopping is significant. Many vehicles still proceed without stopping. LOS D - The influence of congestion becomes noticeable. Few vehicles advance through the intersection without stopping. LOS E - The limit of acceptable delay for many agencies. Virtually no vehicles proceed without stopping. LOS F - Traffic volumes exceeds available capacity. All vehicles must stop at least once, and possibly must wait through several signal cycles before proceeding. |
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The rational beginning and ending point of a transportation project that enhance good planning and serve to make the proposed improvement usable. |
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Specific commitments made during the environmental evaluation and study process that serve to moderate or lessen impacts resulting from the proposed action. These measures may include planning and development commitments, environmental measures, right-of-way improvements and agreements with resource or other agencies. |
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The federal law that requires the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for major undertakings using Federal funds. To comply with NEPA, PennDOT developed a Project Development Process to address potential environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts of a proposed highway project before decisions are reached on design. Public involvement is an integral component of this process. |
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Resources, such as wetlands, wildlife, streams, aquatic life, etc., which must be considered in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement. |
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This study identifies current and anticipated problems that must be addressed in order to provide safe, efficient transportation facilities. These problems or deficiencies constitute the need for improvements. |
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An alternative which considers improvements to the existing roadway network such as the addition of lanes and minor shifts to correct deficiencies. |
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An alternative consisting of a new highway in a new location. |
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This alternative would include only routine maintenance improvements such as resurfacing, traffic lane marking and minor lane widening to the existing highway system. The no-build alternative is always evaluated during the environmental studies for transportation projects. |
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A survey conducted of the motorists using the study area roadways to determine and document current traffic patterns. |
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Time when a highway carries its highest volume of traffic, usually the morning or evening “rush” period when commuters travel to and from work. |
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A wide range of preliminary alternatives is first developed and evaluated based on preliminary engineering and environmental studies. The objective is to reduce the number of alternatives for more detailed study in the Detailed Alternatives Analysis. |
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A formal meeting designed to provide the public with the fullest opportunity to express support of or opposition to a transportation project in an open forum at which a verbatim record (transcript) of the proceedings is kept. |
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A meeting conducted by PennDOT at which interested people have the opportunity to meet with transportation and environmental professionals to ask questions and voice their opinion about a proposed project. |
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A document prepared by the Division Office of the Federal Highway Administration that presents the basis for selecting and approving specific transportation proposal that has been evaluated through the various environmental and engineering studies of the Transportation Project Development Process. Typically, the ROD identifies the alternative selected in the Final EIS, the alternatives considered, measures to minimize harm, monitoring or enforcement programs and an itemized list of commitments and mitigation measures. |
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Land, property or interest therein acquired or devoted to transportation purposes, including construction, maintenance, operations and protection of a facility. |
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Enacted as a portion of the Federal Department of Transportation Act of 1966, Section 4(f) declares “that a special effort be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites.” The use of these sites for a transportation project will not be approved unless it is determined that there is no other prudent or feasible alternative. |
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A provision in the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Act that protects properties developed or enhanced using federal funding supplied to states or municipalities under the act. Proposed transportation projects which effect such lands require a study and an analysis of alternatives to serve as the basis for a Section 6(f) finding by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Specific state legislation for any proposed land transfer is also required in order to implement a Section 6(f) action. |
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Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires approval by the United States Army Corp of Engineers (Corps) prior to the dredging or placement of any fill materials into the waters of the United States, including wetlands. |
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The visual distance required for a driver to safely operate his/her vehicle as required by the roadway design. |
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A geographic area selected and defined at the outset of engineering or environmental evaluations, which is sufficiently adequate in size to address all pertinent project matters occurring within it. |
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Established by the MPOs, LDD’s and independent counties which consists of a prioritized list of projects or project segments to be carried out within the next three years after adoption of the TIP. |
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PennDOT’s procedures for advancing a transportation improvement project from concept to construction which are divided into ten steps, from Planning to Construction. The philosophy behind the process emphasizes the integration of engineering and environmental studies, and continuous coordination among Department offices, State and Federal resource agencies and the public. The ultimate goal is to select, design and construct the most reasonable, practical, cost-effective, technically sound, and environmentally sensitive transportation improvement option or package of improvements. |
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The official prioritized listing, as adopted by the PA Department of Transportation and the State Transportation Commission, of those transportation improvements identified for development and implementation in Pennsylvania during the upcoming 12 years. The plan, together with any additions or changes is subject to review and re-adopted biannually as an ongoing process. |
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The area drained by a river or river system enclosed by drainage divides. |
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The term wetland describes what are more commonly known as marshes, bogs, swamps, wet meadows and shallow ponds. Wetlands are an important natural resource that provides flood control, pollution control and habitat for fishes, birds and mammals as well as aquatic life. |
Abbreviations | |
ACHP | Advisory Council on Historic Preservation |
ACM | Agency Coordination Meeting |
ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 |
ADT | Average Daily Traffic |
CAA | Clean Air Act |
CAC | Community Advisory Committee |
CADD | Computer-Aided Drafting and Design |
CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
CMS | Congestion Management System |
Corps | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
CWA | Clean Water Act |
DCA | Department of Community Affairs |
District | PennDOT Engineering District 10-0 |
EIS | Environmental Impact Statement |
EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
FONSI | Finding of No Significant Impact |
LDD | Local Development District |
LOS | Level of Service |
MPO | Metropolitan Planning Organization |
NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 |
NHPA | National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 |
NHS | National Highway System |
NPS | National Park Service (US Department of Interior) |
NR | National Register (of Historic Places) |
NWI | National Wetland Inventory |
O/D | Origin and Destination Survey of Traffic Movement |
PA DCNR | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
PA DEP | Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection |
PennDOT | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
PFBC | Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission |
PGC | Pennsylvania Game Commission |
PHMC | Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |
PNDI | Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory |
ROD | Record of Decision |
ROW | Right-of-Way |
SHPO | State Historic Preservation Office |
SIP | State Implementation Plan |
SOV | Single Occupancy Vehicle |
SPC | Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission |
SR | State Route |
TAZ | Traffic Analysis Zone |
T&E | Threatened and Endangered (Species) |
TIP | Transportation Improvement Program |
TSM | Transportation Systems Management |
US EPA | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
US FWS | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration