Following are some commonly used terms and brief definitions to help de-mystify discussions of Express Toll Lanes and related demand management concepts.

Dynamic Pricing – a pricing structure in which charges are continually adjusted according to traffic conditions to maintain a free-flowing level of traffic, increasing when the lanes are relatively full and decreasing when the lanes have extra capacity.

Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) – electronic systems that collect tolls, eliminating the need for tollbooths and for vehicles to stop to make payment.

Express Bus Service –- bus service with a limited number of stops, usually at a higher speed; when in a dedicated right-of-way, it is sometimes referred to as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

General Purpose Lanes – lanes that are open to all motor vehicles.

Limited Access – restrictions on entry to a facility based on congestion levels, vehicle type, use, or other operational conditions.

Managed Lane(s) – a lane or lanes that are used to increase roadway efficiency through management of operations and access.

Time-of-Day Pricing – facility charges that vary by time of day, with charges generally higher during peak periods and lower other times.

Transponder – an electronic tag (like E-ZPass (SM)) mounted on a license plate, built into a vehicle, or placed on the windshield or dashboard by which drivers can be charged a fee (or toll) without stopping.

Value Pricing –- adoption of market principles routinely used in the private sector to bring transportation supply and demand into balance. An example is a system of fees or tolls paid by drivers to gain access to certain roadway facilities providing consistent, free-flowing service compared to the alternative toll-free facilities.

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