| AADT | Annual Average Daily Traffic - The total volume of traffic on a highway segment for one-year, divided by the number of days in the year. |
| AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. |
| Access Management | The control and regulation of the spacing and design of driveways, medians, median openings, traffic signals and intersections on arterial roads to improve safe and efficient traffic flow on the road system. |
| Action Plans | Plans developed to address key challenges and set goals, objectives, and strategies for implementing regional visions. |
| ADA | American with Disabilities Act - A civil rights law passed by Congress in 1990 which makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in employment, services provided by state and local government, public and private transportation, and public accommodations and telecommunications. |
| Advance Acquisition | The acquisition of real property rights for use on a transportation corridor in advance of the fiscal year in which right of way acquisition would normally occur. This is done to take advantage of favorable prices or the availability of land and to preclude further development that would make the property more costly to the public. |
| AFC | Automated Fare Collection System |
| Alternative Fuels | Low-polluting fuels which used to propel a vehicle instead of high-sulfur diesel or gasoline. Examples include methanol, ethanol, propane or compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, low-sulfur or "clean" diesel and electricity. |
| Alternative Modes | Alternative modes of transportation are those non-highway surface modes, such as rail, transit, walking and bicycling. |
| Annual Average Daily Truck Traffic | The total volume of truck traffic on a highway segment for one-year, divided by the number of days in the year. |
| Annual Performance Report | An annual report that evaluates the operation of FDOT for the preceding fiscal year and includes a summary of the financial operations of FDOT and evaluates how well the adopted work program meets the short-term objectives contained in the Short Range Component of the Florida Transportation Plan. |
| APM | Automated People Mover System |
| Apportionment | A federal budgetary term that refers to a statutorily prescribed division or assignment of funds. It is based on prescribed formulas in the law and consists of dividing authorized obligated authority for a specific program among transit. |
| Appropriation | Federal budgetary term that permits federal agencies to incur obligations and make payments form the Treasury for specific purposes; most common means of providing budget authority. |
| APTA | American Public Transportation Association |
| APTS | Advanced Public Transportation System - Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS) technology that is designed to improve transit. |
| Arterial | Signalized streets that serve primarily through-traffic and provide access to abutting properties as a secondary function, having signal spacings of two miles or less and turning movement at intersections that usually do not exceed 20 percent of total traffic. |
| Authorization | Basic, substantive legislation which establishes or continues the legal operation of a federal program or agency, either indefinitely or for a specific periods of time, or which sanctions particular types of obligation or expenditure within a program. An authorization may set appropriation limits. See "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991." |
| Automated Guideway | Electric railway operating without vehicle operator or other crew onboard the vehicle. |
| AVLS | Automatic Vehicle Locator System |
| Bascule Bridge | A draw bridge |
| Base | The limerock, etc. used under asphalt to support the road |
| Bid Amount | The amount the contractor says he can do the work for |
| Black Base | Lesser quality asphalt used to support roadways |
| BOCC | Board of County Commissioners |
| Bottleneck | A section of a highway or rail network that experiences operational problems such as congestion. Bottlenecks may result from factors such as reduced roadway width or steep freeway grades that can slow trucks. |
| Box Beams | A type of beam used in bridge building |
| Box Culvert | A drainage structure (a mini bridge) |
| BPAC | Bicycle and Pedestrian Review Committee - Their scope is to help identify opportunities for the use of bicycling, walking and running as safe methods of transportation and recreation in Miami-Dade County. |
| BRT | Bus Rapid Transit - combines the quality of rail transit and the flexibility of buses. It can operate on exclusive transit ways HOV lanes, expressways, or ordinary streets. |
| Bus, Articulated | A bus usually 55 feet or more in length with two connected passenger compartments that blend at a connecting point when the bus hits the corner. |
| Bus, Circulator | A bus serving an area confined to a specific location, such as a downtown area or suburban neighborhood with connection to major traffic corridor. |
| Bus, Express | A bus that operates a portion of the route without stops or with a limited number of stops. |
| Bus, Feeder | A bus service that picks up and delivers passengers to a rail rapid transit station or express bus stop or terminal. |
| Bus, Low Floor | A coach whose entrance door step is no more than 12" from the ground and the top of the step and the flooring represents the one and only step of the entrance door. |
| Business Entrance Signs | Blue signs used to denote driveway entrances for businesses in construction projects |
| Busway | A corridor for the exclusive use of transit buses. Typically, these corridors may include grade-separations and signal preemptions. The Miami-Dade busway is an example. |
| Busway | Exclusive land for buses and carpools |
| CAC | Citizens Advisory Committee |
| Cantilever | A mechanism where a horizontal beam is supported by a single vertical pole |
| CCAP | Comprehensive Community Awareness Program |
| Capacity | The maximum traffic flow designation for a segment of roadway or a lane, within the control conditions for that particular segment of roadway or lane, usually expressed in persons per hour or vehicles per hour. |
| Capacity Funds | Funds allocated by FDOT for (1) highway rights of way and construction, and (2) aviation, rail, seaports and intermodal access programs after funds for operations, preservation, safety and security have been excluded. |
| Capital Expenses | The expenses related to the purchase of equipment. |
| Categorical Exclusion | A formal ruling by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation that a transportation project or group of projects do(es) not individually or cumulatively have a significant environmental effect on the natural or human environment. |
| Catenary | An overhead contact wire system which supplies power from a central power source to an electric vehicle |
| CEI | Construction Engineering Inspection - Oversight over the construction contractor |
| CFC | Customer Facility Charge |
| CIA | Community Impact Assessment - A process to evaluate the effects of a transportation action on a community and its quality of life. The main areas of emphasis for a Community Impact Assessment are social, economic, land use, aesthetic, relocation and displacement, and civil rights. |
| CIP |
Capital Improvement Program |
| CITT | Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust - A 15-member trust to oversee the surtax proceed spending to plan, construct and manage the PTP's 25-year, $17 billion transportation plan. (Miami-Dade) |
| CM | Construction Manager |
| CM (transit) | Congestion Management |
| CM @ Risk |
Construction Management at Risk |
| CMAQ | Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality - Federal funds available for transit or highway projects which contribute significantly to reducing automobile emissions |
| COFC | Container on Flatcar - Containers resting directly on railway flatcars without a truck chassis underneath. (See also Trailer on flatcar.) |
| Coffer Dams | A structure built around a pier to keep water out to allow the pier to be built |
| Commercial Motor Vehicle | Any self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the public highways in commerce to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle has a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more; or is designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, or is used to transport hazardous materials as defined by law. |
| Commercial Service Airport | An airport receiving scheduled passenger service and having 2,500 or more enplaned passengers per year. |
| Community | A physical or cultural grouping of stakeholders with common interests created by shared proximity or use. Community can be defined at various levels within a larger context (e.g., neighborhood or city or metropolitan area or region). |
| Community Livability | Encompasses those elements of home and neighborhood that contribute to welfare, health, convenience, mobility and recreation. |
| Concurrency | As used in growth management, the requirement that public facilities and services needed to support development shall be available at the same time the impacts of such development will occur. For transportation facilities and services, there are specific legal criteria that address the time requirements for providing services and facilities, jurisdiction over level of service standards for specific portions of the highway and road system, and other issues. |
| Cone of Silence | An ordinance which prohibits oral communication with government staff regarding contracts that are advertised until the governing government entity issues a written award recommendation. |
| Conformity | Under subsection 176(c) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, defined as agreement "... to an implementation plan's purpose of eliminating or reducing the severity and number of violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and achieving expeditious attainment of such standards..." ensuring that "...such activities will not cause or contribute to any new violation of any standard in any area; increase the frequency or severity of any existing violation of any standard in any area; or delay timely implementation of any standard or any required interim emission reductions or other milestone on any area." |
| Congestion | Highway congestion results when traffic demand approaches or exceeds the available capacity of the transportation facility(ies). |
| Connector | Highways, rail lines or waterways that connect hubs and corridors. |
| Constrained Connector | A connector that is not suitable for future expansion due to capacity/geometrics or facility plans. |
| Consultation | When one party confers with another identified party and, prior to taking action(s), considers that party's views. |
| Container | A large, standard sized metal box into which cargo is packed for shipment. Containers are designed to be moved with common handling equipment, functioning as the transfer unit between modes rather than the cargo itself. |
| Containerized Cargo | Cargo that is transported in containers that can be transferred easily from one transportation mode to another. |
| Contract Days | The number of days the contractor has been given to complete the work |
| Contraflow Lane | Reserved lane for buses on which the direction of bus traffic is opposite to the flow of traffic on the other lanes. |
| Controlled Access Facility | A roadway where the spacing and design of driveways, medians, median openings, traffic signals and intersections are strictly regulated by consideration of such factors as traffic volume, number of lanes and adjacent land use. |
| Cooperation | When parties involved work together to achieve a common goal or objective. |
| Coordination | The comparison of 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. |
| Corridors | Highways, rail lines, waterways and other exclusive-use facilities that connect major origin/destination markets within Florida or between Florida and other states/nations. Also see Transportation Corridor. |
| Cost-Feasible Plan | A phased plan of transportation improvements that is based on (and constrained by) estimates of future revenues. |
| Cross Streets | Streets that intersect with major highways |
| CSBE | Community Small Business Enterprise |
| CSER | Contamination Screening Evaluation Report |
| CSRP | Conceptual Stage Relocation Plan |
| CTAC | Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee - CTAC evaluates the recommendation generated during the development of the MPO's Transportation Plan, and serves as a forum to raise issues pertinent to the process. |
| CUTR | Center for Urban Transportation Research |
| DBE | Disadvantaged Business Enterprise - Business owned and operated by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Includes African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Pacific Americans or Asian Indian Americans. |
| DCA | Department of Community Affairs - The Florida Department of Community Affairs assists communities in meeting the challenges of growth, reducing the effect of disasters and investing in community revitalization. |
| Deadhead | The movement of a transit vehicle without passengers aboard; often to and from a garage or to and from one route to another. |
| Decks | The riding surface of a bridge or roadway |
| Deepwater Seaport | A seaport defined in Chapters 311 and 403 of the Florida Statutes. Florida's 14 deepwater seaports handle most of the marine cargo passing into and out of the state. |
| DEIS | Draft Environmental Impact Statement |
| Demand Management | A set of strategies that promote increased efficiency of the transportation system by influencing individual travel behavior. |
| Demand Responsive | Non-fixed-route service utilizing vans or buses with passengers boarding and alighting at pre-arranged times at any location within the system's service area. |
| DEP | Department of Environmental Protection - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection protects, conserves and manages Florida's natural resources and enforces the state's environmental laws. |
| Department | See Florida Department of Transportation. |
| DERM | Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management |
| Destination | The point in a trip where travel ends. |
| Discretionary | A term used to indicate that the Florida Department of Transportation has some legal discretion on how and where funds can be expended. |
| DOR | Designer of Record - The designer, a registered professional engineer who signed the plans from which the project is constructed |
| DOT | Department of Transportation - The Florida Department of Transportation is responsible for providing a safe transportation system that ensures the mobility of people and goods, enhances economic prosperity and preserves the quality of our environment and communities. |
| DRI | Development of Regional Impact |
| EA | Environmental Assessment - A document that must be submitted for approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation for transportation projects in which the significance of the environmental impact is not clearly established. An EA is required for all projects for which a Categorical Exclusion or Environmental Impact Statement is not applicable. |
| Economic Competitiveness | A state or region's ability to compete in global markets, as evidenced in the attraction of new businesses and the expansion of existing businesses. |
| Economic Connectivity | Service to key origin-destination markets and population centers. |
| Economic Diversification | The development and growth of new industries that are not a large part of a state's or region's existing industries. |
| Economic Regions | A region of Florida that reflects the scale at which Florida's economy functions, reflecting factors such as population density, land use patterns, commuting patterns, the location of clusters of interrelated industries, supply chains and distribution networks, and the location of economic assets such as universities, research facilities and corporate headquarters. These regions typically are larger than existing county or metropolitan planning area boundaries and compass multiple jurisdictions. One set of definitions frequently used for economic regions are the eight strategic planning areas defined by Enterprise Florida in Florida's Strategic Plan for Economic Development. |
| Economically Distressed Areas | An area of the state characterized by factors such as low per capita income, low per capita taxable values, high unemployment, high underemployment, low weekly earned wages compared to the state average, low housing values compared to the state average, high percentages of the population receiving public assistance, high poverty levels compared to the state average, and a lack of year-round stable employment opportunities. |
| Ecosystem Management | An integrated, flexible approach to management of Florida's biological and physical environments conducted through the use of tools such as planning, land acquisition, environmental education and pollution prevention. This management approach is designed to maintain, protect and improve the state's natural, managed and human communities. |
| EIS | Environmental Impact Statement - A document that must be submitted for approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation for transportation projects that significantly affect the human environment as defined by CEQ (Council on Environmental Quality) regulations. The type of actions which would normally require an EIS are: a new controlled access freeway; a highway project of four or more lanes on new location; new construction or extension or fixed rail transit facilities; and new construction or extension of a separate roadway for buses or high-occupancy vehicles not located within an existing highway facility. |
| Emerging SIS | Facilities and services of statewide or interregional significance that meet lower levels of people and goods movement than Strategic Intermodal System facilities. |
| Empowerment Zones | Urban areas designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designed to stimulate the creation of new jobs, particularly for the disadvantaged and long-term unemployed, and to promote revitalization of economically depressed areas. |
| End Bents | The support structure at the outer edges of bridge substructure that holds the piers in place for weight bearing |
| Enplanements | Passenger boardings at airports. |
| Enterprise Community | Areas designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (urban areas) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (rural areas) designed to promote financial assistance for essential public facilities, economic development through funding, technical assistance for agricultural programming and technical assistance for community development initiatives. |
| Enterprise Zones | Areas designated by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development of the Executive Office of the Governor, located in areas of the state where high poverty rates and little economic growth persist. Enterprise Zones may be in rural or urban areas of Florida, and businesses locating within an Enterprise Zone qualify for sales and corporate tax credits. Enterprise Zones may also include brownfield sites offering additional financial incentives for businesses. Through the provision of key incentives, enterprise zones are designed to encourage private sector investment, business expansion and employment. |
| Environmental Justice | Requirement that transit agencies identify and address the effects of all programs, policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations to avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on these populations. This is according to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. |
| Environmental Stewardship | A philosophical concept of government, the public, resource users and businesses all taking responsibility and working together to care for natural resources. |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| ETDM | Efficient Transportation Decision Making - A FDOT initiative to improve and streamline the environmental review and permitting process by involving resource protection agencies and concerned communities from the first step of planning. Agency interaction continues throughout the life of the project, leading to better quality decisions and an improved linkage of transportation decisions with social, land use and ecosystem preservation decisions. |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration |
| Fare Box Recovery Ratio | Measure of the proportion of operating expenses covered by passenger fares; found by dividing fare box revenue by total operating expenses for each mode and/or system wide |
| Fast-Growing Economic Region | A Florida county that ranks among the top 25 percent statewide in terms of population growth rate over the next 20 years, according to the annual forecast prepared by the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, or for employment growth rate over the next 20 years, according to Woods & Poole Economics. |
| Fatality Rate | The number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. |
| FDOT | The Florida Department of Transportation |
| FDCA | Florida Department of Community Affairs |
| Federal-Aid Highway(s) | Those highways eligible for assistance under Title 23 of the United States Code, which does not include those functionally classified as local or rural minor collectors. |
| FEIS | Final Environmental Impact Statement |
| FHSRA | Florida High Speed Rail Authority |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration - Agency through which most state and US highways are funded |
| FIHS | Florida Intrastate Highway System - A system of existing and future limited-access and controlled-access facilities that have the capacity to provide high-speed and high-volume traffic movements in an efficient and safe manner. |
| Fixed Guideway | A form of transit consisting of vehicles that can operate only on a guideway constructed for a specific purpose (e.g., rapid rail, light rail). Federal usage in funding legislation also includes exclusive right-of-way bus operations, trolley coaches and ferryboats as "fixed guideway transit." |
| Fixed Guideway System | A system of vehicles that can operate only on its own guideway constructed for that purpose. |
| Fleet Expansion | The acquisition of rolling stock for expansion of transit service. |
| Flexible Funds | Those federal funds that can be used for highway, transit or other transportation projects, as decided by regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and state governments. |
| Formula Funds | Funds distributed or apportioned to qualifying recipients on the basis of formulas described in law |
| FPTA | Florida Public Transportation Association |
| FRA | Federal Railroad Administration |
| Friction Course | Top layer of asphalt in roads |
| FS |
Florida Statute |
| FTA Capital Program | Financial assistance from Section 5309 of the Federal Transit Act. This program provides capital assistance for 3 primary activities: new and replacement buses and facilities; modernization of existing fixed gateway systems; and new fixed guideway systems. |
| FTA Clean Fuels Formula | This program promotes the use of clean fuel vehicles. |
| FTA Elderly and Persons With Disabilities Formula Program | This program assists state and local governments and private non-profit groups in meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities. |
| FTA Metropolitan Planning Funds | This program supports the cooperative, continuous and comprehensive planning program for making transportation investment decisions in metropolitan areas. |
| FTA Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program Funds | This program provides funds to states to support public transportation in areas of less than 50,000 population. |
| FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program Funds | This program makes federal resources available for capital projects and to finance the planning and improvement costs of equipment, facilities and associated capital maintenance item for use in mass transportation. |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| FTC | Florida Transportation Commission - The Florida Transportation Commission was created by the 1987 Legislature to serve as a citizen's oversight board for the Florida Department of Transportation. The Commission is independent of the Department. |
| FTP | Florida Transportation Plan - A statewide plan that defines Florida's long range transportation goals and objectives for at least the next 20 years. |
| Gas Tax Revenues | State, federal and local gasoline taxes used to fund highway and transportation projects |
| Gateway | A major airport, seaport or other terminal for passengers or freight, where custom clearance may or may not take place. |
| General Aviation Airport | An airport that serves corporate aviation, flight schools, air charter operations, light cargo or private pilots flying for business or recreation. |
| GIS | Geographic Information System - A computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating and displaying geographically referenced information, i.e., data identified according to their locations. |
| Glide Slope | Provides vertical guidance for aircraft during approach and landing based on Electronic components emitting signals that provide vertical guidance and by visual ground aids. |
| GMP |
Guaranteed Maximum Price |
| Golden Passport | Fare card which allows senior citizens 65 yrs. and older o a social security beneficiary who are permanent Miami-Dade residents to ride transit free. (Miami-Dade) |
| Grade Separation | The raising or lowering of a road or highway grade to bridge over/under another road or highway to eliminate traffic movement conflicts. |
| Greenway | A corridor of protected open space that is managed for conservation or recreation purposes. Greenways follow natural land or water features such as ridges or rivers, or human landscape features such as abandoned railroad corridors or canals. They link natural reserves, parks, and cultural and historic sites with one another and, in some cases, with populated areas. |
| Headway | Time interval between vehicles moving in the same direction on a particular route. |
| Highway Fatalities | All deaths in which a motor vehicle was the cause of the fatality. This includes pedestrians and bicyclists killed by motor vehicles as well as vehicle occupants. |
| HOV | High-Occupancy Vehicle - Any vehicle carrying two or more passengers. The term usually refers to private vehicles. |
| Hub | A transfer point where people and goods move between transportation modes or between carriers on a single mode; often used to reduce costs. |
| Human Environment | The surroundings in which people conduct their lives, including built and natural environments, as well as cultural resources. |
| Human Scale | Characteristics of the built environment that conform to the physical dimension of people such that they foster an appropriate sense of comfort and safety. |
| ICS | Intelligent Corridor Systems |
| I-beams | A type of beam used in bridge building |
| Impacts | The effects of a transportation project, including (a) direct (primary) effects; (b) indirect (secondary) effects; and (c) cumulative effects. |
| Incentive/Disincentive | Bonus or penalty for work performed within certain time limits |
| Incident | An event that causes a temporary, significant disruption in transportation services. |
| Inspectors | The people who see the contractor performs the work as the contract indicates and according to FDOT and AASHTO specifications |
| Intercity | Relating to the connection between any two or more cities. Such connections may be within a region (see Intraregional) or between two regions if the cities are different regions (see Interregional). |
| Intermodal | Relating to the connection between any two or more modes of transportation. |
| Intermodal Access Program | This Florida Department of Transportation Program includes improvement of access to intermodal facilities, airports and seaports, and the acquisition of right-of-way. |
| Intermodal Center | An existing or planned transportation facility providing an interface between more than one mode of transportation [at least one of which must provide interstate or interregional service to be designated as Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) or Emerging SIS]. An example of an intermodal center is the planned Miami Intermodal Center (MIC), which, once completed, will provide connections between Amtrak, Tri-Rail and the local transit system. |
| Intermodal Connector | See Connector. |
| Interregional | Relating to the connection between any two or more regions. |
| Intracoastal Waterway | A waterway approximately 3,000 miles (4,827 kilometers) long, partly natural, partly man-made, providing sheltered passage for commercial and leisure boats along the U.S. Atlantic coast from Boston, Massachusetts to Key West, Florida; and along the Gulf of Mexico coast from Apalachee Bay, Florida to Brownsville, Texas. |
| Intraregional | Relating to the connections that have both ends within a single region. |
| ITE | Institute of Transportation Engineers |
| ITS | Intelligent Transportation System - An integrated application of a wide range of advanced technologies and ideas, which, in combination, can improve mobility and transportation productivity, enhance safety, maximize the use of existing transportation facilities, conserve energy resources and reduce adverse environmental effects and transportation problems. |
| IVHS | Intelligent Vehicle Highway System |
| ISTEA | Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act - Signed into law in 1991, it made broad changes in the way transportation decisions are made by emphasizing diversity and balance of modes as well as the preservation of existing systems and construction of new facilities. The law expired in 1997, and is superceded by TEA-21 |
| Joint Development | Ventures undertaken by the public and private sectors for development of land around transit stations or stops. |
| JPA | Joint Partnership Agreement |
| Key Industry | Also known as a "target industry"; an existing or emerging industry that is of strategic importance to the state of Florida. Examples include the high-tech industry, the agriculture industry, the mining industry, and the tourism industry. |
| LA R/W | Limited Access Highway Right of Way - Interstate and expressway highways with restricted access |
| Land Use | Provides general description of major usages in the project area. |
| Lane Miles | The product of centerline miles and number of lanes. A four-lane road, 2 miles long, has eight lane miles. |
| Large Hub Airport | A term used by the Federal Aviation Administration to identify commercial service airports that account for at least one percent of the U.S. passenger enplanements in the United States. |
| Layover Time | Time built into a schedule between arrival at the end of a route and the departure for the return trip, used for the recovery of delays and preparation for the return trip. |
| LCTR | Lehman Center for Transportation Research |
| Lead Programs | Department programs primarily responsible for the short range objectives and strategies identified in a Short Range Component of the Florida Transportation Plan. |
| Legislative Budget Request | A request to the legislature filed pursuant to S. 216.023, Florida Statutes, or supplemental detailed requests filed with the Legislature, for the amounts of money an agency or branch of government believes will be needed to perform the functions that it is authorized, or which it is requesting authorization by law, to perform. A Legislative Budget Request is filed each year. |
| Limerock | Used primarily as base in flexible pavement (asphalt) highways |
| Livable Community | A neighborhood, community or region with compact, multidimensional land use patterns that ensure a mix of uses, minimize the impact of cars, and promote walking, bicycling and transit access to employment, education, recreation, entertainment, shopping and services. |
| Local Comprehensive Plan | Florida's Growth Management Act requires all of Florida's 67 counties and 476 municipalities to adopt Local Comprehensive Plans that guide future growth and development. Comprehensive plans contain chapters or "elements" that address future land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, coastal management, conservation, recreation and open space, intergovernmental coordination and capital improvements. |
| LOI | Letter of Interest |
| Long Distance Trips | Trips of 100 miles or more. |
| Long Range Component | The long range part of the Florida Transportation Plan, updated at least every five years, or more often as needed, to reflect changes in issues and Florida's long range transportation goals and objectives for the ensuing 20 years. |
| Long Range Goal | A long-term (20-25 years) end toward which programs and activities are ultimately directed. |
| Long Range Objective | A long-term (20-25 years) general end that is achievable and marks progress toward a goal. |
| LOS | Level of Service - A qualitative assessment of a road's operating conditions. For local government comprehensive planning purposes, level of service means an indicator of the extent or degree of service provided by, or proposed to be provided by, a facility based on and related to the operational characteristics of the facility. Level of Service indicates the capacity per unit of demand for each public facility. |
| LPA | Locally Preferred Alternative |
| LRPP | Long Range Program Plan - A 5-year plan, updated annually, developed by each state agency to achieve state goals, agency program objectives and the service outcomes from those programs. It provides the framework for developing agency budget requests and related performance measures. |
| LRT | Light Rail Transit |
| LRTP | Long Range Transportation Plan - A long range (20-year) strategy and capital improvement program developed to guide the effective investment of public funds in transportation facilities. The plan is updated every three years and may be amended as a result of changes in projected federal, state and local funding, major improvement studies, congestion management system plans, interstate interchange justification studies and environmental impact studies. |
| MAGLEV | Magnetic Levitation Support Technology - that keeps a vehicle vertically separated from its track or riding surface by a magnetic force. |
| Maintenance | Actions taken to preserve Florida's transportation infrastructure investment (e.g., resurfacing pavements of roadways and airport runways, repairing and replacing bridges, continuing existing transit routes and frequency) to eliminate deficiencies and to extend/achieve the expected life of facilities before, for example, reconstruction is needed. |
| MARAD | Maritime Administration |
| Market Choices | Choices, typically associated with higher out-of-pocket costs, provided to potential customers who can select the service or product that meets their needs at a price they are willing to pay. |
| Married Pair | Two semi-permanent coupled rail cars that share some mechanical and electrical equipment and must be operated together as a unit. |
| Master Plan | A comprehensive plan to guide the long-term physical development of a particular transportation facility. |
| MAX | Metro Area Express - Limited stop routes which make only specific stops along the alignment instead of all stops to reduce passenger travel time. |
| MCS | Miami Central Station - Built by FDOT as part of the Miami Intermodal Center Program, it will become Miami-Dade County's first transportation hub for ground transportation. |
| MDAD | Miami-Dade Aviation Department |
| MDT | Miami-Dade Transit |
| MDX | Miami-Dade Expressway Authority |
| Medium Hub Airport | A term used by the Federal Aviation Administration to identify commercial service airports that account for between 0.25 percent and 1.0 percent of the U.S. passenger enplanements in the United States. |
| MGTM/M | Million Gross Ton-Miles/Mile - Measurement of freight density on a rail line. |
| MIA | Miami International Airport |
| MIC | Miami Intermodal Center |
| Military Base | For the purpose of the Strategic Intermodal System designation process, military bases refer to U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps installations to which active duty soldiers, sailors or aviators are assigned. |
| MIS | Major Investment Study |
| Mobility | The degree to which the demand for the movement of people and goods can be satisfied. Mobility is measured in Florida by the quantity, quality, accessibility and utilization of transportation facilities and services. |
| Mode | Any one of the following means of moving people or goods: aviation, bicycle, highway, paratransit, pedestrian, pipeline, rail (commuter, intercity passenger and freight), transit, space and water. |
| MOS | Minimum Operable Segment |
| MOT | Maintenance of Traffic - A way to keep traffic moving through the construction safely; plans including barricade and barrier wall placement; detour routes |
| Mother Boards | Interstate signs with multiple business logos at interchanges |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MOVE | Modal Opportunities for Viable Enterprise |
| MPO | Metropolitan Planning Organization - An organization made up of local elected and appointed officials responsible for the development and coordination of transportation plans and programs, in cooperation with the state, for metropolitan areas containing 50,000 or more residents. |
| MPOAC | Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council - A statewide organization created by the Florida Legislature to augment the role of the individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations in the cooperative transportation planning process. The MPOAC assists the MPOs in carrying out the urbanized area transportation planning process by serving as the principal forum for collective policy decisions. |
| MRE | A type of retaining wall |
| MTAR |
MIC Terminal Access Roadways |
| MSE | A type or retaining wall |
| Multimodal Corridor Plan | A plan that identifies interregional transportation needs involving Strategic Intermodal System (SIS), Emerging SIS, regionally significant and local facilities in a corridor. |
| Multimodal Transportation | Denotes the use of more than one mode to serve transportation needs in a given area. |
| MUTCD | Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices - Standard reference published the USDOT guiding the usage of traffic control devices. |
| National Ambient Air Quality Standards | Federal air quality standards established pursuant to Section 109 of the Clean Air Act that apply to ambient air quality designed to protect public health. Included are standards for carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM-10), and sulphur dioxide (SO2). |
| National Transit Database | The system through which the Federal Transit Administration collects uniform data needed by Secretary of Transportation to administer Department programs. |
| Natural Environment | The surroundings not made by humans within which the transportation system operates. This includes both physical and ecological aspects, including traditional cultural resources. |
| Need | A demand for a mobility improvement that has been identified on the basis of accepted and adopted standards and other assumptions (e.g., land use) and documented in a formal long range or master plan. |
| NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act - The 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. |
| New Start | Federal funding granted under Section 3(i) of the Federal Transit Act for construction of a new fixed guideway system or extension of any existing fixed guideway system. |
| NHS | National Highway System - Approximately 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility. The NHS includes Interstate highways and other major roadways, the Department of Defense's Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) and major connectors to military installations and intermodal facilities. |
| NOI | Notice of Intent |
| Noise walls | Walls along the roadway to muffle sound to nearby homes, businesses |
| Non-attainment | Relating to not meeting federal air quality standards. |
| Non-highway modes | Modes of transportation that do not utilize highway right-of-way. Examples include fixed guideway transit, rail and water modes. |
| NTD | National Transit Database |
| NTP | Notice to Proceed |
| NTS | National Transportation System - Intermodal system consisting of all forms of transportation in a unified, interconnected manner. |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| O&M | Operating and Maintenance |
| Off-Peak Period | Non-rush periods of the day when travel activity is generally lower and less transit service is scheduled. |
| Origin | The point in a trip where travel begins. |
| OSS |
One Stop Shop |
| P&RP | Program and Resource Plan - A 10-year plan that establishes financial and production targets for the Florida Department of Transportation programs, thereby guiding program funding decisions to carry out the goals and objectives of the Florida Transportation Plan (FTP). |
| PAP | Public Affairs Program |
| Paratransit | Forms of transportation service that are more flexible and personalized than conventional fixed route, fixed schedule service; often utilized to accommodate the elderly and disabled passengers unable to use the fixed route service. |
| Partners, Transportation | Those parties with interests in transportation facilities and services including the public, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, public and private sector users and providers, Native American Nations, the Florida Department of Transportation, and other federal and state agencies. |
| Pass Through Funds | Capital operating financial assistance passed through to other transit agencies that have no relationship to the directly operated and/or purchased transportation services provided by the designated recipient. |
| PAT | Public Affairs Team |
| PD&E | Project Development and Environmental - Florida Department of Transportation process for design and environmental assessment of transportation projects. |
| PE | Preliminary Engineering |
| Peak Period | Morning and afternoon time periods when transit riding is heaviest. |
| Percent of Standard | When used in reference to the Maintenance Program, this refers to the percentage of the acceptable Department standard achieved. For the Maintenance Program, the "maintenance rating" goal is 80, and is based on the Department's evaluation of its performance using the Maintenance Rating Program. If the Department achieves a rating of 80, this is reported as achieving 100% of the standard. |
| Performance Measures | A quantitative or qualitative indicator used to assess state agency performance. Input means the quantities of resources used to produce goods or services and the demand for those goods and services. Outcome means an indicator of the actual impact or public benefit of a service. Output means the actual service or product delivered by a state agency. |
| Piers | Vertical support structures |
| Pilings | Vertical supports for bridges |
| PIO |
Public Information Office |
| PIP | Public Involvement Plan |
| PISA | Public Involvement Study Administration |
| Planned Facility | A planned facility that is designated as part of the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) or Emerging SIS before it is operational. Planned facilities must be projected to meet all applicable criteria and thresholds, be agreed to by partners and be financially feasible. |
| Preservation | Action taken to protect existing natural and human environments, investments and mobility options. |
| Prime | The contractor or consultant in the lead role in the contract |
| Project | A specific proposed transportation facility or service that is listed in an adopted Work Program or Cost-Feasible Plan. |
| Project Administrator | The engineer who oversees the construction project who is not a licensed professional engineer |
| Project Engineer | The engineer who oversees the construction project; i.e., a licensed professional engineer |
| QC/QA | Quality Control and Quality Assurance |
| QTA | Quick Turnaround Area |
| Quality of Life | All of the characteristics of an area's living conditions, including such things as housing, education, transportation infrastructure, leisure time offerings, climate, employment opportunities, medical and health care infrastructure and environmental resources. |
| Queue Jumper | A short section of exclusive or preferential lane that enables specified vehicles to bypass an automobile queue or a congested section of traffic. |
| Rail Modernization | Discretionary formula Federal funding granted under Section 3(h) of the Federal Transit Act for improvements on fixed guideway systems that have been in service for at least seven years. |
| Rail, Commuter | Local and regional passenger train service operating between a central city, its suburbs and/or another central city. |
| Rail, Heavy | An electric railway with the capacity for a heavy volume of traffic and characterized by exclusive rights-of-way, multi-car trains, high speed and rapid acceleration, sophisticated signaling and high platform loading |
| Rail, Light | An electric railway with a light volume traffic capacity compared to heavy rail. Light rail may use shared or exclusive rights-of-way, high or low platform loading and multi-car trains or single cars. |
| Rapid Transit | Rail or motorbus transit service operating completely separate from all modes of transportation on an exclusive right-of-way. |
| RCC | Rental Car Center - Built by FDOT as part of the Miami Intermodal Center Program, it will consolidate rental car company operations and customer service. |
| Rebar | Steel reinforcement in concrete pavement |
| REDI | Rural Economic Development Initiative - The Rural Economic Development Initiative was established by Florida law in 1999 within the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. It is a proactive, multi-agency effort that assists rural communities in solving problems that affect their fiscal economic or community viability. Among REDI's statutory responsibilities is recommendation to the Governor of up to three rural areas of critical economic concern. |
| Region | An area of distinctive communities, cities, and counties where residents share a geographic identity and are socially, economically, and culturally interdependent; a capacity for planning and function; and a capacity to create competitive advantage. |
| Regional Activity Center | A major facility or area at which an interregional, interstate or international trip begins or ends. Examples of regional activity centers include central business districts, theme parks or freight distribution centers. Regional activity centers should be connected to the Strategic Intermodal System via regional and local strategic linkages. |
| Regionally Significant Facility | A facility that connects urban, urbanizing or rural areas within multi-county regions, provides connections from regional activity centers to the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS)/Emerging SIS, or otherwise serves important regional travel. Examples of regionally significant facilities could include highway, waterway, rail and transit corridors serving major regional commercial, industrial or medical facilities; and regional transportation hubs such as passenger terminals (e.g., commuter rail, light rail, intercity transit, intermodal transfer centers, etc.), commercial service and major general aviation airports, deepwater and special generator seaports, and major regional freight terminals and distribution centers. |
| Reliever Hub | Port or terminal that functions as an alternative for a heavily used hub for the movement of goods or people. |
| Resident engineer | The person in charge of a number of projects in a given location |
| Resurfacing Program | Provides for pavement resurfacing, rehabilitation, minor reconstruction, and pavement milling and recycling. Such projects are intended to preserve the structural integrity of highway pavements. |
| Revenue Service (Miles, Hours, and Trips) | The time when a vehicle is available to the general public and there is an expectation of carrying passengers. |
| RFI | Request for information |
| RFP | Request for proposal |
| ROD | Record of Decision - A record of agreement that a proposed project meets all applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as issued by the designated lead agency. |
| Routine Maintenance | Actions (e.g., pothole repair, litter removal, vegetation control) taken to ensure that transportation facilities that have been constructed or improved are maintained in its original condition. |
| ROW |
Right of Way - Land property or interest therein, acquired for or devoted to transportation purposes. |
| RPC | Regional Planning Council - An organization that promotes communication, coordination and collaboration among local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and other local regional authorities on a broad range of regional issues, including transportation and land use planning. The State of Florida is comprised of 11 RPCs. |
| RTA | Regional Transportation Authority |
| Rural Areas of Critical Economic Concern | Designated by the Governor, these areas must be a rural community or region that has been adversely affected by an extraordinary economic event or a natural disaster, or that presents a unique economic development opportunity of regional impact that will create more than 1,000 jobs over a five-year period. Such areas are to be priority assignments of the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI). |
| SA | Supplemental Agreement - An agreed-upon cost for work or expenses not provided in the original contract |
| SAFETEA-LU | Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users - The federal surface transportation legislation (Public Law 109-59) that authorizes programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005-2009. |
| Safety Management System | A systematic process that has the goal of reducing the number and severity of traffic crashes by ensuring that all opportunities to improve highway safety are identified, considered, implemented as appropriate and evaluated in all phases of highway planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation; and by providing information for selecting and implementing effective highway safety strategies and projects. |
| Safety Program | Includes projects designed to improve vehicle and pedestrian safety on the city, county and state highway systems. The safety program is divided into three subprograms - rail/highway crossings, highway safety and traffic safety grants. |
| Scope | The range and type of work required |
| Section 13(c) | The section of the Federal Transit Act related to labor protection that is designed to protect transit employees against a worsening of their position with respect to their employment because of grant assistance under the Act. |
| Section 15 | The section of the Federal Transit Act that authorizes the U.S. Department of Transportation to gather statistical information about the financing and operations of public transportation systems, based upon a uniform system of accounts and records. |
| Section 3 - | The section of the Federal Transit Act that authorizes discretionary funds for capital public transportation projects. |
| Section 9 - | The section of the Federal Transit Act that authorizes grants to public transportation systems in urbanized areas for both capital and operating programs based on formulas set out in statute. |
| SFRC | South Florida Rail Corridor |
| SFRTA | South Florida Regional Transportation Authority |
| Sheet Piling | Sheets of metal driven into the ground to support earth on bridge approaches or bridges themselves |
| SIB Loan |
State Infrastru |
| Short Range Objective | One or more statements of the specific, measurable, intermediate end that is achievable and marks progress toward a goal and long range objective. Specific objectives may be associated with more than one goal or long range objective. As used in the Short Range Component, these are short range (5 to 10 years) objectives for the Florida Department of Transportation to assist its' partners in carrying out Florida's long range goals and objectives identified in the Florida Transportation Plan Long Range Component. |
| SHS | State Highway System - A network of approximately 12,000 miles of roads owned and maintained by the State of Florida or state-created authorities. Major elements include roads signed as Interstate highways, U.S. routes, State roads, Florida's Turnpike and other toll facilities operated by transportation authorities and arterial highways. |
| Shuttle | A public or private vehicle that travels back and forth over a particular route, especially a short route or one that provides connections between transportation systems, employment centers, etc. |
| Signal Phasing | The timing of signals, i.e., the amount of time a signal stays red, yellow or green; the time allotted by signals for left turn movements |
| Signing and Marking | The signs on highways giving motorists directions and the markings on pavement to guide traffic |
| SIP | State Implementation Plan |
| SIS | Strategic Intermodal System - A transportation system comprised of facilities and services of statewide and interregional significance, including appropriate components of all modes. |
| SITAC | Statewide Intermodal Transportation Advisory Council - Advisory group created by the 2003 Florida Legislature to advise and make recommendations to the Legislature and the Florida Department of Transportation on policies, planning and funding of intermodal transportation projects. |
| Skip Lines | Broken painted lines on pavement to guide traffic |
| Small Hub Airport | A term used by the Federal Aviation Administration to identify commercial service airports that account for 0.05 percent to 0.25 percent of the U.S. passenger enplanements in the United States. |
| South Florida Commuter Services | South Florida Commuter founded in 1988 dedicated to improving South Florida's traffic conditions by promoting alternatives to drive-alone commuting.www.sflcs.org |
| Southeast Florida Rail Corridor | An operating rail corridor owned by the Department. It extends from north of West Palm Beach to Miami. Maintenance and corridor operations are performed by CSX under contract to the Department. Tri-Rail, Amtrak and CSX freight all operate on this Corridor. |
| Special Generator Seaport | Those seaports in Florida that are not designated as one of the 14 deepwater seaports. Special generator seaports typically handle one or two specific commodities or serve a specific industry. |
| Specs | Specifications for the work to be done |
| S.R. |
State Road |
| SRC | Short Range Component - An annual report that documents the strategic goals, short range objectives and strategies necessary for the Department to work with partners to implement the long range goals and objectives in the Florida Transportation Plan. It addresses periods of up to 10 years. It also serves as the Department's annual performance report that evaluates how well the Department meets the short range objectives. |
| SRPP | Strategic Regional Policy Plan - A plan, required by Section 186,507 of Florida Statutes, developed by each of Florida's 11 Regional Planning Councils. A SRPP serves as the regional long range guide for the physical, economic and social development of the comprehensive planning district, and identifies regional goals and policies. SRPP subject areas include affordable housing, economic development, emergency preparedness, natural resources of regional significance and regional transportation. The statutory requirement is implemented by Rule Chapter 27E-5 of the Florida Administrative Code. |
| Stakeholders | Individuals and groups with an interest in the outcomes of policy decisions and actions. |
| State Environmental Impact Report | Process used for environmental review of qualifying non-federal major transportation projects, as defined by FDOT's Project Development and Environmental manual. |
| State Implementation Plan | The plan developed by the state and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that contains the strategies and mechanisms, enforceable under state law, necessary to meet the national ambient air quality standards and comply with federal and state air quality laws and regulations. |
| Statewide Transportation Corridor | Currently, one of eight corridors identified by the Florida Legislature to provide for the efficient movement of significant volumes of intrastate, interstate, and international commerce by seamlessly linking multiple modes of transport. |
| STP | Surface Transportation Program |
| STRAHNET | Strategic Highway Network - A network of highways which are important to U.S. strategic defense policy and which provide defense access, continuity and emergency capabilities for defense purposes. |
| Strategic | Important or essential to Florida's statewide economic competitiveness. |
| Strategic Rail Corridor Network | An interconnected and continuous rail line network consisting of over 38,000 miles of track serving over 170 defense installations in the United States. |
| Strategy | A specific activity that is designed to help achieve an objective. |
| STTF | State Transportation Trust Fund - A trust fund used to fund Florida's transportation needs. Revenues from highway fuel taxes, motor vehicle fees (e.g., title and registration fees) and aviation fuel taxes are deposited into the STTF to fund transportation improvements statewide. |
| Subs | Subcontractors or subconsultants working under the prime contractor or consultant providing expertise and/or manpower the prime doesn't have |
| Superpave | An asphalt mixture designed to resist the rutting and fatigue cracking caused by heavy loads and extreme temperatures, as experienced with the previous standard (known as the Marshall mix). |
| Supplemental Appropriation | An act appropriating funds in addition to those in an annual appropriation act because the need for funds is too urgent to be postponed until enactment of the next regular appropriation act. |
| Surface Transportation Program Funds | FHWA funds transferred to FTA for transit projects |
| Sustainability | Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future. |
| System | Individual facilities, services, forms of transportation (modes) and connectors combined into a single, integrated transportation network. |
| System Maintenance | Actions taken to preserve the state's transportation infrastructure investment (e.g., resurfacing pavements of roadways and airport runways, repairing and replacing bridges, maintaining existing transit routes and frequencies) to eliminate deficiencies and to extend/achieve the expected life of facilities before, for example, reconstruction is needed. |
| TAC | Technical Advisory Committee |
| TARC | Transportation Aesthetic Review Committee - Reviews bridge and other high-visibility transportation projects to assure that aesthetic considerations are incorporated, so that the projects become an asset to the community. |
| TCRA | Tri-County Rail Authority, now know as South Florida Regional Transportation Authority |
| TCRP | Transportation Cooperative Research Program |
| TDLC | Transportation Design for Livable Communities - The means by which the Florida Department of Transportation responds to and implements the solutions that have been arrived at during community impact assessment. Considerations include the safety of transportation system users, efficient use of energy, protection of the natural and manmade environment, relationships between land use and transportation planning, and local and state economic development goals. See also Community Impact Assessment. |
| TDM | Transportation Demand Management |
| TDP | Transportation Development Program - The agreed upon five-year recommended transit service improvements and financial plan. It is updated every year, and serves to comply with local and state statutory requirements to remain eligible for state block grants". |
| TEA-21 | Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century - An Act of the U.S. Congress authorizing federal highway and transit programs for the fiscal years 1998 through 2003. The core federal programs established in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) are continued in TEA-21. |
| TIFIA | Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act - Passed in 1998, TIFIA established a Federal credit program for eligible transportation projects of national or regional significance under which the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) may provide three forms of credit assistance - secured (direct) loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit. |
| TIP | Transportation Improvement Plan - Short-term (three to five years) plan of approved policies developed by an MPO for a jurisdiction that is fiscally constrained. |
| TMA | Transportation Management Association |
| TMO | Transportation Management Organization |
| TOFC | Trailer on Flatcar - Transporting entire truck trailers, including container and chassis, on a railway flatcar. Also known as "piggyback." |
| TPC | Transportation Planning Council - TPC has ultimate responsibility for the technical adequacy of the various MPO planning programs and products that are transmitted to the governing board for approval and adoption. |
| TPTAC | Transportation Planning Technical Advisory Committee provides technical support to the TPC. |
| Transit | Mass transportation by bus, rail or other conveyance that provides general or special services to the public on a regular and continuing basis. Transit does not include school buses or charter or sightseeing services. |
| Transital Analysis | MPO study to identify and evaluate transit alternative in six corridors within the County, completed in January 1993 |
| Transportation Corridor | Any land area designated by the state, a county or a municipality which is between two geographic points and which area is used or is suitable for the movement of people and goods by one or more modes of transportation, including areas necessary for management of access and securing applicable approvals and permits. |
| Transportation Disadvantaged | Those persons who, because of disability, income status or age, are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation services. |
| Travel time | The total time taken to complete a trip from origin to destination. |
| TRIP | Transportation Regional Incentive Program - A Florida program that provides state funds to improve regionally significant transportation facilities in partnership with regional transportation areas. |
| Tripper Service | Extra bus service built into transit schedules to accommodate the needs of students attending secondary schools. |
| Tri-Rail | A commuter rail system in Southeast Florida operated by the Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority between West Palm Beach and Miami. |
| Truckway | Highway facilities for exclusive use of heavy-haul trucks (none existing in Florida). |
| Trust Funds | Funds collected and used by the federal government for carrying out specific purposes and programs according to terms of a trust agreement or statute. |
| TSA | Transportation Security Administration - The federal agency charged with providing security for the nation's transportation system. Part of the Department of Homeland Security. |
| TSM | Transportation Systems Management |
| Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit | The eight-foot by eight-foot by 20-foot intermodal container that is used as a basic measure in many statistics and is the standard measure used for containerized cargo. A 40-foot container is considered the equivalent of two TEUs. |
| TWU | Transport Workers Union |
| UPWP | Unified Plan Work Program, outlines the technical and policy studies that will assist in further defining the comprehensive and multimodal transportation improvement program approved for the metropolitan area |
| Urban Sprawl | Scattered, untimely and poorly planned urban development that occurs in urban fringe and rural areas. It frequently invades land important for environmental and natural resource protection. Sprawl is typically manifested by one or more of the following patterns: leapfrog development; ribbon or strip development; or large expanses of low-density development of one type, such as single family homes. |
| USCG | United States Coast Guard |
| USDOT | United States Department of Transportation |
| User-Side Subsidy Program | A transportation arrangement where the rider's cost of transportation is partially subsidized by the transit agency. |
| VE | Value Engineering |
| VECP | Value Engineering Cost Proposal |
| Vehicle Occupancy | The number of persons, including driver and passenger(s) in a vehicle; also includes persons who did not complete a whole trip. Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey vehicle occupancy rates are calculated as person miles divided by vehicle miles. |
| Vision(ing) | A description of the future physical appearance and qualities of a community or region. |
| VMS/DMS | Variable Message Boards/Dynamic Message Signs - Lighted signs giving motorists warning of traffic changes or impacts |
| VMT | Vehicle Miles Traveled - On highways, a measurement of the total miles traveled in a given area for a specified time period. It is calculated by multiplying the number of vehicles by the miles traveled in a given area or on a given highway during the time period. In transit, it is calculated by multiplying the number of vehicles by the miles traveled on a given area or on a different route, line, or network during the time period. |
| Walkway Connection | Pedestrian path linking the transit facility to the transit system |
| WBE | Women's Business Enterprise |
| Weather Days | Additional days granted to the contractor when his forces cannot work due to inclement weather |
| Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Banks | Large land areas purchased for wetland and wildlife conservation to mitigate transportation impacts on a regional basis. |
| Work Program | The five-year listing of all transportation projects planned for each fiscal year by the Florida Department of Transportation, as adjusted for the legislatively approved budget for the first year of the program. |
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