TERMS

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Accessible

This refers to how easy it is for people to reach places and services they need, like schools, jobs, or stores. It means making sure everyone, including people with disabilities or other challenges, can get to these places without problems.

Active Transportation

This includes walking or biking; ways to get around that also help people stay active and healthy. Also sometimes referred to as, non-motorized transportation.

Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (Alaska DOT&PF)

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities designs, builds, operates, and takes care of the state’s roads, bridges, and other transportation systems, as well as buildings and facilities that Alaskans and visitors use. AMATS coordinates the cooperative, continuous and comprehensive transportation planning process between this state department and the Municipality of Anchorage.

Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC)

A railroad that carries both freight and passengers, linking ports and towns to the main cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS)

Pronounced A-MATS, we organize transportation improvements in Anchorage. Places in the country with 50,000 people or more work together to meet the transportation goals of state and local governments through an organization like AMATS.

Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ARDSA)

This is the bond service area within Anchorage. The money from road bonds is used to pay for big improvement projects within the service area. It is the main source of money for road, drainage, and safety improvements. These bonds are voted on during the municipal election every April.

Annual Average Traffic Delay (AADT)

This is a number that shows the average amount of vehicles that drive on a road each day over the course of a year. This helps to understand how busy a road is and to plan for things like road improvements or traffic management.

Arterial

A type of road designed to be faster, busier, and help people travel longer distances. Access from nearby properties is somewhat controlled. These roads are often split into "major arterial" and "minor arterial."

Bypass

A road built to go around towns or cities. It can be a freeway or expressway.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

This is the capital budget for the Municipality of Anchorage. It includes projects that help maintain or improve city assets, like buildings, park trails, and roads. These projects can involve building something new, expanding, renovating, or replacing existing infrastructure. Costs for the projects can include things like buying land, engineering services, architectural planning, and hiring services to finish the work.

Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)

Money for projects that aim to reduce pollution from transportation, specifically the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars and trucks on roadways.

Chugiak/Birchwood/Eagle River Rural Road Service Area (CBERRRSA)

The Rural Road Service Area covers over 350 lane miles of roads in the Chugiak, Birchwood, and Eagle River areas, outside the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ARDSA) boundary. A board of five supervisors from local community councils helps the Municipality decide what kind and level of road services are needed in the area.

Collector

This type of road is designed to balance moving traffic and provide access to nearby places. It handles medium-speed, shorter trips and collects traffic from local streets and larger properties, then directs it to main roads (arterials).

Commute

To travel from home to work or school and back again. For example, if you drive or take the bus every day to get to your job or classes, that’s called commuting.

Complete Streets

Streets designed for everyone—people walking, biking, driving, and using public transportation—so that everyone feels safe and can use the streets easily.

Congestion Management Process (CMP)

Congestion management works on making the transportation system—like roads, buses, and trains—work better and more reliably. It uses different strategies to help reduce traffic problems and make it easier for people and goods to move around. This can include things like building more roads, improving public transportation, or encouraging carpooling.

Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ)

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program gives money to states for transportation projects that help reduce traffic jams and make the air cleaner. This is especially important in places where the air quality doesn't meet national standards.

Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)

A way of designing and planning transportation projects that takes into account the unique needs and characteristics of the local area. This means considering how the project will affect the community, the environment, and the existing surroundings, so that it fits well with the place and meets everyone’s needs.

Demand Management

These are strategies to reduce the need for people to drive or travel at the same time, such as carpooling, flexible work hours, or charging money to drive in busy areas.

Design Criteria Manual (DCM)

A municipal guide that gives rules and standards for designing things like roads, buildings, and other projects. It includes details on how to plan and build things correctly, such as how steep a road can be or how bright the lights should be.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

A process used to find out how a project, like building a new road, will affect the environment. It looks at things like how it might impact wildlife, water, air quality, and natural resources. The goal is to make sure any negative effects are reduced or avoided before the project begins.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

A report that explains the results of an Environmental Impact Assessment. It details how a project will affect the environment, including things like wildlife, air quality, and water. It also suggests ways to reduce any negative impacts. This statement helps people understand and manage the environmental effects before starting the project.

Environmental Justice (EJ)

Making sure that all people, no matter their race, income, or background, are treated fairly when it comes to environmental issues. This means everyone should have equal protection from harmful pollution and have the same access to clean air, water, and healthy places to live.

Equity

Equity in transportation means making sure everyone has fair access to getting around and dealing with the effects of transportation. The main goal is to provide all community members with equal chances to use affordable and reliable transportation. This means focusing on groups of people who have been left out or underserved in the past.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It helps state and local governments with designing, building, and maintaining the country’s transportation system. The FHWA also works on roads in federal and tribal areas. By giving money and expert advice to state and local governments, the FHWA helps make sure that America’s roads are safe and use the latest technology.

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) helps local public transit systems, like buses and ferries, by providing money and expert advice. The FTA also makes sure that safety rules are followed and helps with new technology research for the future.

Federation of Community Councils (FCC)

Every neighborhood in Anchorage is part of a Community Council district. There are 37 Community Councils that cover areas from Eklutna Valley in the north to Portage Valley in the south. These councils give people a way to be involved in local government and community matters.

Fiscally Constrained

This means there is a limit on the amount of money available for spending. When something is fiscally constrained, it means there’s not enough money to do everything that might be needed or wanted.

Freeway

A freeway is a type of road designed for safe and fast travel with a lot of cars. You can only get on or off the freeway at special interchanges, not at regular intersections. In the Municipality, freeways are usually owned and maintained by the State of Alaska, and their building is often funded by the federal government.

Freight

This is the transportation of goods, like shipping products by trucks, trains, ships, or airplanes.

Funding Program

A four-year program for taking care of and improving the transportation system in the AMATS area. It lists all the projects that have some funding and are expected to happen during these four years. It is officially called the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in the federal planning process.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system used to collect, store, analyze, and manage data that is linked to specific locations on Earth. It helps create detailed digital maps and find exact locations.

High Occupancy Vehicle lanes (HOV)

A traffic management strategy where people share rides in the same car. This helps reduce traffic jams and makes it possible to carry more people in fewer cars.

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

A program that provides money to make roads safer. It funds projects like better traffic signs, improved road designs, and safety features to help prevent accidents and make highways safer for everyone.

Infrastructure

These are the physical parts of the transportation system—like roads, bridges, bike lanes, and bus stops—that help people get around.

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)

A system that uses technology to improve how we travel. It includes things like smart traffic lights, real-time traffic updates, and GPS systems to help make driving safer, faster, and more efficient.

Level of Service (LOS)

This is a way to measure how well traffic is moving, from very smooth (A) to very crowded and slow (F)

Limited Road Service Area (LRSA)

A road service area for rural roads on the Anchorage hillside. It provides limited road maintenance.

Local Road

A local road is a type of street that is slower and used for traveling short distances. It gives access to homes and other places.

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a group that helps plan transportation for bigger cities. MPOs are needed in all urban areas with populations over 50,000, as counted by the U.S. Census. This is what AMATS is.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)

This is the primary plan for AMATS. It shows how the region will handle and run a transportation system with different options, like buses, highways, bikes, walking, and accessible transport. It should help meet the area's goals for the economy, transportation, development, and sustainability over the next 20 years, while staying within budget. This is what is referred to as the AMATS Transportation Plan.

Mobility

This means how easy it is for people or things to move from one place to another.

Mode Share

Mode share tells us what kind of transportation someone uses to get around to their destinations.

Multimodal

This means using different types of transportation in one system, like cars, buses, trains, biking, and walking, so people have more choices.

Municipality of Anchorage (MOA)

The MOA is a unified local government comprised of three distinct subareas: Eagle River/Chugiak/Birchwood/Eklutna, the Anchorage Bowl, and the Turnagain Arm communities of Girdwood, Bird, and Indian. The AMATS area includes all of the Municipality of Anchorage except for the Turnagain Arm communities. AMATS coordinates the cooperative, continuous and comprehensive transportation planning process between the Municipality of Anchorage and the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

National air quality standards are rules set to protect public health and prevent harm to animals, plants, buildings, and to reduce problems like poor visibility.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

It is a law that requires the government to think about how projects, like building roads or airports, might affect the environment before they can begin.

National Highway System (NHS)

A network of major highways and ferry routes chosen by the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation. These routes are important for interstate travel, national defense, connecting with other types of transportation, and supporting international trade. The NHS focuses on long-distance travel and the movement of people, goods, and services.

Non-Motorized

This includes walking or biking, ways to get around that also help people stay active and healthy. Also referred to as active transportation.

Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV)

Any vehicle occupied by only the driver, with no passengers.

State Implementation Plan (SIP)

This plan sets rules or limits to reduce the release of harmful air pollutants or the chemicals that cause them. These pollutants are the ones the EPA has set national air quality standards for, to keep the air safe for people. The main pollutants include sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (tiny particles in the air), nitrogen oxides, lead, carbon monoxide, and ozone.

State of Good Repair

This means making sure that roads, bridges, and other infrastructure are kept in good condition and fixed when needed. It means they are safe, reliable, and working properly, so people can use them without problems. Keeping things in a state of good repair helps prevent bigger issues and keeps everything running smoothly. This is just one part of a bigger plan for improving and maintaining infrastructure.

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

A four-year program for taking care of and improving the state’s transportation system. This includes highways, bridges, ferries, and public transportation. It doesn’t cover airports or ports that don’t involve ferries. The STIP lists all the projects that have some federal funding and are expected to happen during these four years.

Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)

The Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program provides flexible funding that states and local areas can use for different transportation projects. This includes maintaining and improving highways, bridges, tunnels, public roads, and pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as transit projects like intercity bus terminals. The money for the STBG program comes through state transportation agencies. Unlike discretionary grants where you apply for funds, STBG funds are given out based on a set formula in the law.

Sustainability

This is about making transportation that’s good for the environment, using less energy, and creating systems that last for a long time.
T

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

This is a way of planning cities so that homes, shops, and other buildings are close to public transportation, making it easy for people to walk or take buses or trains.

Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

A program that provides money for projects that improve travel options besides driving, like building bike paths, walking trails, or transit improvements. It helps make transportation more varied and accessible for everyone.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

This is about understanding how people choose to travel and encouraging them to make smarter choices. The goal is to get people to use other ways to get around, like taking the bus, carpooling, walking, biking, or working from home, instead of driving alone. . These measures can include things like improving sidewalks for pedestrians, providing showers for people who bike to work, offering flexible work hours or allowing people to work from home, charging higher tolls during busy times, or having special lanes for vehicles with more passengers.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

A four-year program for taking care of and improving the transportation system in the AMATS area. The TIP lists all the projects that have some funding and are expected to happen during these four years. This is referred to as the AMATS Funding Program.

Transportation Management Area (TMA)

An urban area with a population over 200,000, as defined by the Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Transportation, is called a Transportation Management Area (TMA). Because big cities have more complicated transportation issues, the Metropolitan Planning Organization in a TMA has more say in deciding which projects get done and has to handle more planning tasks.

Transportation Plan

This plan needs to show how the region will handle and run a transportation system with different options, like buses, highways, bikes, walking, and accessible transport. It should help meet the area's goals for the economy, transportation, development, and sustainability over the next 20 years, while staying within budget. It is officially called the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) in the federal planning process.

Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO)

This focuses on reducing traffic without building more lanes when possible. It looks for solutions that make a big difference and are easy to put in place. These solutions can be small fixes, like adding a new crosswalk or pedestrian signal, or larger system improvements, like setting up a Traffic Management Center or Data Warehouse to help find and solve problems faster.

Travel Demand Model

This is one tool used to help predict how much traffic there will be on roads in the future. It helps planners understand how many cars, buses, and other vehicles will be on the road at different times and in different places. This helps them plan for road improvements, traffic management, and other changes to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Underrepresented Groups

These are people who are not included as much as they should be in certain areas or activities. This might mean they have fewer opportunities in things like jobs, education, or decision-making. These groups could include certain races, ethnicities, genders, or people with disabilities. They often don’t have as much of a voice or presence compared to others.

Underserved Neighborhoods

These are areas where people don’t have enough access to important services and resources, like good schools, healthcare, public transportation, and affordable housing. These neighborhoods might also have fewer job opportunities and less investment from the community. People living in these areas often face more challenges and might include more low-income or minority families.

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

A Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is a plan that outlines what planning activities and priorities will be worked on in a metropolitan area for two years. It includes details about what the work involves, who will do it, how long it will take, how much it will cost, and where the money will come from. This is referred to as the AMATS Work Plan.

Vehicle Hours Traveled (VHT)

This measures the total amount of time that all vehicles spend traveling on the road within a certain area and time period. VHT is used to assess traffic flow, congestion, and the efficiency of transportation systems, helping planners understand how long vehicles are on the road and where improvements may be needed to reduce delays.

Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

This is a measurement used in transportation planning that calculates the total number of miles driven by all vehicles within a specific area and time period. VMT is often used to assess traffic patterns, environmental impacts, and infrastructure needs, helping planners and policymakers manage roads and reduce congestion or emissions.

Vulnerable Populations

These are groups of people who may have a harder time getting what they need to live well. This includes groups like children, elderly people, people with disabilities, and those with low incomes. They might face more challenges in accessing services like healthcare, education, and transportation.

Work Program

This program outlines what planning activities and priorities will be worked on in a metropolitan area for two years. It includes details about what the work involves, who will do it, how long it will take, how much it will cost, and where the money will come from. It is officially called the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) in the federal planning process.