glossary

This is a page where anyone can learn more about the terminology we use as an MPO and in transportation planning.

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3-C Process: The FHWA defines the 3-C Process as a continuing, comprehensive and cooperative transportation planning process.

3PF: This is a funding code in the TIP that notes Third Party Funding.

5303 Funds: Urbanized Area Planning Funds for Transit

5307 Funds: Urbanized Area Formula Program for Transit

5310 Funds: Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program for Transit

5311 Funds: Formula Grants for Rural Areas for Transit

5337 Funds: State of Good Repair Grants Program for Transit

5339 Funds: Bus & Bus Facilities Grants Program for Transit

AADT: Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) accounts for the average daily traffic on a roadway for all days of the week during a period of one year.

AASHTO: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

AC: This is a funding code in the TIP that notes Advanced Construction (AC) funds are being used, which are funds borrowed from future years.

ACC: This is a funding code in the TIP that denotes Advanced Construction Conversion (ACC), which are funds paying back what was borrowed from future years.

ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services.

ADEC: The mission of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is to conserve, improve and protect Alaska’s natural resources and environment to enhance the health, safety, economic and social well-being of Alaskans. There are representatives from ADEC who serve on our Policy Board and Technical Committee.

AEA: The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) mission is to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. AEA’s work is the delivery of core services and critical projects for improving energy safety, reliability and affordability.

AHSO: The Alaska Highway Safety Office (AHSO) coordinates highway safety programming focused on public outreach and education, enforcement, promotion of new safety technology, integration of public health strategies, collaboration with safety and private sector organizations and cooperation with state and local governments. AHSO administers federal funding to appropriate projects through a grant award process.

AMATS: Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) is the MPO for the Anchorage area.

AML: The Alaska Municipal League (AML) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, statewide membership organization who’s mission is to strengthen Alaska’s local governments. Learn more about AML here.

AMPO: The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) is a nonprofit, membership organization established in 1994 to serve the needs and interests of MPOs nationwide.

ARRC: The Alaska Railroad Corporation operates a regularly-scheduled public transportation service connecting Alaskans and visitors to communities from Seward to Fairbanks.

AS: Alaska Statute

AST: Alaska State Troopers

ATM: The Alaska Traffic Manual is the standard for traffic control devices used on public roads in Alaska.

Alaska DOT&PF: Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (Alaska DOT&PF) 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.

Arterial Road: An arterial road is a road without controlled access that can carry a large volume of local traffic at a generally high speed.

August Redistribution: August Redistribution defines a time when an annual reserve of unused Federal funding is leveraged to fund additional State DOT projects that are ready for funding obligation.

CAA: The Clean Air Act is a comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions.

CFR: The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation.

CHSTP: The Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP) is a plan that was recently updated by FAST Planning, MACS Transit, and partners. The vision of the CHSTP is that any member of the community, from most to least advantaged, including elderly and people with disabilities, whose mobility needs are not met through their own means, or MACS fixed-route services, is connected to the community through a range of transportation options to elevate their independence, freedom and opportunities , for a cohesive and enriching public life. Learn more about the CHSTP update here.

CMAQ: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) is a program that allocates Federal funds to states for transportation projects that help reduce traffic jams and make the air cleaner. This is a highly applicable funding source in places where the air quality doesn’t meet national standards. Learn more about our CMAQ Program/Projects here.

COF: City of Fairbanks

CONP: City of North Pole

CRP: The Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) is another Federally funded program that allocates funds to projects aimed at reducting pollution for transportation, specifically the carbon dioxide emissions from cars and trucks on roadways. Learn more about the CRP and projects here.

Collector Road: A collector road, also known as a distributor road, is a road that allows direct access to neighborhoods and has a low to moderate capacity and a generally low speed limit.

Complete Streets: Complete Streets are streets that are designed for everyone and every use. A complete street accommodates people who are walking, biking, driving, and using public transportation. On a complete street, everyone should feel safe utililizing all modes of transportation. Learn more about our Complete Streets Policy here.

Conflict Point: A traffic conflict point is the intersecting point between different traffic movement paths. Traffic conflict points can be grouped into crossing, merge, and diverge types.

EAFB: Eielson Air Force Base is located 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks.

EJ: Environmental Justice (EJ) is the nationwide initiative that ensures all people, no matter their race, income, or background, are treated fairly when it comes to transportation planning and decision-making, and the impacts this work has on the environment in which people live. EJ means that everyone should have equal protection from harmful pollution and have the same access to clean air, water, and healthy places to live. Learn more about EJ and inclusivity in our Title VI Plan here.

EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protects people and the environment from significant health risks, sponsors and conducts research, and develops and enforces environmental regulations.

EV: is an Electric Vehicle. This kind of vehicle does not have the ability to be propelled by gasoline, draws electricity from a battery with a capacity of at least four kilowatt-hours and is capable of being charged from an external source.

Equity: Equity in transportation seeks fairness in mobility and accessibility to meet the needs of all community members.

FAI: Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is a state-owned public-use airport operated by the Alaska DOT&PF.

FAST Planning: Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation (FAST) Planning – that’s us! We are your local transportation planning non-profit. We are an MPO and we serve the urbanized area of Fairbanks and North Pole. If you’ve made it this far, you probably know where to find more information about us, but if not… head to our Home Page to get started!

FDNM: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (FDNM) is the local newspaper for the Fairbanks and North Pole areas. We advertise all of our open, public meetings through the FDNM.

FFY: Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) designates the period of time that annually allocated federal funds are available for use (October 1 to September 30).

FHWA: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels. The FHWA also conducts research and provides technical assistance to state and local agencies to improve safety, mobility, and to encourage innovation

FNSB: The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) is a borough located in the Interior of Alaska, and is a community partner of the MPO. As a second-class borough, The FNSB maintains areawide responsibilities of education, planning and zoning, and taxation and assessment. Learn more about The FNSB here.

FRA: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is a agency within U.S. DOT that enforces rail safety regulations, conducts research, and provides financial assistance to railroad programs.

FTA: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the U.S. DOT that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems.

FTWW: Fort Wainwright Military Base (FTWW) is the military base that sits within the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA). MPO planning practices do not apply to the military base, but FAST Planning’s Technical Committee holds a seat for FTWW.

Fiscal Constraint: This ensures a funding program or project can reasonably expect to receive funding within the time allotted for its implementation.

Funding Allocation: This is an administrative distribution of Apportionment funding for specific transportation programs prescribed by the current Transportation Bill.

Funding Apportionment: This is the annual distribution of Federal funds to States prescribed by statutory formula in the current Transportation Bill.

Funding Suballocation: This is an administrative distribution of funding Allocations prescribed by distribution formulas to subrecipients such as MPOs.

GIS: Geographic Information System (GIS) is a system that is used to collect, store, analyze, and visualize data that is connected to specific locations on Earth. FAST Planning leverages GIS for several purposes.

HSIP: The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a program that is focused on making roads safer. Funding from HSIP goes towards projects like enhancing traffic signs, improving road designs, and adding safety features to help prevent accidents and make highways safer for everyone.

LOS: Level of service (LOS) measures a driver’s experience on the road and at intersections, based on the speed and number of cars using the road. The LOS of a road is designated by a letter grade of A (free flow) to F (near gridlock).

Local Road: A local road, also called a street, is a road in a built environment that has driveway access to properties (residential, commercial, etc) that can be accessed from the road or a parking lot connected to the road.

M&O: Maintenance and Operations (M&O) is typically a department that is responsible for coordinating the maintenance of the facilities within their right-of-way.

MACS Transit: Metropolitan Area Commuter System (MACS) operates fixed-route bus services in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, serving most of the urban area.

MPA: The Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) is the boundary within which FAST Planning conducts all of its planning practices. The base determination of this planning area comes from the Census designated ‘urban area’ that gets updated with each Decennial Census. The base boundary is then expanded to what we forsee becoming urbanized 20 years from now.

MPL: This is a funding code used in the TIP to describe the use of Metropolitan Planning Funds (MPL); MPL Funds are the primary source of funding for MPO staff work.

MPO: A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a federally mandated and federally funded transportation policy-making organization in the United States that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities. They were created to ensure regional cooperation in transportation planning. FAST Planning is the local MPO for the Fairbanks and North Pole areas.

MTP: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is a core document for our organization. This long-range plan should help meet the needs of the transportation network and area’s goals for the economy, development, and sustainability over the next 20 years in accompaniment with the TIP. Learn more about the MTP here.

MUTCD: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)

MVP: MatSu Valley Planning for Transportation (MVP) is the MPO for the Matanuska-Susitna urban area.

Multimodal: When a transportation project is characterized by several different modes of transportation, it is multimodal.

NAAQS: The Clean Air Act, which was last amended in 1990, requires EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (40 CFR part 50) for six principal pollutants (“criteria” air pollutants) which can be harmful to public health and the environment. The Clean Air Act identifies two types of national ambient air quality standards. Primary standards provide public health protection, including protecting the health of “sensitive” populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards provide public welfare protection, including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings.

NACTO: National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

NEVI: National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program provides funding for the build out of EV charging stations and Alternative Fuel Corridors.

NHFP: National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) provides support to improve the efficient movement of freight on the National Highway Freight Network.

NHPP: The National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) provides support for the condition and performance of the National Highway System (NHS), for the construction of new facilities on the NHS.

NHS: The National Highway System (NHS) is a network of major highways and ferry routes that are chosen by the FHWA and U.S. DOT. The NHS focuses on long-distance travel and the movement of people, goods, and services.

NMP: Non-motorized Transportation Plan (NMP) is the plan that FAST Planning adopted in 2021 after some updates to a previous version. This plan serves as a guidebook for prioritizing non-motorized transportation infrastructure projects/programs. Learn more about the NMP ‘Connect Fairbanks’ here.

Obligated Funds: An obligation is a legal commitment: the Federal government’s promise to pay a State for the Federal share of a project’s eligible cost. This commitment occurs when FHWA approves the project and executes the project agreement.

Offset Funds: Leftover, unspent funding at project completion that is de-obligated for use for other project funding needs.

Orphan Road: An orphan road is a FNSB road that has no designated maintenance authority.

PM 2.5: Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) is that which is 2.5 micrometers or smaller, typically a result of combustion.

PM-10: Particulate Matter 10 (PM-10) is that which is 10 micrometers or smaller, typically airborne dust from, say, unpaved roads.

PPP: The Public Participation Plan (PPP) is a core document for our organization. This plan highlights the ways in which we strive to connect with the public through standard and robust outreach strategies. Learn more about the PPP here.

Peer Exchange: Widely used in many professions, the goal of these exchanges is to increase the capacity and knowledge for participating agencies through sharing best practices, real-world examples, and lessons learned.

Programmed Funds: available funding that is dedicated for projects in the TIP.

RSA: Road Service Area (RSA) is one that is designated by a taxing jurisdiction within the FNSB that has been established to provide the service of road maintenance.

Road Safety Audit: This is the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team.

SIP: A State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Air Quality is required for Non-attainment Areas to fulfill the requirements of the CAA.

SM: The funds that are programmed in the TIP as State Match (SM).

SMTF: The Seasonal Mobility Task Force (SMTF) is composed of Alaska DOT&PF, FNSB, City of Fairbanks, City of North Pole, and UAF planning and operations staff. This task force meets up to 4 times a year with a goal to streamline communication between the various maintenance authorities in the area.

SOV: Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV)

SRTS: Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a movement that aims to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school.

STIP: The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a staged, multi-year, statewide, intermodal program of transportation projects, consistent with the statewide transportation plan and planning processes as well as metropolitan plans, TIPs, and processes.

STP: This is a funding code in the TIP for Surface Transportation (STP) Block Grant Program.

State Legislative Appropriation: This is state funding that the State Legislature allocates to specific projects in the Annual State Budget.

TAP: This is a funding code in the TIP for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), which funds projects for sidewalks, paths, and recreational trails.

TDM: A travel demand model (TDM) is a set of mathematical procedures and equations that represent the variety of transportation choices people make, and how those choices result in trips on the transportation network

TIP: The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a core document for our organization. The TIP budgets four years’ worth of Federal funding that is allocated to Fairbanks and North Pole for local transportation projects, programs, and planning efforts. Learn more about the TIP here.

TPL: This is a funding code in the TIP that designates Transit Planning Funds.

Title VI: Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Learn more about our implementation of Title VI on our Civil Rights page.

Transportation Disadvantaged: Those who are unable to transport themselves or purchase needed transportation because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are considered transportation disadvantaged.

U.S. DOT: United States Department of Transportation

UAF: University of Alaska Fairbanks

UPWP (Unified Planning Work Program): This a core document for our organization. It serves as a management tool that identifies the work tasks, timeline, staffing needs, costs, and funding sources for all FAST Planning transportation planning and programming activities within the Fairbanks and North Pole area. Learn more about the UPWP here.

USC: United States Code

Underserved Populations: Underserved groups refer to populations that do not have adequate access to public services like transportation. This includes rural, elderly, low-literacy, blue collar, and poor populations.

VMT: The metric of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is used frequently in transportation planning and decision-making exercises.

VRU: This term Vulnerable Road User (VRU) is typically used to refer to pedestrians and cyclists, but may also apply to motorcyclists, road workers (who are also considered pedestrians), and other road users not inside a vehicle such as a car, truck, or bus.

glossary

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