metrosouth

This glossary was compiled with assistance from the American Public Transportation Association and East-West Gateway Coordinating Council.

Alternatives Analysis – federal planning process used to identify and evaluate major transit alternatives to address transportation-related problems in a corridor or sub-region.

Community Engagement – the process of actively seeking out and facilitating the involvement of citizens in identifying transportation issues, planning for these issues, and monitoring transportation system performance. Having citizens fully engaged helps to ensure that transportation solutions reflect community needs and values. Also known as public engagement.

Congestion – when a highway is no longer operating at an acceptable level of service. Customers experience slower travel times, increased costs, and greater likelihood of accidents because of congestion.

Economic Development – action taken by public or private entities that fosters development and/or redevelopment in strategic locations with the purpose to enhance economic viability of key activity centers and enhance the tax base of a particular area.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) – report that details the benefits and economic, social, and environmental effects of a proposed federally funded capital project. The purpose of the EIS is to provide full and open evaluation of environmental issues and alternatives, and to inform decision-makers and the public of reasonable alternatives that could avoid or minimize adverse impacts and enhance the quality of the environment.

Environmental Justice – Rooted in Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, environmental justice is the pursuit of equitable distribution of costs and benefits resulting from public decisions for all citizens regardless of race, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic status. A 1994 Presidential Executive Order expanded the definition of minority to include persons of low income and directed every federal agency to make environmental justice integral to all programs, policies, and activities.

Fixed Guideway – a mass transit facility using and occupying a separate right-of-way or rail for the exclusive use of mass transportation and other high-occupancy vehicles; or using a fixed centenary system.

Light-Rail Transit (LRT) – In many respects light-rail systems, such as MetroLink, are successors to traditional streetcars. Using overhead wires to provide electrical power to the vehicle, (unlike most subways, where power is often provided through the rails) LRT vehicles operate within their own right-of-way or, as in many cites, in conventional streets for part of their route, when necessary. LRT vehicles are more maneuverable than traditional railroad equipment. The size and design of LRT vehicles enable them to maneuver tighter turns, or operate on steeper grades than conventional commuter or passenger rail equipment. As a result, it is easier to integrate LRT systems into existing streets, neighborhoods and communities. In counterpoint, LRT vehicles tend to have lower passenger capacity than traditional commuter passenger cars, and restrictions on their maximum safe vehicle speed limits the use of LRT as an efficient long distance transit choice. MetroLink currently operates trains that are made up of two LRT vehicles. These trains draw power via a pantograph--the raised frame above the roof of the vehicle that stays in contact with the overhead lines. MetroLink vehicles generally operate within a reserved right-of-way. To ease access and egress, station platforms are configured such that the station platform is level with the vehicle floor.

Light-Rail Vehicles – rail cars with motive capability usually driven by electric power taken from overhead lines and configured for passenger traffic.

Locally-Preferred Alternative (LPA) – the transportation improvement selected from among many alternatives by local elected officials after completion of an alternatives analysis or major transportation investment analysis.

Major Transportation Investment Analysis (MTIA) – the planning process used to identify and evaluate large-scale, high-cost transportation alternatives to address transportation-related problems in a corridor or sub-region.

MetroLink – official name of the St. Louis region’s light-rail system, which currently serves 27 stations and 34 miles of track and extends from Belleville, Illinois to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The MetroLink alignment will soon be extended further in Illinois and in central St. Louis County. The Cross County Extension is scheduled to open in early 2006.

Multi-modal – the integration of various modes of transportation in a unified system. A goal of transportation planning is the achievement of a seamless multi-model system. Sometimes used interchangeably with “intermodal.”

NEPA Process – federally defined and required process deriving from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, by which proposed transportation projects are evaluated for any potential impacts on the built and natural environment. As part of the NEPA process, an Environmental Impact Statement or EIS must be prepared detailing the impacts.

New Starts – federal funding granted under Section 3(i) of the Federal Transit Act (formerly known as the Urban Mass Transportation Act). These discretionary funds are made available for construction of a new fixed guideway system or extension of any existing fixed guideway system, based on cost-effectiveness, alternatives analysis results and the degree of local financial commitment.

Park and Ride Lots – parking lots located adjacent to transit stops, bus transfer centers, commuter rail stations, highway interchanges, or other major facilities where individuals can leave their personal automobiles and continue their journey via another surface tansportation mode, such as a bus, train, carpool, or vanpool.

Public Participation – the active involvement of the public in the development of transportation plans and improvement programs.

Ridership - The number of rides taken by people using a public transportation system in a given time period.

Stations – public transportation passenger facilities including stops on a light-rail line.

Transit – passenger service provided to the general public along established routes with fixed or variable schedules at published fares. Related terms include: public transit, mass transit, public transportation, urban transit and paratransit.

Transit Center (Transfer Center) – a fixed location where passengers interchange from one route or vehicle or mode to another.

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) – the integrated development of residential, commercial, and public space within walking distance of public transit facilities such as light-rail station stops. TODs are high-quality environments around station locations whose careful planning and design help create a more sustainable community and region. The degree to which a potential alignment can support TOD around station locations is a key factor when evaluating all the alternatives.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) - A program of regional transportation projects, to be implemented over several years, growing out of the planning process and designed to improve transportation in a community. This program is required as a condition of a locality receiving federal transit and highway grants.

Transportation System Management (TSM) – Projects that are non-capital intensive and that improve the efficiency of a transportation system. This includes refinement of system and traffic management, the use of bus priority or reserved lanes, and parking strategies. It includes actions to reduce vehicle use, facilitate traffic flow and improve internal transit management.