The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter,
shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
(1) Commission--Texas Transportation Commission.
(2) Department--Texas Department of Transportation.
(3) Executive director--The executive director of the
Texas Department of Transportation or the executive director's designee.
(4) FHWA--Federal Highway Administration.
(5) Local agreement--An agreement between the project
sponsor and the department which includes a commitment for the required
local funding, describes the total scope and course of project activities,
and outlines the responsibilities and duties of the participants.
(6) Metropolitan planning organization (MPO)--The organization
or policy board of an organization created and designated under 23
U.S.C. §134, and 49 U.S.C. §5303, to make transportation
planning decisions for the metropolitan planning area and carry out
the metropolitan planning process.
(7) Project--An undertaking to implement or construct
an eligible activity at a specific location or locations, or, if the
context so implies, the particular activity so implemented or constructed.
(8) Project sponsor--An eligible entity, as defined
by 23 U.S.C. §133(h), that nominates a particular project for
consideration and commits to the project's development, implementation,
management, and financing.
(9) State--The State of Texas or any of its political
subdivisions.
(10) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)--A
four-year short-range program developed by the department as a compilation
of all metropolitan transportation improvement programs, together
with rural transportation improvement programs, that include recommendations
from rural planning organizations and department districts for the
areas of the state that are outside of the boundaries of a metropolitan
planning organization, including transportation between cities.
(11) Surface transportation system--An interconnected
surface transportation network for moving people and goods using various
combinations of transportation modes.
(12) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)--A short-range
program developed by each metropolitan planning organization in cooperation
with the department and public transportation operators that covers
a four-year period and contains a prioritized listing of all projects
proposed for federal funding and regionally significant projects proposed
for state, federal, and local funding in a metropolitan area.
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