Highway Designation File Glossary

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Administrative Authority (Admin. Auth.) Used to change a designated highway from one number to another within the same State Highway System (i.e., from SH 75 to SH 91) or to redesignate a Farm to Market Road as a Ranch to Market Road.

Administrative Circular (Adm. Cir.) Report to Districts, Divisions, and outside interests of changes to the State Highway System.

American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) A panel of state transportation officials who approves requests to make any changes to an Interstate or U. S. Highway.

Automated Highway Designation File A computer system which contains current highway designations.

Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) Predecessor of FHWA and AASHTO.

Business IH Highways (BI) A roadway beginning and ending on a through interstate highway.

Business US Highways (BU) A roadway beginning and ending on a through U. S. highway.

Business State Highways (BS) A roadway beginning and ending on a through state highway.

Business Farm to Market Roads (BF) A roadway beginning and ending on a through Farm to Market Road.

City Limit (C/L) Border of a city.

Commission Meeting Monthly meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission.

Commission Meeting Agenda Outlines the items which will be presented at the Commission Meeting.

Control-Section-Job number (CSJ) Identification numbers assigned to route segments on every highway route in the State.

County Line (C/L) Border of a county.

County Number Number assigned by the department to identify each of the 254 counties in the state.

Designated Highway Control Cards The cards on which all highways, history, and current designations are recorded.

Designation Letter (DesLtr) Report to Districts, Divisions, and outside interests of changes to the State Highway System.

Farm to Market Road (FM) A roadway generally in rural areas, funded by TxDOT and a city or county. The city or county acquires right of way and TxDOT builds and maintains the roadway.

Farm to Market Road Spurs (FS) Begins on a Farm to Market Road and usually ends without connecting to an on-system road; designated within the description of the Farm to Market Road.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Federal overseer of all state Departments of Transportation (DOT), including TxDOT.

Highway System Designations Description of highways, from point "A" to point "B", including direction, mileage, and counties affected.

Interstate Highway (IH) Federally funded highways; system considered complete.

Interstate Highway Loop (IH) Federally funded highways generally designated with its own specific number; usually created as a by-pass.

Interstate Highway Spur (IH) Federally funded highways generally designated with its own specific number; begins on an Interstate Highway and usually ends without connecting to an on-system road.

Minute Order (M/O) A document requesting action by the Texas Transportation Commission. This is the document used to request approval of a new, changed, or deleted highway.

New Designation New highway on the state highway system.

New Description Highway description is changed on the state highway system.

Off-system roadway Roadway not designated on the State Highway System and not maintained by TxDOT (i.e. city street, county road).

On-system roadway Roadway designated on the State Highway System and maintained by TxDOT.

Park Road (PR) Roadway to a recognized state or national park. Roadways within state parks are maintained by TxDOT by law and no designation is necessary.

Principle Arterial Street System (PASS) City streets included in the State Highway System under the 1988 – 1992 Urban System/PASS Program for major urbanized areas (Category 6). The purpose of the PASS is to improve mobility by developing a high level urban arterial street system to connect and serve freeways and expressways and relieve major traffic corridors.

Ranch Road (RR) Only one—Ranch Road 1; considered part of the Farm to Market Road system.

Ranch to Market Road (RM) A roadway generally in rural areas, funded by TxDOT and a city or county. The city or county acquires right of way and TxDOT builds and maintains the roadway; considered part of the Farm to Market Road system.

Ranch to Market Road Spur (RS) Begins on a Ranch to Market Road and usually ends without connecting to an on-system road; designated within the description of the Ranch to Market Road.

Recreational Road (RE) State funded roadway to a recognized recreational area; TxDOT acquires right of way and maintains roadway.

Recreational Road Spur (RP) State funded roadway which usually begins on an on-system roadway and ends on an off-system roadway; TxDOT acquires right of way and maintains roadway.

State Highway (SH) State funded roadway; TxDOT acquires right of way and maintains roadway. (includes NASA Road 1 and Old San Antonio Road "OSR")

State Highway Loop (SL) State funded roadway usually created as a by-pass; TxDOT acquires right of way and maintains roadway (includes Beltway).

State Highway Spur (SS) Roadway which usually begins on a state highway and ends on an off-system roadway; TxDOT acquires right of way and maintains roadway.

State Highway System (SHS) The highways in the State built and maintained by TxDOT. Each category of highways is its own system within the State Highway System, i.e. Farm to Market Road system, State Highway Loop system, etc.

State Line (S/L) Border of a state.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) A department of the State of Texas overseeing public transportation within the state.

Texas Transportation Commission A three-member panel which governs the Texas Department of Transportation. The Governor of the State of Texas, with the advice and consent of the Texas Senate, appoints commission members, who serve overlapping six-year terms. This panel approves Minute Orders.

Transportation Planning & Programming Division (TPP) Division of TxDOT which coordinates research, administers planning funds, and collects data on the state highway system.

Urban Road (UR) Farm or Ranch to Market Road within an urban area; designation includes the same number as the Farm or Ranch to Market Road from which the Urban Road was created.

United States Highway (US) Federally funded highways; system considered complete.

U. S. Highway Alternate roadway (UA) An alternate route for a same-numbered U. S. highway.

U. S. Highway Spur (UP) Federally funded highways generally designated with its own specific number; usually begins on a U. S. Highway and ends on an off-system roadway.