Project Type Glossary

A middle-aged mom and her young daughter is walking their bikes along the Bayshore Bikeway that surrounds the San Diego Bay on a sunny afternoon.

Active Transportation

Bikeways and walkways on streets or new off-street trails.

Downtown San Diego Intentional Airport aerial cityscape backdrop

Airport Connection

Future transit service upgrades to improve links between San Diego International Airport and our regional public transit system.

I-5 and Genesee Avenue bike interchange bridge on a sunny afternoon, June 2018.

Arterials

Major streets in cities that move traffic quickly and connect to highways.

Three red buses diagonally parked next to each other in marked spaces of a cement parking garage.

Bus Layover

Designated area where buses can wait between trips so drivers can take breaks, and where vehicles can be fueled, charged, or cleaned.

Two red and white MTS minibuses at a transit center during dusk. The number 894 Morena Village minibus is driving by the parked number 833 Santee Trolley minibus.

Circulator

A bus that comes frequently and stops at major local destinations in a specific area.

A MTS Rapid bus number 235 is traveling away, down a direct access ramp merging onto the separated express lanes, between north and southbound traffic on the I-15 freeway.

Direct Access Ramp (DAR)

A special highway entrance where buses, carpoolers, or people who pay a toll can directly enter managed lanes without having to merge from the right side.

Express Bus

Bus routes that connect suburban areas to major urban centers that have very few stops at major destinations.

Sunny day aerial view of the I-5 and I-8 connector facing northbound with Mission Bay in the background.

Freeway Connector

A ramp that connects one highway to another.

A long line of semi trucks waiting to cross the border from the United States into Mexico.

Goods Movement

Projects that help ship goods faster on highways and trains, and within ports and airports, while improving air quality.

The connection between Interstates 5 and 8 in San Diego, California shot from an elevation of about 300 feet from a chartered helicopter during a photo flight.

Interchange

Where a freeway and a major road or other freeway cross each other.

An MTS bus 30 is pulling away from a bus stop at an intersection with a market and Chinese restaurant in the background. People are walking near by. The bus has bikes stored on the front and electronic sign that says it is in route for UTC/VA Hospital via Pacific Beach.

Local Bus

A bus route that travels around neighborhoods that are near one another.

A Coaster train is traveling northbound near Seagrove Park. The train is traveling very close in-between a residential area and the beach cliffs. The beach and coastline is lit up from the blue and pink cloudy sky during dusk.

LOSSAN Improvements

Making the railway that connects San Diego to Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo safer, faster and more efficient.

Aerial view of the I-805 traffic looking south at the north end of the HOV lanes near SR 94.

Managed Lanes (ML)

Separate highway lanes for multi-passenger transportation (like buses or carpools) or people who pay a toll. Project descriptions describe total lanes before and after the project. Ex. “6F+2ML” means six freeway lanes plus two managed lanes.

I-15 and SR 78 managed lanes direct connectors project showing aerial view of Escondido I-15 northbound with SR 78 connected on the west side. Coming from the south, there are two purple lines drawn over the photo on the left shoulders of the I-15 freeway north and southbound, following westbound into the SR 78.

Managed Lane Connector

Ramps that connect managed lanes on different freeways.

A group of people are walking on a sidewalk towards a blue and white small shuttle with the text "Carlsbad Connector" on the side of the vehicle.

Microtransit/Flexible Fleets

On-demand public shuttle service for short trips within a neighborhood.

Rendering of the San Ysidro Transit Station showing all modes of transportation including the San Diego trolley, bike, pedestrian and autonomous vehicles. Within this space, there are places where people can sit with small tables or open and umbrella-shaded benches.

Mobility Hub

An area where many types of transportation connect (ex. public transit, bike lanes, or shuttles).

Rendering of the Palomar Street Grade Separation project looking west. The after picture shows traffic going in both directions with a bridge above and a walking ramp on both sides of the bridge.

Multimodal Corridor Improvements

Projects that make all transportation on the same route more efficient, including walking, biking, transit, trains, and/or vehicles.

A 6-passenger white Circuit neighborhood electric vehicle is parked next to a park in Pacific Beach along Mission Bay.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) Service

Small, on-demand electric shuttle available for short trips in a small area (ex. FRED San Diego).

A red and white accordion Rapid bus with passengers on board is driving through a street with no traffic.

Next Gen Rapid Bus

A bus route with limited stops that uses different infrastructure tto get around traffic and speed up trips.

Aerial view of Genesee Road and I-5 interchange.

Operational Improvements

Help highway traffic flow: ex. adding merging lanes, truck lanes, upgrades to on- & off-ramps.

Aerial view rendering of the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry from the northwest. The rendering shows the entire facility including roads leading in and out of the gated area, parking and different building structures.

Otay Mesa East Port of Entry (OME POE)

A new U.S.-Mexico border crossing.

An Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train traveling northbound passing through the El Portal Undercrossing in Encinitas, San Diego.

Regional Rail and Light Rail

(ex. on the Blue, Green, or Orange Line, SPRINTER, or COASTER) Projects that make rail trips more efficient: for example, separating rail tracks from car traffic with a bridge.

A barrier transfer machine or a zipper machine, also referred to as a road zipper is moving the divider eastbound on SR 75 or also known as the Coronado Bridge. There is some traffic in the background.

Reversible Managed Lanes

A managed lane that can change traffic direction depending on the time of day or traffic conditions.

Yellow 35 mph sign with curved arrow on a country road in California.

Rural Corridor and Intersection Improvements

Highway safety upgrades: ex. adding a shoulder, straightening windy roads, improving connections between streets and highways

Aerial view of the SR 76 highway at a curved section showing a recently widen shoulder. The highway is located in a rural area with some hills and green vegetation.

Shoulder Widening

Project that widens pavement on the side of a freeway for safety in case of emergencies.

A nighttime photo of a freeway blurred with street lights and tall buildings silhouetted in the background. Slightly blurry white circular shapes and data graphics overlay the image.

Transportation System Management/Transportation Technology and Smart Systems

Projects that use data and technology to improve traffic flow, travel times, and transportation reliability.