Washington County -- County Road Construction and Maintenance

Term	Definition
AASHTO	American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Abutment	The structure that supports the end of the bridge.
AC	Asphaltic concrete. A mixture of asphalt cement, graded aggregate, mineral filler, and additives.
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADT	Average Daily Traffic (traffic counts)
Aggregate	Rock of specified quality and gradation.
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
AOC	Association of Oregon Counties
APWA	American Public Works Association
ARRA	American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (see http://www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/Divisions/CPM/federal-stimulus-money.cfm)
ASCE	American Society of Civil Engineers
Asphalt overlay	A new layer of asphalt is placed on the road, making it look brand new. First a layer of liquid asphalt or tack coat is sprayed on the road. Next, fabric may be placed on any badly broken areas for added strength. Finally hot asphaltic concrete is applied, raked and rolled to a prescribed density. Work moves quickly and you can drive on the new asphalt as soon as the rolling is complete. The work must be done when the ground is dry and reasonably warm.
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Materials
ATMS	Automated Traffic Management System
Backfill	Materials used to replace previously excavated material.
Base	A layer of specified material of specified thickness placed below the road surface.
Bent	The vertical portion of a bridge that supports the beams. A bridge bent is located out of the waterway; a pier is located in the waterway.
Bike lane	A lane in the roadway designated by striping and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists.
BMPs	Best Management Practices (see www.co.washington.or.us/limit10)
Bridge bearings	A specially designed pad upon which the bridge beams rest.
Bridge deck	The concrete horizontal platform extending full length and width of the bridge.
Bridge end panels	Reinforced concrete roadway that acts as transition between a bridge and the road.
Bridge rails	Steel or reinforced concrete barrier built into the full length of the bridge to prevent vehicles and pedestrians from going over the edge.
CAC	Citizens Advisory Committee
Catch basin	An opening in the road surface with grated lid to allow water into a storm drainage system.
CCI	Committee for Citizen Involvement (leadership group for the Citizen Participation Organizations)
CDBG	Community Development Block Grant
CDC	Community Development Code
CECOP	Civil and Environmental Engineering Cooperative Program
Centerline	The design center of the new roadway, usually a surveyed line, not always the same as the centerline of the existing roadway nor the painted centerline.
CERT	Community Emergency Response Teams
Chip seal	Layers of rock and liquid asphalt are placed on the road to create a hard driving surface. For the first few days after the chip seal, the road will look light gray with some loose rock. As you drive on the rock (and after a good storm), the road will become more firm and turn black. The work must be done during warm, dry weather.
CIP	Capital Improvement Project (or Program)
Clearing and grubbing	Clearing of trees and vegetation in preparation for construction project.
Compaction	Compressing roadway materials to their optimum density, providing a strong, stable surface.
Concrete	A blend of cement, aggregates, sand, water, and special additives.
Controller	Electronic device that controls the timing and sequencing of traffic signals.
CPAWC	Cooperative Public Agencies of Washington County
CPO	Citizens Participation Organization
Culvert	A pipe, a reinforced concrete box, or a series of pipes or boxes that provide an opening under the ground for passage of water or other uses. (See www.co.washington.or.us/culverts)
CWS	Clean Water Services, a public utility committed to protecting water resources in the Tualatin River Watershed, including wastewater and stormwater services, flood management projects, water quality and stream enhancement projects, and fish habitat protection.
DEQ	Department of Environmental Quality
DLUT	Department of Land Use and Transportation (LUT)
DOC	Department Operations Center
Earthwork	Excavating, ditching, trenching, backfilling, embankment construction, grading, leveling, borrow, and other earth-moving work required in the construction of the project.
EOC	Emergency Operations Center
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
Erosion control	Protecting the exposed surfaces of roadway slopes from harmful effects of runoff water and rain.
ESA	Endangered Species Act
ETR	Emergency Transportation Route
Excavation	Removal of excess earth from roadway in preparation for new vertical and horizontal alignments.
Falsework	A temporary supporting framework for a structure during construction or demolition.
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration (USDOT)
Flagger	A worker who has completed flagging certification training, has a current certification, and is employed to provide traffic control services within the work zone.
Footings	The supporting base or foundation of a structure.
GASB	Government Accounting Standards Board
GIS	Geographic Information System
HMA	Hot Mix Asphalt
HMAC	Hot Mixed Asphalt Concrete
HOV	High Occupancy Vehicle
ICS	Incident Command System (for Emergency Management)
Inlet	An opening in the face of, and under, a curb allowing water to enter the drainage system.
Inspector	The representative of the Engineer authorized to inspect and report on contract performance.
IRIS	Integrated Road Information System
ITE	Institute of Transportation Engineers
JPACT	Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation
Leveling	Placing a variable-thickness course of materials to restore horizontal and vertical uniformity to existing pavements, normally continuous throughout the project.
LID	Local Improvement District
Lift	Layer. A compacted thickness of material placed by a piece of equipment in a single pass.
Loop detectors	Magnetic traffic detectors imbedded into the roadway in a circular fashion. They detect and inform the signal controller of traffic approaching an intersection.
Luminaire	A street light.
LUT	Land Use and Transportation Department (DLUT)
Machine patch	A new layer of asphalt is placed on sections of the road, perhaps leaving some gaps depending on condition. First a layer of liquid asphalt or tack coat is sprayed on the road. Next, fabric may be placed on any badly broken areas for added strength. Finally hot asphaltic concrete is applied, raked and rolled to a prescribed density. Work moves quickly and you can drive on the new asphalt as soon as the rolling is complete. The work must be done when the ground is dry and reasonably warm.
Manhole	A hole or opening in a street, with a removable cover, through which an underground structure, such as a sewer or conduit, can be entered for repair or inspection.
MB	Minor Betterment
Metro	Metropolitan Service District
MLID	Maintenance Local Improvement District
Mobilization	Move personnel, equipment, supplies, and incidentals to the project site. Establish offices, buildings, and other facilities necessary for work on the project.
MSTIP	Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program. A serial levy approved by Washington County voters in 1986, 1989 and 1995 to pay for much-needed capital improvements to the transportation system. In 1997, the voters approved Measure 50 making the MSTIP levy part of the county's permanent property tax rate, but at a reduced level.
MTIP	Metro Transportation Improvement Program. Every two years Metro allocates federal funds through a competitive project ranking process to jurisdictions within the Portland metropolitan area. The primary policy objective of the MTIP is to fund projects that support development of mixed-use and industrial areas identified in Metro's Region 2040 Growth Concept. A secondary objective of the MTIP is to help develop a multi-modal transportation network with emphasis on funding bicycle, pedestrian, boulevard, freight, green street demonstration, regional transportation options, transit oriented development and transit projects.
MUTCD	Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA, USDOT)
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NPMA	Northwest Pavement Management Association
NSP	Neighborhood Streets Program
OACES	Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors
OCEM	Office of Consolidated Emergency Management
ODOT	Oregon Department Of Transportation
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OTIA	Oregon Transportation Investment Act (see http://www.co.washington.or.us/deptmts/lut/cap_proj/otia.htm)
PAC	Project Advisory Committee
Pavement markers	Three-dimensional markers, reflectorized or non-reflectorized, epoxied onto pavement.
Pavement markings	Traffic markings such as lines, arrows, bicycle symbols, and words like "ONLY" and "SCHOOL".
PER	Pavement Excavation and Repair. Pavement patching.
Pile caps	The structure built on top of piling to support the bridge beams.
Piling	A heavy beam of timber, concrete, or steel driven into the earth as a foundation or support for a structure.
Punch list	A list of work items that need to be completed.
Rebar	Steel reinforcement added to concrete structures to provide support.
Retaining wall	A concrete, wood or block wall designed to hold back slopes.
Right-of-way	Land, property or property interest, usually in a strip, acquired for or devoted to transportation or other public works purposes.
Riprap	Erosion resistant cover material for protecting slopes and basins.
RMA	Riparian Management Area
Roadway	That portion of a road improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.
ROW	Right-of-Way
RROMAC	Rural Roads Operations and Maintenance Advisory Committee
SAFETEA-LU	Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act - a Legacy for Users
SDC	Systems Development Charge
SDL	Service District for Lighting
Shoulder	The part of a roadbed continuous to the Traveled Way or Roadway, whether paved or unpaved, for accommodating stopped vehicles, for emergency use and for lateral support of base and surface courses.
Slurry seal	A thin mix of liquid asphalt and fine aggregate is placed on the street as a preventive maintenance measure. If needed, the street will be patched and cracks sealed in the weeks prior to seal coat application. When the slurry seal is applied it may be brown, but gradually dries to black. You can drive on it after it solidifies in 4 to 6 hours. The work must be done during warm, dry weather.
Sound walls	Concrete block or concrete panel walls specifically designed to reduce road sounds outside of the right-of-way.
SPIS	Safety Priority Index System
STIP	State Transportation Improvement Program
Subgrade	The top surface of completed earthwork on which the subbase, base, surfacing, pavement or a course of other material is to be placed.
Subgrade stabilization	Excavating and disposing of unstable materials and replacing them with more stable materials.
Surfacing	The course or courses of material on the traveled way, auxiliary lanes, shoulders or parking areas for vehicle use.
TCP	Traffic Control Plan
TEA21	Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
TIF	Traffic Impact Fee
Traffic control devices	Signs, signals, markings, and other devices placed on or adjacent to a road to regulate, warn or guide traffic.
Traffic control measures	Elements of the traffic control plan including, but not limited to, traffic control devices, personnel, materials and equipment used to control traffic through a work zone.
Traffic control plan	A written and drawn plan for handling traffic on a specific roadway through a work zone.
Traffic lane	That part of the traveled way marked for moving a single line of vehicles.
UGB	Urban Growth Boundary
URIDS	Uniform Road Improvement Design Standards
URMD	Urban Road Maintenance District. The voters in the urban unincorporated areas of the county formed URMD in 1987 and approved funding for it in 1994. URMD's main purpose is to provide road maintenance services for all public local and neighborhood streets within the District boundaries.
USACE	United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE) (ACOE)
Wingwalls	Retaining walls attached to the bridge abutment to support the roadway.