| GLOSSARY
:: www.henryhudsonparkway.org |
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| AASHTO.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials aka the
Green Book. (Available from the Government Printing Office.) |
| Acceleration
and deceleration lanes. Extra lanes created at entrances and exits to
allow vehicles to adjust speed. |
| Alignment.
The layout of the road across the landscape. Parkway alignment makes use
of curves, dips and rises to provide the motorist with a changing sequence
of scenic views as well as to limit speed. Realignment of a historic parkway
can seriously degrade its design integrity. |
| Authority.
A quasi-public agency with jurisdiction over a public resource. E.g., the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority)
has jurisdiction over the Henry Hudson Bridge and its approaches from Kappock
St. in the Bronx and Dyckman in Manhattan. The New York Port Authority has
jurisdiction over the George Washington Bridge and its approach roads and
parkland. The authority was by Robert Moses to |
| Bicycle
Lanes. In NYC, a Class 1 bike lane is physically separated from traffic;
Class 2 is a delineated lane in the street; and Class 3 is marked only by
signs indicating it is a recommended route for bicycling. |
| Clear
zone. Area alongside a roadway free of potential hazards. |
| Context.
The area surrounding a roadway that helps define its character. It may include
destinations and neighborhoods along the route that while not directly visible
from the road are easily accessible. |
| Designed
landscape. Area that is either planted or deliberately maintained to
create a specific effect. |
| Design
speed. The maximum safe speed at which a vehicle can be expected to
operate on a roadway (almost always substantially higher than the posted
speed limit). |
| Guardrails.
Barriers along the edge of the roadway to protect something from the impact
of an errant vehicle. DOT now prefers to use the word guide rail, because
they are now designed to deflect as well as absorb the impact from a collision.
While the most common rail on the Henry Hudson Parkway is now galvanized
steel W beams, it also preserves original ornamental green steel fencing
in Manhattan and rustic wooden rails in the Bronx. |
| Grade
separation. Use of different levels. Grade separation of north and south
bound lanes at different levels can eliminate oncoming headlight glare and
preserve a scenic view. Grade separation of intersections carries traffic
over or under a highway, making it "limited access." |
| Jersey
barrier. Concrete barrier designed to guide errant vehicles back into
the roadway. |
| Jurisdiction.
Ownership and ultimate responsibility. |
| MUCTD.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. Establishes
national standards for all traffic control devices (including signs) on
any street, highway, or bicycle trail open to public travel. (Available
from the Government Printing Office) |
| National
Highway System. Interstate and national primary arterial network. All
roads are required to meet Federal Highway Administration standards. |
| Parapet.
The sidewall of the upstairs of a bridge. |
| Right-of-way.
The land area of the corridor proper, including the roadway as well as the
green buffers. |
| Shoulder.
Level area adjacent to roadway for disabled vehicles. |
| Sight
distance. The length of road ahead that is visible to a driver. |
| Standards.
The legally adopted policies and practices directing the design and construction
of roads. |
| Stormwater
catchment area. Area on which precipitation falls and is either absorbed
by soil, where it can irrigate the landscape, or channeled into storm drains
and into the river, along with pollutants. Impermeable surfaces, such as
pavement, divert water from the landscape to the drainage system. |
| Tort
liability. A situation is which an injury or harm has occurred, due
to a breach of a preexisting duty or obligation, resulting in potential
exposure for damages. |