Alignment is the street corridor that the High Capacity Transit guideway, for either bus rapid transit or light rail, would be located within.
For the purposes of the Columbia River Crossing project, an alternative is a specific set of bridge, transit and highway solutions. Example: Supplemental Bridge with Bus Rapid Transit is an alternative that will be analyzed as part of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) process. View the full set of DEIS alternatives.
Roads serving major traffic movements (high-speed, high volume) for travel between major points. They are typically multilane, but not divided roadways. In urban areas, they carry much of the traffic circulating within the urban area.
A dedicated lane between highway interchanges—from one on-ramp to the next off-ramp that provides motorists with more time and extra room to accelerate or decelerate and merge when entering or exiting a freeway.
Braided ramps separate merging and diverging traffic by creating a bridge for traffic to cross over and others to cross under. This improves safety by eliminating lane-weaving.
The five mile segment of I-5 stretching from State Route (SR) 500 in Vancouver to approximately Columbia Boulevard in Portland. This area is also called the project area.
A type of high capacity transit that uses large buses and stops less often for fast, frequent service. Buses stop at transit station or platforms. Reliable travel times are ensured when buses operate in a lane dedicated to bus use. BRT vehicles also have the flexibility to travel in high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, expressways, or on ordinary streets.
Bypass lanes provide preferential treatment to priority users such as transit, commercial vehicles, and high occupancy vehicles (HOVs) by allowing unimpeded travel through ramp meters, intersections, and toll plazas. Bypass lanes serve as an important tool for Transportation Demand Management (TDM) by providing time saving incentives for priority users.
The maximum number of vehicles that a given section of roadway or traffic lane can accommodate in one direction in one hour.
A parallel roadway designed to remove weaving from the main line and to reduce the number of mainline entrances and exits.
A person who travels by car or mass transit regularly between home and work or school.
A specific idea or element proposed to address one or more of the identified needs in the I-5 bridge influence area. For example, each of several viable river crossing ideas is a separate component in the river crossing category. Bus rapid transit and light rail transit are two different components in the transit category. Each of the alternatives proposed will be composed of several different transportation related components.
Occurs when the demand is greater than the transportation system’s capacity. Recurrent congestion is caused by constant excess volume compared to capacity. Nonrecurring congestion is caused by actions such as special events and/or traffic incidents.
A collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility.
Highway lanes and associated right of way and the adjacent area that is visible from and extending along the highway. The distance the corridor extends from the highway could vary with different basic qualities.
Traffic not originating in, or destined to, the immediate neighborhood.
Design options are potential minor variations for segments of the alignment (such as a one block difference in the location of the guideway), station locations and for the guideway cross section that would not affect the regional model.
Direct access ramps allow buses, carpools and vanpools to directly access managed lanes (e.g., high occupancy vehicle lanes) in the center of the freeway. They come down from above, or up from below, the mainline and usually merge into the HOV lane from inside the median. By enabling carpools, vanpools and buses to connect directly with HOV lanes, drivers of these vehicles avoid the need to weave across the general-purpose lanes. Direct access ramps can improve safety, reduce congestion, save time, and increase reliability for both HOVs and general-purpose traffic.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is a summary of the expected impacts each project design, or “alternative,” is likely to have on the surrounding area. It includes a detailed description of the following: the alternatives; the existing conditions in the environment; expected impacts from each of the alternatives; options to avoid, minimize or mitigate the impacts; costs, financing and cost effectiveness; description of agency coordination.
A document required by federal and state agencies under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An EIS is required for major projects or legislative proposals that may significantly affect the environment. A tool for decision making, it describes the positive and negative effects of the undertaking and identifies alternative actions.
Environmental Justice is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, culture, education, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal environmental programs and policies. Meaningful involvement means that: (1) potentially affected community residents have an appropriate opportunity to participate in decisions about a proposed activity that will affect their environment and/or health; (2) the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; (3) the concerns of all participants involved will be considered in the decision-making process; and (4) the decision-makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.
The federal regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing federal environmental laws related to air quality, water quality, solid waste, and hazardous waste.
Transit service designed to speed up longer trips in major metropolitan areas during busy peak commuting hours by traveling long distances without stopping. Examples include routes between suburban park-and-ride lots and the central business district that operate on freeways or express buses that operate as local service buses until a certain point and then operate non-stop to the central business district.
An intersection in which motorists sit through at least two cycles at traffic lights.
A branch of the US Department of Transportation that administers the Federal-Aid Highway Program, providing financial assistance to states to construct and improve highways, urban and rural roads, and bridges. The FHWA also administers the Federal Lands Highway Program including survey, design, and construction of forest highway system roads, parkways and park roads, Indian reservation roads, defense access roads, and other federal lands roads.
Goods being transported generally for commercial gain, usually on a ship, train, truck, or plane.
Traffic lanes available to all auto users.
High capacity transit is a mode of transportation that provides efficient and fast travel for large numbers of people. Portland’s MAX light rail is HCT, as is San Francisco’s BART system. “Bus Rapid Transit” is another form of HCT, where buses have their own roadway and, therefore can operate reliable, high-speed express service.
A toll on single-occupant vehicles use lanes or entire roads that are designated for the use of high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs, also known as carpools). Tolls are collected either by manned toll booths, automatic number plate recognition, or electronic toll collection systems. High occupancy tolls are a form of road pricing. Toll rates can be variable depending on the hour and the traffic demand during that period; the closer to the peak hour, the higher the price.
An automobile, van, pick-up truck, or bus that carries enough people to travel in an HOV lane. The major goal of an HOV or “carpool” lane is to improve the roadway efficiency by increasing the number of people it carries, while minimizing travel time.
The natural and built environment and the relationship of people with that environment. The natural environment can be described as air, water and land. The built environment refers to physical and cultural structures created by humans. When an Environmental Impact Statement is prepared and economic or social and natural or physical environmental effects are interrelated, then the Environmental Impact Statement will discuss all of these effects on the human environment.
A study of the I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership Task Force that resulted in a variety of corridor-wide improvement and traffic management recommendations, including the Columbia River Crossing, ODOT's Delta Park to Lombard Development Project and Salmon Creek widening projects.
A 28-member bi-state committee of Washington and Oregon citizens and leaders established to respond to concerns about congestion on I-5 between Portland and Vancouver. Between January 2001 and June 2002, the I-5 Partnership worked to develop a long-range strategic plan to manage and improve transportation in the I-5 corridor between I-405 in Portland and I-205 north of Vancouver.
Synonymous with effect. Includes ecological impacts (such as the effects on natural resources, and on the components, structures, and functioning of affected ecosystems), aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social, or health impacts, whether direct, indirect or cumulative. Effects may also include those resulting from actions that may have both beneficial and detrimental effects, even if on balance the agency believes the effect will be beneficial.
Intelligent transportation Systems vary in technologies applied, from basic management systems such as car navigation, traffic light control systems, container management systems, variable message signs or speed cameras to monitoring applications such as security CCTV systems, and then to more advanced applications which integrate live data and feedback from a number of other sources, such as weather information, bridge de-icing systems, and the like.
The use of different types of transportation modes to move freight shipments and people, i.e. ships, trains, buses, and trucks.
Any of a system of expressways or highways that connect most major U.S. cities.
Established to coordinate and streamline the regulatory reviews and permitting functions of the participating agencies of the Columbia River Crossing project. Members include representatives from key federal and state agencies responsible for protecting the region's air, water, wildlife and cultural resources. This committee must formally concur on project decisions affecting their areas of concern at major project milestones. In addition, the committee provides advice and consultation regarding the NEPA process to the Project Development Team at formal concurrence and identified decision points. They will use a "streamlining" approach patterned after Washington's Signatory Agency Committee processes and Oregon's Collaborative Environmental and Transportation Agreement on Streamlining.
Trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States that involves more than one state.
A forum for elected officials from area cities and counties and representatives of agencies involved in transportation in the Portland metropolitan area. JPACT evaluates transportation needs, coordinates transportation decisions for the region, and makes recommendations to the Metro Council.
A type of high capacity transit system that uses single or multi-car electric rail cars on tracks in either a shared roadway or an exclusive right of way. Trains stop at stations or platforms. Portland’s MAX system is an example of light rail.
The end result of the EIS process is the identification of one alternative alignment that complies with all state and federal environmental laws and addresses the purpose and need of the project.
Managed lanes used to achieve a traffic operation objective, such as giving preference to priority users (buses, carpools, vanpools, or commercial vehicles), balancing competing needs and/or optimizing traffic flows. Examples include express lanes, reversible lanes, toll lanes and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.
An elected body responsible for the protection of open space and parks, land use and transportation plans, and garbage, recycling, and waste management for the City of Portland and Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties.
The seven elected members of Metro who establish policies for and oversee the operation of Metro’s programs and functions. The Council also develops long-range plans and assures the financial integrity of Metro by adopting an annual budget, establishing fees, and other revenue measures.
An agency designated by a governor to administer federally required comprehensive transportation planning and programming for a metropolitan area. An MPO must be in place in any urbanized area with a population in excess of 50,000. Metro is the MPO for the Portland metropolitan area. RTC is the MPO for the Vancouver-Clark County metropolitan area.
The purpose of selecting the MOS is to identify a segment of the Locally Preferred Alternative that provides the most cost-effective solution with the greatest benefits for the project. The MOS must be able to function as a stand-alone project and not be dependent on any future segments being constructed.
Measures taken to reduce adverse effects on the environment. Mitigation may include: (a) avoiding a specific impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action; (b) minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation; (c) rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the affected environment; (d) reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance operations during the life of the action; or (e) compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments.
A means of transportation for people and goods. Automobile travel, rail, and air are all modes of transportation.
NEPA requires federal agencies to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. To meet this requirement, federal agencies prepare a detailed statement known as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). EPA reviews and comments on EISs prepared by other federal agencies, maintains a national filing system for all EISs, and assures that its own actions comply with NEPA.
To find the best possible solution to a technical problem in which there are a number of competing or conflicting considerations. For example, to design highway improvements that best improve the safety, flow and capacity of I-5 in the Columbia River Crossing project area.
A system of overhead wires used to supply electricity to a locomotive, streetcar, or light rail vehicle.
A parking facility where individuals transfer from their own vehicles to other modes of public transportation.
The time during which the maximum amount of travel occurs. Generally, there is a morning and afternoon peak period.
Responsible for the day-to-day management, development, and delivery of the Columbia River Crossing project. The team includes staff from sponsoring agencies, the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation, agency partners and is supported by professionals from engineering, transportation, environmental and communications firms.
The active and meaningful involvement of the public in the development of plans and programs. The definition of meaningful involvement can range from education to seeking community feedback and creating citizen led advisory groups to comment on and influence the development and outcomes of plans and programs.
Ramp meters are traffic signals that control the entry of vehicles from ramps onto freeways. The ramp meters control the frequency and spacing of merging vehicles to improve overall traffic flow. A ramp meter by-pass lane allows priority users (e.g. buses, carpools or freight) to avoid stopping.
Authorized by the State of Washington’s legislature in 1990 to coordinate transportation planning among jurisdictions and to develop regional transportation plans. RTC is the RTPO for Clark County, Washington.
Movement in a direction opposite the main flow of traffic, such as from the central city to a suburb during the morning peak period.
There are multiple definitions of the term. For the Columbia River Crossing project, Right of Way refers to property owned by or acquired by public agencies solely required for placing the roadway and supporting facilities.
This authorizes federal spending for highways and transit projects through the year 2010. Previous legislation of similar focus was known as “TEA-21” and “ISTEA”. SAFETEA-LU will allocate $286.4 billion nation-wide over six years.
Pertaining to, characteristic of, or produced by earthquakes or earth vibrations.
A single-point urban interchange (also known as an “X” interchange or urban diamond interchange) is a variant on the standard diamond shaped structure, whereby all traffic meets at one single traffic signal in the center of the bridge over the freeway (or underneath the freeway). These interchanges can accommodate more traffic in smaller spaces, hence their appeal in urban areas. The “SPUI” acronym often is pronounced spoo-ee.
Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Clark County, Washington, portion of the larger Portland (Oregon)/Vancouver urbanized area. RTC is also the state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) for the three-county area of Clark, Skamania and Klickitat. Responsibility for these functions were assumed by RTC on July 1, 1992.
The distance between bridge piers, towers, or abutments.
Individuals and/or organizations involved in or affected by a plan, program, or project. May include elected officials (local, state, federal), public entities, non-profit organizations, community based organizations, and professional/industry related associations.
The portion of precipitation that does not naturally percolate into the ground or evaporate, but flows overland, in channels, or in pipes into a defined surface water channel or a constructed stormwater facility.
The terminus level is the location along the alignment where the exclusive transit guideway would end. For example, the transit alternative terminus of the guideway is a site where a park-and-ride lot of a considerable size could be provided.
Transportation by a vehicle (bus, trolley, etc.) that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but not including school buses, charter, or sightseeing services.
A public or privately owned entity responsible for administering and managing public transportation activities and services. Transit agencies can directly operate transit service or contract out for all or part of the total transit service provided. When responsibility is with a public entity, it is a public transit agency. When more than one mode of service is operated, it is a multimode transit agency.
An effort to reduce the number of people traveling by single occupancy vehicles (SOV) by promoting non SOV modes of transportation (e.g.; carpools, vanpools, transit). TDM efforts may also discourage the use of SOVs by imposing tolls or taxes. Often paired with Transportation Systems Management (TSM) tools.
The process of collecting traffic data, developing predictive models, regulating access, and providing timely motorist information on traffic conditions to optimize the safety and efficiency of the surface transportation system in a given area, usually a large urban area. Often paired with Transportation Demand Management (TSM) as a larger strategy.
A short formal project review, utilizing highly experienced experts in the project field, to try to identify and recommend alternative solutions that will add value to the project, by reducing costs or in other ways. The study follows a formal set procedure for identifying and evaluating areas of value savings, and usually takes place soon after a preferred design is identified and estimated. For large projects, this process is required by most funding sources.
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