28-7671. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. " Eligible highway project" means a highway project that is both:

(a) On the federal aid system, national highway system or state route or state highway system.

(b) Included in either:

(i) The department's state highway construction plan.

(ii) The transportation improvement plan of a regional association of governments.

2. " Eligible transit capital project" means land, buildings or motor vehicles or a combination of land, buildings and motor vehicles that is included in the transportation improvement plan of a regional association of governments and that is part of the federal transit administration's rural public transportation program for entities that are eligible pursuant to section 28-7676 and that have populations of less than fifty thousand persons.

3. " Eligible transportation project" means a transportation project that is eligible pursuant to section 28-7676.

4. " Federal SIB act" means section 350 of the national highway system designation act of 1995 (P.L. 104-59; 109 Stat. 618), any regulations adopted pursuant to that section and any other provisions of federal law providing for state infrastructure banks, infrastructure credit programs and other grant programs for highway purposes and any regulations adopted pursuant to those laws.

5. " Fund" means the highway expansion and extension loan program fund established by section 28-7674.

6. " Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe, band, group or community that is recognized by the United States secretary of the interior and that exercises governmental authority within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States government, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent and including rights-of-way running through the reservation.

7. " Loan repayment agreement" means one or more loan agreements, instruments or other agreements providing for repayment of a loan or other financial assistance and entered into by this state or its agencies, including the department, or a political subdivision or Indian tribe.

8. " Political subdivision" means a county, city, town or special taxing district authorized by law to construct or assist in the construction of an eligible highway project or a county, city, town or special taxing district established pursuant to section 48-5102 to construct or assist in the construction of a transportation project.

9. " SIB cooperative agreement" means a cooperative agreement or agreements entered into by the Arizona department of transportation with the United States department of transportation pursuant to this article and the federal SIB act.

10. " Transportation project" means all or a portion of a project that is included in the state's transportation improvement program or a regional transportation plan, as defined in section 28-6351, including the project planning, environmental work, design, right-of-way acquisition or construction for the transportation project and associated rolling stock and operating systems but not including an eligible highway project.