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Glossary
and Acronyms

 

Please note that all definitions provided on this page are in context to the North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Phase I Study. The following terms may have different applications in other transportation and infrastructure projects.

 
A—C

AASHTO – American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) – A traffic signal that provides auditory and/or vibrotactile information to pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. 
 
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act 
 
Adjacent Street Network – The local street grid to the west of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive. 
 
ADT – Average Daily Traffic 
 
AHCP – Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 
 
Alternatives to be Carried Forward (ATBCF) – The NDLSD Alternatives that remain at the end of Level 2 Screening, which was the second round of evaluation. The ATBCF are evaluated in greater detail during Level 3 Screening. 
 
APS – Accessible Pedestrian Signal 
 
Arterial – Moderate to high capacity streets that connect commercial and residential areas. 
 
ASC – Adaptive Signal Control 
 
At Grade – On the same level as the adjacent park space. 
 
ATA – (ActiveTrans) Active Transportation Alliance 
 
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) – The calculation of average traffic volumes in both directions of travel in a time period greater than one day and less than one year and divided by the number of days in that time period. 
 
Backshore Berm – A raised landscaped area along the eastern edge the Outer Drive, which is designed to prevent wave overtopping. A backshore berm is one component of the overall NDLSD shoreline protection strategy. 
 
BDE – (IDOT) Bureau of Design and Environment 
 
Below Grade – Below the level of the adjacent park space. 
 
Best Management Practices (BMP) – Best management practices (BMPs) are used to manage roadway runoff and improve water quality. Examples of BMP’s include bioswales and bioretention ponds, which can store and filter roadway runoff. 
 
BLRS – (IDOT District 1) Bureau of Local Roads and Streets 
 
BMP – Best Management Practices 
 
BRT – Bus-Rapid Transit 
 
Bus Layovers – Provides a staging area for buses prior to beginning their routes. 
 
Bus Priority Signal – Traffic signals at junctions that can be actuated by buses to bring up the green phase, which provides mobility advantage for transit. Bus Priority Signals are used in combination with Queue Jump Lanes. 
 
Bus Turnarounds – Provides a dedicated turnaround space for buses (e.g., after buses reach the eastern end of their route, they can turn to head west). 
 
CACC – Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition 
 
CAF – Chicago Architecture Foundation 
 
Capacity Analysis – A study done to determine the quality of operation of a given intersection or roadway segment. The quality of operation is expressed in terms of a Level of Service (LOS).
 
CAPS – Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy 
 
Categorical Exclusion (CE) – A category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. 
 
CCA – Civic Consulting Alliance 
 
CCAP – Chicago Climate Action Plan 
 
CCDOTH – Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways 
 
CCT – Chicago Community Trust 
 
CDOT – Chicago Department of Transportation 
 
CDPH – Chicago Department of Public Health 
 
CDR – Combined Design Report 
 
CE – Categorical Exclusion 
 
CEQ – Council on Environmental Quality
 
CERCLIS – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Information System CFR – Code of Federal Regulations 
 
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) – The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the regional planning agency for northeastern Illinois (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties). CMAP is providing year 2050 travel forecasts that are being used by the NDLSD project team. 
 
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program 
 
CNT – Center for Neighborhood Technology 
 
CNU – Congress for the New Urbanism 
 
Collector – Low to moderate capacity streets that carry traffic from the interior of an area or community to the arterial system. 
 
Complete Streets – Complete streets policy ensures that streets are designed, operated and maintained to be safe, comfortable and convenient for all users. 
 
Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) – Context sensitive solutions (CSS) is 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. 
 
Context Tailored Treatments with Transit Advantages Alternatives (CTT + TA) – Options which bring NDLSD to modern standards and include spot transit improvements (Transit Advantage features). The top performing CTT Alternative has been carried forward to serve as both a standalone alternative (The Essential) as well as the base for all other alternatives. 
 
Cooperating Agencies – Agencies which have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to environmental impacts associated with the NDLSD Alternatives. 
 
CPC – Corridor Planning Committee
 
CPD – Chicago Park District 
 
CPS – Chicago Public Schools 
 
CSS – Context Sensitive Solutions 
 
CTA – Chicago Transit Authority