Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 3-C Planning Process | A description of the type of planning process used by metropolitan planning organizations such as COMPASS to develop transportation plans. The three “C’s” stand for “continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive.” |
A
| Access Management | The regulation of interchanges, intersections, driveways, and median openings to a roadway. Access management is used to maintain roadway safety and mobility by controlling access location, design, spacing, and operation. Examples of access management include restricting the number of driveways into a parking lot, routing cars on frontage roads, and restricting left-turns out of driveways. |
| ACHD Commuteride | Ada County Highway District’s commuter services program. The program provides a network of vanpools, coordinates ridesharing, manages park-and-ride lots, and provides assistance to area employers regarding alternative transportation options. |
| ADA | Ada County Highway District’s commuter services program. The program provides a network of vanpools, coordinates ridesharing, manages park-and-ride lots, and provides assistance to area employers regarding alternative transportation options. |
| Ada County Highway District (ACHD) | The agency responsible for Ada County’s roads and bridges, except for those managed by the Idaho Transportation Department. It is the only countywide highway district in the State of Idaho and encompasses all roadways in unincorporated Ada County as well as those in Ada County’s cities. |
| Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) | A federal law mandating sweeping changes in building codes, transportation, and hiring practices to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities. |
| Apportionment | The amount of money Congress authorizes for each funding program in a Congressional funding bill. |
| Appropriation | The amount of funding contained within a Congressional bill that authorizes the government to spend money for a certain program. |
| Area of (City) Impact | The land area surrounding the limits of a city, negotiated between each individual city and the county in which it lies. Each city has comprehensive planning authority for its area of impact, but until annexation occurs, zoning and development entitlement is handled by the county. |
| Arterial Street | A class of street serving major traffic, but not designated as a highway. Examples of arterials in Ada and Canyon Counties include Cleveland Boulevard in Caldwell, 12th Avenue in Nampa, and Fairview Avenue in Boise/Meridian. |
| At-grade Intersection | An intersection where all vehicles pass through the intersection at ground level, or “at grade.” There is no grade separation (overpass or underpass). |
| Average Daily Traffic (ADT) | The average number of vehicles passing a fixed point in a 24-hour time frame. A convention for measuring traffic volume. |
B
| Base Year | The baseline or lead-off year of a study or analysis. The year to which other years are compared. |
| Bikeway | A facility, such as a path or bike lane, intended to accommodate bicycle travel for recreational or commuting purposes. |
| [COMPASS] Board of Directors | COMPASS’ governing body, consisting primarily of local elected officials representing COMPASS member agencies. |
| Boise Cutoff | The section of the rail line between the City of Nampa and the City of Boise north of Interstate 84. |
| Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) | A transit system that looks and feels like a rail system but operates like a bus system with rubber tires and no rail. BRT may or may not operate on a dedicated lane. |
| Bypass Lane | A right-turn lane where transit vehicles are not required to turn right, gaining the ability to travel through an intersection without waiting in a queue of vehicles. Also called a “queue jump lane.” |
C
| Capacity | A transportation facility’s ability to accommodate a stream of people or vehicles in a given time period. Increased capacity can come from adding lanes or building more roads, adding more public transportation options, or other sources. |
| Capital (project) | A project or purchase that involves purchasing or building a “thing,” as opposed to a purchase of a service. For example, buying a bus or building a road are capital purchases/ projects, while operating a bus or maintaining a road are not. |
| Capital Improvement Program (CIP) | A medium- to long-range plan to coordinate funding and phasing of capital projects. |
| Capital Program Funds | A medium- to long-range plan to coordinate funding and phasing of capital projects. |
| Carpool | An arrangement where two or more people share the use and cost of privately owned automobiles in traveling to and from pre-arranged destinations together. |
| Categorical Exclusion (CE or Cat Ex) | One potential outcome of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Categorical exclusions apply to projects that do not have a significant impact on the human and natural environment. |
| Census | An official count of a population. Most commonly, “the Census” is referring to the decennial census, which is conducted every ten years (years ending in “0”) by the U.S. Census Bureau. The decennial census is required by the U.S. Constitution. |
| Census Tract | A small, relatively permanent subdivision of a county that is delineated following guidelines set by the US Census Bureau. |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations. Federal interpretation of United States law. |
| CIM | Communities in Motion, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties. |
| CIP | Capital Improvement Program. A medium- to long-range plan to coordinate funding and phasing of capital projects. |
| Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) | Federal interpretation of United States law. |
| Collector | Any street that primarily moves traffic from local roads to arterials. |
| Communities in Motion (CIM): | The regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties. The plan serves as the defining vision for the Treasure Valley’s transportation systems and services and indicates the transportation improvements scheduled for funding over the next 20 years. CIM was originally adopted in 2006 and updated in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. “Communities in Motion” is often accompanied by a year (e.g., Communities in Motion 2050), which indicates the horizon year of that specific Communities in Motion plan. |
| Communities in Motion 2050 (CIM 2050) Vision | The “preferred growth scenario” for Communities in Motion 2050. The Communities in Motion 2050 Vision illustrates the amount, type, and location of growth forecasted to the year 2050 for Ada and Canyon Counties, ID. Created using input from local stakeholders, including the public, the CIM 2050 Vision guides development of the long-range transportation plan, Communities in Motion 2050. Both the Communities in Motion 2050 plan and Vision support safety, convenience, economic vitality, and quality of life for all residents. |
| COMPASS | Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho |
| Complete Network | An approach to designing a transportation system to ensure that the entire system serves all users — pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motor vehicle drivers, as well as freight needs — based on the land use contexts and role in the overall system. The concept of a “complete network” differs from a “complete street” in that it does not strive for all roadways to serve all needs for all people, but rather considers the context of land uses, roadway users, roadway typologies, and parallel routes, combined, to provide a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system for all. |
| Complete Street | A concept in transportation design that strives to ensure roadways serve all users. |
| Congestion Management System (CMS) | A systematic process for managing traffic congestion. A CMS provides information on transportation system performance and finds productive ways to manage the growth of congestion and enhance the mobility of people and goods, to levels that meet state and local needs. |
D
| Density | The amount of development that exists in a given area. It is often measured as dwelling units per acre |
| Department of Transportation (DOT) | Can refer to the US DOT or to a state DOT. (Note that Idaho’s DOT is known as Idaho Transportation Department – ITD) |
| Development Monitoring Report | An overview of development activity using building permit information collected from city and county jurisdictions in Ada and Canyon Counties. This report is developed yearly by COMPASS; copies can be found online on the COMPASS Development Monitoring Report Webpage. |
| District 3 | One of six ITD-designated districts in Idaho, this district is composed of the 10 southwest Idaho counties, including Canyon and Ada Counties. |
| DOT | Department of Transportation. When used alone, this usually indicates the US Department of Transportation. In conjunction with a place name, it indicates a state, city, or county transportation agency (e.g., the Utah Department of Transportation). Note that Idaho’s department of transportation is called the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). |
E
| Environmental Justice (EJ) | The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from the operation of industrial, municipal, and commercial enterprises and from the execution of federal, state, local, or tribal programs or policies. An 1994 Executive Order (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Population) focuses federal attention on the environmental and human health conditions of minority and low-income populations with the goal of achieving environmental protection for all communities. |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; US 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. |
| Environmental Resources | The natural environment, coupled with historic, social/ economic, and community resources. |
| EPA (US EPA) | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 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. |
| Expressway | A highway that functions similar to an interstate and is mainly intended to provide a route within a region. State Highway 16 between Interstate 84 and State Highway 44 is eventually planned to be an expressway. |
| Express Route | A type of public transportation route that typically operates on freeways or highways and is intended for longer distance transit trips. |
F
| Facility | As used in transportation, a “facility” refers to all the fixed physical assets of a transportation system, such as roads, bus terminals, bridges, bike paths, and train stations. |
| Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation that supports state and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the nation’s highway system. |
| Fiscal (Financial) Constraint | The concept that long-range transportation plans and transportation improvement programs must be financially realistic, balancing capital and operating costs with reasonable revenue expectations. |
| FONSI | Finding of No Significant Impact. One outcome of the NEPA process, a FONSI is issued when environmental analysis and interagency review during an “environmental assessment” process find a project to have no significant impacts on the quality of the environment. |
| Functional Classification | The process by which streets and highways are grouped into classes, or systems, according to the type of service they are intended to provide. For example, local streets are intended to serve residential areas, not heavy traffic; while interstates are designed for heavy traffic. |
| Federal Transit Administration (FTA) | A branch of the US Department of Transportation that provides financial assistance to develop new transit systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems. |
| Fixed Route (Bus Service) | A bus line that operates on a specific route that does not vary from day to day. Also referred to as “Fixed Line.” |
G
| Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) | Bonds that allow state and local agencies to fund, schedule, and complete large construction projects in a much shorter time frame. ITD uses GARVEE bonding for some projects in Ada and Canyon Counties. |
| Geographic Information System (GIS) | A computerized data management system designed to capture, store, retrieve, analyze, and display geographically referenced information. |
H
| Headway | The interval of time scheduled between the arrivals of two consecutive buses at the same stop. Also called “frequency.” |
| High-Capacity Transit Service | One of many bus or rail technologies, such as bus rapid transit, light rail, or heavy rail, designed to provide frequent service along heavily traveled corridors. |
| High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) | A vehicle carrying two or more people. |
| Highway District | A type of roadway agency established under Idaho Code that is responsible to plan, design, construct, preserve, and maintain roads and bridges within its jurisdiction that are not under control of another agency. There are 63 highway districts in Idaho, including one in Ada County and four in Canyon County. |
I
| Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) | The state agency responsible for Idaho’s state-owned roadways and bridges. |
| Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP) | A short-term budget for transportation projects on ITD facilities throughout the state of Idaho. The ITIP is similar to ITD’s “STIP” (statewide transportation improvement program), which is comparable to COMPASS’ regional TIP. Learn more about the difference between ITD’s ITIP and STIP. |
| Infill | Development within existing urban areas that are already largely developed. |
| Interstate Highway System (“Interstates”) | The system of highways that connects the principal metropolitan areas, cities, and industrial centers of the United States. From a “functional classification” standpoint, an interstate is the highest level of arterial roadway and includes the highest levels of access control. |
| Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) | The application of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of transportation systems. |
| ITIP | Idaho Transportation Investment Program; a short-term budget of transportation projects on ITD facilities throughout the State of Idaho. The ITIP is similar to ITD’s “STIP” (statewide transportation improvement program), which is comparable to COMPASS’ regional TIP. Learn more about the difference between ITD’s ITIP and STIP. |
K
| Key Number | A number assigned to a budgeted project in a TIP or STIP for tracking purposes. |
L
| Land Use | The manner in which portions of land or the structures on them are used (i.e., commercial, residential, retail, industrial, etc.). |
| Level of Service (LOS) | A rating (A – F) of the effectiveness of a roadway in serving transportation needs. “Auto level of service” refers to a road’s effectiveness in handling auto traffic, while “multimodal level of service” refers to a corridor’s effectiveness in handling multiple transportation modes, such as transit and pedestrian. |
| Light Rail | A rail system with relatively frequent service along mostly exclusive or segregated rights of way; typically features electric rail cars separated from other traffic. |
| Local Option Sales Tax | A special-purpose sales tax implemented and levied at the city or county level. A local option sales tax is often used as a means of raising funds for specific local or area projects, such as improving area streets and roads, or refurbishing a community’s downtown area. It requires a passing vote by the general public before it can be implemented and is typically levied for a temporary time period. Currently, Local Option Sales Taxes are only allowed in Idaho in small resort communities. |
| Local road | From a functional classification standpoint, local roads include most residential and other “small” streets. They are typically not identified on functional classification maps.
The term is also used to refer to roads managed by local cities and highway districts, as opposed to those managed by the Idaho Transportation Department. |
| Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) | A document resulting from regional or statewide collaboration and consensus on a region’s or state’s transportation system, and serving as the defining vision for the region’s or state’s transportation systems and services. In metropolitan areas, the plan includes all the transportation improvements scheduled for funding over the next 20 years. Communities in Motion is the LRTP for Ada and Canyon Counties. |
M
| Median Housing Price | The home price that falls in the middle of the total number of homes for sale in an area. |
| [COMPASS] Member Agency | Public agencies in southwest Idaho that are members of COMPASS; comprised of General Members (cities, counties, highway districts), Special Members (e.g., Valley Regional Transit, Idaho Transportation Department), and Ex Officio Members (e.g., Governor’s office; these members do not pay dues nor have a vote). |
| Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) | A regional policy body required in urban areas with populations over 50,000 and designated by local officials and the governor of the state to carry out federally required metropolitan transportation planning activities. COMPASS is the MPO for Ada and Canyon Counties. |
| Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) | A region that consists of a city and surrounding communities that are linked by social and economic factors, as established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). |
| Mixed-Use | A development or building that includes a combination of residential and commercial or office uses. Typically, office or retail uses would be found on the street level, with residential uses on the upper floors. |
| Mode | A specific form of transportation, such as automobile, bicycle, bus, rail, or air. |
| Multimodal | A system involving more than one mode of transportation, such as automobile, bus, rail, carpool, or bicycle. |
| Models | Simulations of the “real world” that can be used to show the potential impacts of different types of changes. |
| MPO | Metropolitan planning organization; a regional policy body required in urban areas with populations over 50,000 and designated by local officials and the governor of the state to carry out federally required metropolitan transportation planning activities. COMPASS is the MPO for Ada and Canyon Counties. |
| MSA | Metropolitan Statistical Area; a region that consists of a city and surrounding communities that are linked by social and economic factors, as established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). |
| Multimodal Center | A transit station where passengers can transfer between different modes of transportation, such as bus, light rail, bicycle, and walking. |
| Multi-Use Pathway | A form of infrastructure that supports multiple active and electric-assist transportation modes, such as walking, bicycling, inline skating, and e-scootering. Multi-use pathways are physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier and are often within an independent right-of-way. |
N
| Nampa Urban Area | The Cities of Nampa, Caldwell, and small parts of Canyon County surrounding the two cities as designated by the US Census Bureau. |
| National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) | A federal law that 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) | A network of highways within the United States including the Interstate Highway System and other roads that serve strategic transportation facilities. |
O
| Obligation Authority (OA) | A “ceiling” on the amount of federal funding that may be promised (obligated) during a specified time period. |
P
| Park-and-Ride | A parking lot where individuals park their vehicles while carpooling, vanpooling, or riding transit. |
| Paratransit | A variety of smaller, often flexibly scheduled and routed transportation services for the elderly, people with disabilities, and other people with needs that make it difficult for them to use standard public transportation services. |
| PD | Preliminary development; a term used to describe projects in the regional transportation improvement program that have some development activity but no programmed (budgeted) year of construction. |
| PE | Preliminary engineering; the analysis and design work to produce construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates. This abbreviation is commonly used in the transportation improvement program. |
| Performance Measures | Indicators of how well the transportation system is performing with regard to such things as level of congestion, average speed, reliability of travel, and accident rates, and to measure progress toward other regional goals. Used as feedback in the decision-making process. |
| Preferred Growth Scenario | The land use and growth model that is adopted as the official growth scenario for a Communities in Motion plan. This scenario guides decisions and policy making for COMPASS and its member agencies. The preferred scenario for Communities in Motion 2050 is the Communities in Motion 2050 Vision. |
| Premium Route | A transit service that runs on major corridors with frequent all-day service. |
| Programming | Essentially, budgeting; a short-term commitment of funds to specific projects identified in a regional transportation improvement program. |
| Programmed Projects | Projects that have been budgeted for implementation in the regional transportation improvement program. |
| Public Participation | The active and meaningful involvement of the public in the development of transportation plans and programs. |
| Public Transportation | Transportation by bus, rail, or other conveyance, either publicly or privately owned, providing to the public general or special service on a regular and continuing basis. Also known as “mass transit,” “mass transportation,” “public transit,” or simply “transit.” Generally, school buses and charter or sightseeing services are not considered “public transportation.” |
| Public Private Partnership (P3) | A partnership between the public sector and the private sector for the purpose of delivering a project or a service traditionally provided by the public sector. |
Q
| Queue Jump Lane | A right turn lane where transit vehicles are not required to turn right, gaining the ability to travel through an intersection without waiting in a line (queue) of other vehicles. Queue jump lanes typically operate in conjunction with transit signal priority at certain intersections. Also called a “bypass lane.” |
R
| Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) | A COMPASS standing committee that advises the COMPASS Board of Directors on regional transportation and related planning issues. The committee’s work includes recommending priorities for federal funding requests and the technical review of core agency documents such as the transportation improvement program (TIP) and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). RTAC members constitute a primary communications link between COMPASS and its member agencies. |
| Regionally Significant Project | A transportation project that serves regional transportation needs, such as access to and from the major activity centers, and would normally be included in the modeling of a metropolitan area’s transportation network. These projects include, at a minimum, all principal arterial highways and all fixed-guideway transit facilities. |
| Record of Decision (ROD) | An outcome of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process that presents the selected transportation decision, the basis for that decision, and the environmental commitments to mitigate for project impacts to the human and natural environment. |
| Reverse Commute | Travel from home to work, or from work to home, against the main directions of traffic. |
| Right of Way (ROW) | A parcel of land dedicated or reserved for use as a public way, such as streets, sidewalks, utilities, or other service functions. |
S
| Scenario Planning | A framework for developing a shared vision for the future that tests various plausible future alternatives. |
| Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) | A vehicle occupied by only the driver. |
| [Urban] Sprawl | The spreading of urban developments (such as houses, office buildings, and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a more densely populated city. |
| SOV | Single occupancy vehicle. A vehicle occupied by only the driver. |
| State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) | A short-term budget of transportation projects on ITD facilities throughout the State of Idaho. The STIP is the statewide version of COMPASS’ regional TIP and is also similar to ITD’s “ITIP” (Idaho transportation investment), which is comparable to COMPASS’ regional TIP. Learn more about the difference between ITD’s ITIP and STIP. |
| Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) | A federal transportation funding program that can fund a broad range of surface transportation capital needs, including roads, public transportation, and active transportation. |
T
| TDM | Transportation demand management. Programs designed to reduce demand for transportation through various means, such as the use of public transportation, alternative work hours, and telecommuting. |
| Telecommuting | The practice of working from home and communicating with the employer via the phone and/or internet. |
| TIP | Transportation improvement program. A fiscally constrained short-term budget of federally funded and regionally significant transportation projects. COMPASS’ regional TIP encompasses Ada and Canyon Counties and is comparable to the Idaho Transportation Department’s STIP. A detailed glossary specific to terms used in the TIP can be found at https://compassidaho.org/transportation-improvement-program/#understandingTIP. |
| TMA | Transportation management area; any urban area over 200,000 in population. The Boise Urban Area is the only TMA in Idaho. |
| Transit | Transportation by bus, rail, or other conveyance, either publicly or privately owned, providing to the public general or special service on a regular and continuing basis. Also known as “public transportation,” “mass transit,” “mass transportation,” or “public transit.” Generally, school buses and charter or sightseeing services are not considered “transit.” |
| Transit Oriented Development | Development designed to support a transit system. Transit supportive densities are typically only expected within one-quarter mile of transit stops. |
| Transit Network | The set of routes served by all types of transit in a region. |
| Transit Performance | A measure of how well a transit system operates and meets the community’s needs, based on factors such as travel times, capacity, and availability. |
| Transportation Analysis Zone (TAZ) | The unit of geography used in transportation planning models. The size of a zone varies, but a zone of under 3,000 people is common. |
| Transportation Demand Management (TDM) | Programs designed to reduce demand for transportation through various means, such as the use of public transportation, alternative work hours, and telecommuting. |
| Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) | A fiscally constrained short-term budget of federally funded and regionally significant transportation projects. COMPASS’ regional TIP encompasses Ada and Canyon Counties and is comparable to the Idaho Transportation Department’s STIP. A detailed glossary specific to terms used in the TIP can be found at https://compassidaho.org/transportation-improvement-program/#understandingTIP. |
| Transportation Management Area (TMA) | Any urban area over 200,000 in population. The Boise Urban Area is the only TMA in Idaho. |
| Travel Demand Forecast Model | A computer program that forecasts how the future transportation system may function. |
| Title VI | Part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Prohibits discrimination in any program receiving federal assistance. |
U
| Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) | COMPASS’ budget. |
| Urban Area | Urban Area An area with a population of 50,000 or more, as designated by the US Census Bureau. |
| Urban Sprawl | The spreading of urban developments (such as houses, office buildings, and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a more densely populated city. |
V
| Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) | The total number of miles traveled by a vehicle in a given time. |
W
| Walkability | The measure of the overall walking conditions in an area. |
Z
| Zoning | Zoning Local laws established to control the uses of land within a particular area. |