The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Bank--The state infrastructure bank account in the state highway fund.
2. (2) Commission--The Texas Transportation Commission.
3. (3) Construction--A term as defined by Title 23, United States Code, §101, and which includes preliminary studies required to determine the feasibility of an eligible project.
4. (4) Department--The Texas Department of Transportation.

5. (5) Design manual--The latest editions of and successors to the:

   1. (A) operations and procedures manual of the design division;
   2. (B) bridge operational planning manual of the design division;
   3. (C) hydraulic manual of the design division;
   4. (D) Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices;
   5. (E) standard highway sign designs for Texas; and
   6. (F) traffic control standard sheets booklet of the traffic operations division.
6. (6) Executive director--The executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, or his or her designee.
7. (7) Expected financing period--The time taken to fully pay any and all liabilities incurred to finance an eligible project, including all extensions of time through refunding or restructuring.
8. (8) Federal Act--Section 350 of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 (Public Law Number 104-59) and all rules and regulations adopted under the Act.
9. (9) Federal-aid highway--A term as defined in Title 23, United States Code, §101.

10. (10) Financial assistance--A term which includes:

    1. (A) extending credit by direct loan;
    2. (B) providing credit enhancements;
    3. (C) serving as a capital reserve for bond or debt instrument funding;
    4. (D) subsidizing interest rates;
    5. (E) insuring the issuance of a letter of credit or credit instrument;
    6. (F) financing a purchase or lease agreement in connection with a transit project;
    7. (G) providing security for bonds and other debt instruments; or
    8. (H) providing methods of leveraging money that have been approved by the United States Secretary of Transportation and which relate to the project for which the assistance is provided.
11. (11) Investment grade rating--Creditworthiness sufficient to qualify a debt as eligible for commercial bank investment under regulations issued by the Comptroller of the Currency. For bonds, these debts are limited to ratings of "AAA," "AA," "A," and "BBB" by Standard and Poor's Rating Services or corresponding ratings used by other rating services.
12. (12) Metropolitan planning organization (MPO)--An organization designated in certain urbanized areas to carry out the transportation planning process as required by Title 23, United States Code, §134.

13. (13) Secondary Funds--A term which includes:

    1. (A) the repayment of a loan, including interest, principal, fees, charges, or other assistance that is provided with money deposited to the credit of the bank; and
    2. (B) the investment income generated by secondary funds deposited to the credit of the bank.
14. (14) Transit project--Capital expenditures, excluding expenditures for commuter rail, eligible for funding under Title 49, United States Code, §5307, §5309, and §5311.
15. (15) Unified Transportation Program, Priority 1 and Priority 2 designations--That group of transportation programs for which the commission has authorized the department to prepare or complete plans, specifications, and estimates, or acquire right-of-way, or adjust utilities, or be let to contract.

Source Note:The provisions of this §6.2 adopted to be effective January 8, 1998, 23 TexReg 151.