Panel length is the distance between adjacent transverse joints.

A parapet is a wall or rampart, breast high. A parapet is also the wall on top of an abutment extending from the bridge seat to the underside of the bridge floor and designed to hold the backfill.

A parcel is all property that the State will take.

A parent tract is the whole of the property of which a parcel taking is being made.

Parenteral contact is the piercing of mucous membranes or the skin barrier through such events as needlesticks, human bites, cuts and abrasions.

The Paris District (PAR) is a TxDOT district office including the following counties: Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Rains and Red River. Area offices are located in Bonham, Greenville, Paris, Sherman, and Sulphur Springs. This district also has the Denison Travel Information Center.

Park & ride (P&R) are vehicle parking areas located on the perimeter of urban areas. They provide parking for commuters and an interface with mass transit and/or car pools.

A parking area is a TxDOT-operated facility that primarily offers parking for commercial trucks, although passenger vehicles may also use the facility. Picnic tables are provided at some sites. Parking areas are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A part-time employee is an individual employed with the department and working between 20 and 39 hours per week.

Partial access means only a portion of a property's total frontage has access to a given road, subject to police power restrictions.

Partial immersion thermometers are liquid-in-glass thermometers designed to indicate correctly when the bulb and stem are immersed to a specified depth. These are marked on the stem to show the immersion depth. Errors are dependent upon the cooling of the glass stem above this mark.

The lighting of acceleration and deceleration lanes, ramp terminals, crossroads at frontage road or ramp intersections, and other areas of nighttime hazard. (See .)

Partial Tensioning Cylinders are cylinders used to determine when the concrete strength is adequate to apply partial tensioning force by either pretensioning or post-tensioning method, to remove the member from the casting line.

Particle projected area is the maximum cross sectional area of the fractured particle.

Pascal’s Law is pressure exerted at any point upon a confined liquid is transmitted undiminished in all directions.

A pass is a structure allowing movement of livestock, vehicles or products underneath the roadway.

Federal or state funds provided to subrecipients through grants/agreements as defined by OMB Circular A-133 or the State’s Uniform Grant Management Standards. These generally do not include advance funding agreements with local governmental entities involving projects in the department’s Unified Transportation Plan.

A pass-thru item is a non-stock item.

Passenger car equivalency (PCE) is the equivalency of larger vehicles, such as trucks and buses, to a quantity of passenger cars. This value is used in level of service and capacity analysis. The equivalency is dependent upon size, weight, and operating characteristics of the large vehicle, and the design speed and gradient of the highway.

A passenger trip is the number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles. A passenger is counted each time the passenger boards a vehicle even though the passenger might be on the journey from origin to destination.

Passenger sight distance is the minimum sight distance that must be available to enable a driver of one vehicle, traveling at design speed, to pass another vehicle, traveling 10 mph slower than design speed, safely and comfortably, without interfering with the speed of an oncoming vehicle traveling at design speed and coming into view after the overtaking maneuver is started.

Password history is the previous passwords “remembered” by the security system to prevent a particular password from being reused too frequently.

Password interval is the maximum number of days a password may be used before it must be changed.

Password source is the originator of a password.

Password threshold is the maximum number of consecutive times a wrong password can be entered before the user ID is suspended, disabled or unavailable for use for a period of time.

A past due inventory is when items scheduled for inventory are not physically counted by the due date.

Patching is an asphaltic concrete pavement (ACP) distress type. Patches are repairs made to pavement distress. The presence of patching indicates prior maintenance activity and is thus used as a general measure of maintenance cost. Patching ranges from 0 to 100 percent of the lane area.

Pavement (PMT) is that part of a roadway having a constructed surface for the facilitation of vehicular traffic.

A pavement crack is a fissure or open seam in pavement which does not necessarily extend through the body of the pavement material. Pavement cracking includes alligator, longitudinal, and transverse cracking.

A pavement crown is a transverse roadway section formed by a plane surface, curved surface, or a combination of the two, for the purpose of insuring proper drainage of the pavement.

Pavement design includes two tasks: (1) mixture or materials design and (2) structure or thickness design. These two tasks cannot be cleanly separated at the design stage; there must be interaction between the tasks. Specifications are the link between mixtures and thickness design.

Pavement distress is cracking, rutting, distortion or other types of surface deterioration which indicates a decline in the pavement’s surface condition or structural load-carrying capacity.

A pavement edge drop off is a condition frequently occurring on narrow pavement or roads without paved shoulders where the wheels of vehicles frequently traverse off the pavement.

Pavement Evaluation System (PES) incorporates visual evaluation, Mays Ride Meter Serviceability Index (SI), optional Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) structural evaluation data, optional Skid Resistance Number (SN), and Roadway Information System (RIS) data into a framework designed to calculate, by modeling techniques, pavement condition and rehabilitation needs for statewide evaluation. PES was replaced in Fiscal Year 1993 by the Pavement Management Information System (PMIS). PES is part of the major investment study.

A pavement graphic is a type of marking, including stock bars, cross walks, railroad crossings, school zones, arrows, etc.

Pavement, invert, means the lower segment of a corrugated metal pipe provided with a smooth bituminous material that completely fills the corrugations, intended to give resistance to scour and erosion, and to improve flow.

Pavement management is a method of finding cost-effective strategies for providing, evaluating and maintaining pavements in a serviceable condition.

The Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) is an automated system for storing, retrieving, analyzing and reporting information to help with pavement-related decision-making processes. PMIS began in fiscal year 1993, and includes Pavement Evaluation System (PES) data collected from fiscal years 1985-1992

The Pavement Management System (PMS) is a set of tools or methods that can assist decision-makers in finding cost-effective strategies for providing, evaluating and maintaining pavements in a serviceable condition.

Pavement markings are markings set into the surface of, applied upon, or attached to the pavement to inform or guide traffic. Markings intended to guide traffic, including striping, traffic buttons, raised pavement markers and graphics. All markings should be maintained as soon as practical according to the latest department standards.

Pavement reconstruction is construction of the equivalent of a new pavement structure which usually involves complete removal and replacement of an existing pavement structure including new and/or recycled materials.

Pavement rehabilitation is work undertaken to extend the service life of an existing facility. This includes resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (3R) work undertaken to restore serviceability such as placement of additional surfacing material and/or other work necessary to return an existing roadway, including shoulders, to a condition of structural or functional adequacy. This could include the complete removal and replacement of the pavement structure. This may include partial recycling of the existing pavement.

Pavement structure is the combination of sub-base, base course, and surface course placed on a subgrade to support the traffic load and to distribute it to the roadbed.

A payee is an individual or entity that receives a payment from the State of Texas.

The Payee Identification Number System (PINS) is TxDOT’s procedure to set up vendors in the comptroller’s payment system.

Payload is the combined maximum allowable weight of cargo and passengers that a truck is designed to carry. Payload is the same as tare weight and net carrying capacity.

A payment is a transfer of funds from the appropriate TxDOT financial account to pay for any costs of the miscellaneous contracts.

The security furnished by the contractor solely for the protection of claimants, as defined by law, supplying labor and materials for the prosecution of the work in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Payment rate is the proportional share of sampling cost to be paid to MAT when a supplier/producer chooses to have less that the MQR of a material sampled and tested.

Payroll is a list of employees entitled to the payment of wages.

The peak hour factor (PHF) is a ratio of the total hourly traffic volume to the maximum 15-minute traffic volume within the hour. PHF represents the flow variation within an hour.

Peak hour traffic (PHT) is the percentage of Average Daily Traffic (ADT) that occurs during the hour with the highest traffic volume.

Peat is a soil composed of vegetable tissue in various stages of decomposition usually with a dark brown to black color, a spongy consistency and a texture ranging from fibrous to amorphous.

Pedestrian or bystander injuries are occurrences which result in death or injury to pedestrians or bystanders caused by contact with a moving vehicle or road machine, or an object carried on or in such equipment and are classified as accidents.

A pedestrian overpass is a grade separation designed to carry pedestrian traffic over the subject highway.

A pedestrian underpass is a grade separation designed to carry pedestrian traffic under the subject highway.

Penetration is the distance a needle penetrates asphalt, under a specified weight, in a specified time, and at a specified temperature. This is a controlled laboratory test.

Percent combo unit trucks in ADT represents all combo unit truck activity over all days of the week and seasons of the year as a percentage of total annual traffic. Combo unit trucks include vehicle classes 8 through 13.

Percent combo unit trucks in DHV represents all combo unit truck activity for peak periods of the year as a percentage. Combo unit trucks include vehicle classes 8 through 13.

The percent density or percent compaction is the ratio of the actual bulk specific gravity (Ga) of the compacted bituminous mixture specimen to the theoretical maximum specific gravity (Gr) of the bituminous mixture expressed as a percentage.

Percent of grade is the grade of centerline or profile grade road between vertical points of intersection +0.10% = Increase in elevation by 0.10 feet for each 100 feet station.

Percent single unit trucks in ADT represents all single-unit truck activity over all days of the week and seasons of the year as a percentage of total annual traffic. Single unit trucks include vehicle classes 4 through 7.

Percent single unit trucks in DHV represents all single unit truck activity for peak periods of the year as a percentage. Single unit trucks include vehicle classes 4 through 7.

The percent soil binder is equal to 100 times the ratio of the oven-dry mass of the soil binder to the oven-dry mass of the total.

Percent slope (% slope) is the change in elevation divided by the horizontal distance over which the change occurs for a vertical line.

A perched water table, in hydrology, is the upper surface of a body of free ground water in a zone of saturation, separated by unsaturated material from an underlying body of ground water in a differing zone of saturation.

Performance awards are awards that may be given to individual employees or work teams for outstanding contributions to the department. Awards may include cash, certificates of recognition, plaques, and gifts within state and department guidelines.

Performance bond is the security furnished by the contractor to guarantee the completion of the work in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Performance period is the period of time that an initially constructed or rehabilitated pavement structure will last (perform) before reaching its terminal serviceability. This is also referred to as the design period.

The performing agency is the state agency providing the service or resources.

The performing district, division, or office is the office responsible for providing the service or resource to the receiving agency.

Performing entity a party to a department contract, not a department employee, who accepts a department offer to participate in a contracting activity; the contract can define the performing entity as appropriate to the contract: engineer, surveyor, technical expert, private consultant, the city, the recipient, etc.

Peripherals are computer-oriented hardware components such as printers, modems, etc.

A period ending is a date that indicates the last day of the accounting period being reported.

A permanently assigned vehicle is a vehicle permanently assigned to a division or office for its exclusive use and may be used for local or out-of-town travel.

A permanent sign is any sign permanently affixed or attached to the ground or a structure or which cannot be removed without special handling.

A permanent structure number (PSN) is a unique three-digit number assigned to any structure meeting the definition of a bridge. It is part of the 12-digit Bridge Identification. PSNs are assigned by control in ascending order as the bridges are built and are not necessarily in sequence along the control or section.

Permeability means penetrability.

A permit system is the employer’s written procedure for preparing and issuing permits for entry and for returning the permit space to service following termination of entry.

A permit-required confined space is a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant; has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or, contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

A personal care attendant (PCA) is an individual who provides personal care to a person with a very severe disability by providing assistance with activities of daily living that the individual would typically perform if the individual did not have a disability.

A personal computer (PC) is a microcomputer that is not a server.

A Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a general category for two way digital networks with integrated voice, data, and messaging capabilities. A small computing device based on the Microsoft Pocket PC standard or Palm OS.

A personalty is any property owned by a person other than real property.

Persons providing services on the project include all persons or entities performing all or part of the services the contractor has undertaken to perform on the project, regardless of whether that person contracted directly with the contractor and regardless of whether that person has employees. This includes but is not limited to independent contractors, subcontractors, leasing companies, motor carriers, owner-operators, employees of any such entity or employee of any entity furnishing persons to perform services on the project. “Services” includes but is not limited to providing, hauling, or delivering equipment or materials, or providing labor, transportation or other service related to a project. “Services” does not include activities unrelated to the project, such as food and beverage vendors, office supply deliveries, and delivery of portable toilets.

Person trips are those trips made by persons five years of age or older by any mode of transportation. These are usually summed for all members of a household and reported as person trips per household and referred to as the person trip rate. Person trips are also summed by household and divided by the number of persons in the household to compute the person trips per person.

A petroleum storage tank system (PSTS) is any storage system designed to contain petroleum products or byproducts underground, and to be accessed from the ground's surface; also any container of hazardous material or waste buried beneath the surface of the earth.

Petty cash is a sum of money set aside to pay items for which the issuance of a formal voucher and warrant would not be cost- or time-efficient.

The Pharr District (PHR) is a TxDOT district office including the following counties: Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy and Zapata. Area offices are located in Hebronville, Pharr, Raymondville and San Benito. Other TxDOT offices in this district are the Valley Travel Information Center and a Vehicle Titles and Registration Regional Office.

Photometric curves, also called photometric data, are derived from metered measurements of horizontal or vertical lux (or footcandles). These metered measurements are obtained by the use of a light meter usually calibrated in lux (or footcandles).

A series of overlapping aerial photos that form a composite image of a larger area.

A picnic area is a TxDOT-operated facility that offers parking and picnic arbors for the traveling public. Picnic areas are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A pile, bearing, is a member driven or jetted into the ground and deriving its support from the underlying strata and/or by the friction of the ground on its surface.

Pilferable items are those items, of any value, which are desirable and/or quickly adjusted for personal use.

A piling is a long slender column of timber, steel, or reinforced concrete that is driven into the ground to carry vertical loads from the structure to the earth to act as a foundation for the structure.

A pixel is the smallest definable unit in a raster image. The actual size of the pixel depends on the resolution of the individual image.

Place of employment means the place where an employee routinely conducts official state business.

Plain elastomeric bridge bearings consist of elastomer only.

Plain old telephone service (POTS) is short for plain old telephone service, which refers to the standard telephone service that most homes use.

A plan quantity item is an item whose quantity can be accurately determined through calculation such as pounds of reinforcing steel or cubic yards of concrete for structure work.

Planning emphasis areas (PEAs) are FTA and FHWA priority themes for consideration in developing the state and in metropolitan planning organization unified planning work programs. PEAs were published annually in the Federal Register until 2007 when they were discontinued to allow MPOs and states to concentrate on implementation of SAFETEA-LU practices.

The Planning Justification System (PJS) contains a list of all TxDOT “approved for purchase” hardware and software.

Planimetric maps (“planimetrics” or “mapping”) contain two-dimensional data (X and Y coordinates). Planimetrics are digitized maps that show outlines and labels of topographic features. Contour lines (adding the vertical “Z” element) can be computed from a (DTM) and superimposed on the map.

Plans are drawings which show the location, dimensions, and nature of the prescribed work, including layouts, profiles, typical sections, and other details as is necessary to describe the work fully. These drawings are part of the contract for a project.

Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) are the detailed plans and accompanying specifications and construction cost estimates which serve as documents for construction contract letting purposes. Plans are the contract drawings which show the location, character, and dimensions of the prescribed work, including layouts, profiles, cross section, other miscellaneous details, and quantity summaries. Specifications are the compilation of provisions and requirements for the performance of prescribed work. The estimate is a list of all bid items and quantities estimated bid prices, total cost for each bid item, and the total estimated cost for the proposed project.

Plastic limit is the constant defined as the lowest moisture content and expressed as a percentage of the weight of the oven dried soil at which the soil can be rolled into threads one-eighth inch in diameter without the soil breaking into pieces, also the moisture content of a solid at which a soil changes from a plastic state to a semisolid state.

Plastic state is when the material will deform and remain in that deformed state when a deforming pressure is applied and then released.

Plasticity is the property of a fine-grained portion of a soil which permits it, under certain moisture conditions to be remolded without crumbling or fracture in; the degree of plasticity a soil possesses can be used as a relative index of its clay content.0

A plasticity chart is used to differentiate the plasticity and organic characteristics of the fine-grained soils based on liquid limit (LL) and plasticity index (PI) of the soils.

A plate is a flat-rolled iron or steel product (See ).

A platform is the foundation technology of a computer system. It is the hardware and systems software that together provide support for an application program.

Plottage value is an increment of value resulting from the combination of two or more sites that develops one site as having greater utility than the sum of each when separately considered.

Plotters and printers are devices that allow users to provide hard copies of drawings/text.

A point of compound curve is the common point between two curves with different degrees of curvature.

Point of beginning (POB) is the first point mentioned in the legal description of the boundary on the property being described.

The point of curvature (P.C.) is the point at which a curve begins.

The point of intersection (P.I.) is the point at which two straight line tangents intersect.

The point of tangency (P.T.) is the point at which a curve ends.

A point source is any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, landfill leachate collection system, vessel or other floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged. Agricultural stormwater runoff and return flows from irrigated agriculture are excluded.

Point-to-point protocol (PPP) is a protocol that allows a computer to directly access the Internet using a standard telephone line and a high-speed modem. PPP offers users data compression and compensates for noisy telephone lines.

A galvanized steel or aluminum shaft to support the lighting unit (also called the lighting standard).

Police power is the right of government to limit the exercise of property rights in real estate, without compensation, provided the limitation is not specific to one parcel. The limitation is to serve the interest of public health, public safety, public morals and the general welfare.

A policy is parameters designed to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and achievement of TxDOT's mission.

A polish value (PV) is the average of a set of readings on the test specimen of aggregate after nine hours of polishing in the accelerated polishing machine. It is more commonly known as the ability of an aggregate to withstand the polishing effects of traffic wear.

A political sign is a tempoary sign associated with a campaign for an elective office or issue that will be put to public vote.

A political subdivision is a municipality or county within the State of Texas.

Pollution is contamination of any component of the total environment by harmful sounds, smells, or sights degrading or injurious to humans and other living organisms.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the material of which a kind of tubing used for conduit is made.

Ponding is jetting or the use of water to hasten the settlement of an embankment and requires the judgment of a soils engineer. In Hydraulics, ponding refers to water backed up in a channel or ditch as the result of a culvert of inadequate capacity or design to permit the water to flow unrestricted.

A pool vehicle is a vehicle (such as a car, pick-up, or van) assigned to the equipment motor pool at department offices/complexes throughout the Austin area. These vehicles are available to be checked out upon request.

Population density (Bureau of the Census definition) is determined by:1) outside of a place, one or more contiguous census blocks with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile. Or 2) inclusion of a place containing census blocks that have at least 50 percent of the population of the place and a density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile.

A portable computing device is any easily portable device capable of receiving and/or transmitting data to and from an information resource. These sources include, but are not limited to, notebook computers, handheld computers, PDAs, pagers, memory sticks, memory pens, digital cameras, digital toys and cell phones.

A port number is a standardized transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) port number that enables remote computers to know which port to connect to for a specific network service.

Portland cement is a finely powdered substance, usually gray or brownish gray, composed largely of artificial crystalline minerals, the most important of which are calcium and aluminum silicates. The calcium silicate compounds, upon reaction with water, produce the new compounds capable of imparting the stonelike quality to the mixture.

Portland cement concrete pavement is a hardened mixture of Portland cement, aggregate, and water used to pave streets or highways. This mixture may or may not contain steel reinforcing.

Posting amount is the amount of the transaction.

Potential vertical rise (PVR) is expressed in millimeters (inches), is the latent or potential ability of a soil material to swell, at a given density, moisture and loading condition, when exposed to capillary or surface water, and thereby increase the elevation of its upper surface, along with anything resting on it.

Pound force is that force, which if applied to a one pound mass, will cause it to accelerate at a rate of 9.807 meters per second per second. (the gravitational acceleration factor is 9.807 meters per second per second).A 100-pound weight placed on an object exerts a force of 100 pounds to that object.

Power (P) is measured in watts. Formulae as follows:

For power loss due to resistance in lighting circuits, the power factor can be considered equal to one. This power can also be calculated: .

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal instrument authorizing a person to act as the agent of the grantor.

Power factor (pf) is the time relationship between current wave and voltage wave in an A.C. system.

A pre-bid conference is used to present a general review of the completed plans and specifications plus a detailed review of the project’s special requirements.

Pre-cast is concrete that is formed, placed, and cured before being placed in its final position. An example is a pre-case concrete beam for a bridge.

Precision weights are weights meeting the requirements of any of the four classes in the “Acceptance Tolerances for Analytical Weights” of Test Method “Tex-901-K. Verifying Calibration of Weighing Devices used for Laboratory Testing.” Class 1 and Class 2 weights are used as standards for calibration of analytical balances, in the calibration of lesser class weights, and as counterweights with analytical balances. Class 3 and Class 4 weights are used as working weights and for calibration of general-purpose balances.

Prefabricated pavement markings are all film type materials to be used for symbol, legend, or linear pavement markings which are supplied in a preshaped or semi-preshaped form.

Prehistoric means archeological sites of Native American peoples without a written record dating before A.D. 1492.

Preliminary engineering is that portion of the development of a project during which the basic planning objectives are translated into specific, well-defined criteria that can permit the final design process to begin.

A preliminary survey consists of fieldwork and gathering data from a variety of sources to identify all issues in the project development process early enough to allow time to address and, if need be, mitigate for environmental issues.

An examination of the contractor’s records before the negotiated contract is executed. This is performed to assure the contract manager that the contractor has an acceptable accounting system, adequate and proper justification for the various rates charged to perform work and is aware of the cost eligibility and documentation requirements.

Prepared roadbed refers to in-place roadbed soils compacted or stabilized according to provisions of applicable specifications.

Prescriptive right is the open and continuous use of land by an entity where no previous written document exists.

A pre-sentence investigation (PSI) typically applies to a convicted driving while intoxicated offender.

A present owner is the person currently holding clear title to a certain property.

Present serviceability index (PSI) is a number derived by formula for estimating the serviceability rating from measurements of certain physical features of the pavement.

Prestressed concrete is precast concrete subject to pretensioning, post-tensioning, or a combination of both.

Work proposed to preserve, rather than improve, the structural integrity of the pavement and/or structure. Examples of preventive maintenance activities include ACP overlays, seal coats, sealing joints and cracks, patching concrete pavement, shoulder repair, scour countermeasures, painting steel members, restoration of drainage systems and cleaning and sealing bridge joints.

Primary Highway System, or Federal-Aid Primary System, means that portion of connected main highways that is officially designated by the Commission as the federal-aid primary system in existence on June 1, 1991, and any highway that is not on the system but is on the National Highway System.

A Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA), according to the Bureau of the Census, if an area that qualifies as an MA and has more than one million persons, Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSA) may be defined within it. A PMSA consists of a large urbanized county or cluster of counties that demonstrates very strong internal economic and social links, in addition to close ties with other portions of the larger area. When PMSAs are established, the larger area of which they are component parts is designated a CMSA.

Primary monumentation and control is the base monuments used to control surveying, design, and construction of a transportation project; also, the relative course and distance between monuments.

The prime coat (PC) is the initial application of a low viscosity liquid asphaltic material on a completed base course or other approved area for the purpose of promoting adhesion between the base course or area and the application of a subsequent layer of asphaltic material.

Prime contractor is the contractor of record who remains responsible for contract compliance, even if employing sub-contractors. See .

The prime provider is the provider awarded a TxDOT provider contract.

The principle of least privilege requires that a user be given no more privilege than necessary to perform a job. Ensuring least privilege requires identifying what the user's job is, determining the minimum set of privileges required to perform that job, and restricting the user to a domain with those privileges and nothing more.

A printout is an analog representation of a digital file, usually on paper.

Prior approval is the documentation evidencing consent prior to incurring specific cost or undertaking a new task.

Prior authorization is the documentation evidencing department consent for the performing entity to proceed on a course of action.

A priority program area is a program area designated by the federal government for national emphasis in highway safety.

A private key is one piece of an encrypted system, required to prove authenticity of the sender.

Privately owned utility is any utility facility or line, its accessories and appurtenances, devoted exclusively to private use and not serving the public either directly or indirectly. These facilities will be considered as improvements and not as public utilities. The function of an individual facility or line should be the determining factor and not ownership considerations.

Privatization is the contracting of public services or selling of public assets to private industry.

Probable sales (price) is the amount which would normally be received for a residential dwelling through its sale to another person.

Probational status is a status assigned to an aggregate product on the AQMP, Aggregate Quality Monitoring Program, when its rated source statistical value (with the exception of polish value) is within 10 percent of TxDOT’s standard specification unit.

A problem inventory occurs when a specific stock item is inventoried because of a discrepancy.

A procedure translates policies, plans, programs into action. Procedures establish sequence, timing and coordination, and specify how the work is accomplished. They set out the steps to carry out policy.

A process is a set of sub-processes that take input and create one or more outputs that are of value to the customer.

Procurement is the process of acquiring goods and services.

Procurement card is a credit card provided under the state procurement card program and issued to state employees for the payment of selected goods and services for official business only.

A procurement contract is a legal instrument between an awarding agency and recipient where the principal purpose is to acquire (by purchase, lease, or barter) property or services for the direct benefit or use of the awarding agency.

A producer is any business or individual who manufactures a product and seeks to supply that product to TxDOT or contractors of TxDOT.

A product is a material that meets a TxDOT specification produced from a single source.

Productions are the trips that are produced by members of a household. Productions are computed by trip purpose as well as mode of travel. Production rates refer to the total trips produced divided by the number of households.

The production system is the hardware, software, physical, procedural, and organizational issues that need to be considered when addressing the security of an application, group of applications, organizations or group of organizations.

Professional providers are professionals identified under Government Code chapter 2254, Subchapter A that may perform professional services for the department.

Professional services means services covered by the Professional Services Act (Texas Government Code Title 10, Subtitle D, Section 2254), including accounting, architecture, landscape architecture, land surveying, medicine, optometry, professional engineering, real estate appraising, and professional nursing, and services provided in connection with the professional employment or practice of a person who is licensed or registered as a state certified or state licensed real estate appraiser.

Professional services provider (provider) is an individual or entity that provides engineering, architectural, or surveying services.

Proficiency samples are defined as homogenous samples that are distributed and tested by two or more laboratories and/or personnel. The test results are compared to assure that the laboratories and/or personnel are obtaining the same results.

The profile grade line, usually the centerline, and elevation to which the roadway is to be built.

A profilograph is an apparatus constructed with a metal frame with about 7.62 m (25 ft.) between the front and rear wheel assembly supports, and allowing field calibration using vertical deflection standards. Each wheel assembly consists of six averaging rubber-tired wheels arranged so the center of the frame represents the mean evaluation of the road surface between the wheel assemblies. For consistent graph recording, air pressure in the profile wheel must be maintained to manufacturer’s specification. Motive power may be manual or a small propulsion unit attached to the center assembly.

A profilometer, surface dynamics, is a device designed to produce a trace resembling the surface profile over which it is passed.

Pro forma is a document provided in advance to prescribe form and basic content, as “pro forma” grant agreements for Selected Traffic Enforcement Programs.

A program is a grouping of activities of a related nature.

Programmed is the amount of transportation planning funds the MPO expects to expend on tasks detailed in the UPWP. The programmed amount includes FHWA transportation planning funds, also known as PL funds, FTA Section 5303 funds, and state match. The FHWA PL funds may include the new allocation, carryover from the previous year, and any unobligated balance. The programmed amount cannot be more than the sum of the new allocation, carryover, and unobligated balance or two years of allocation, whichever is less.

A program coordinator (PC) is a Research Management Committee member assigned by the RMC over a program of research defined in the long range research plan (a topic, goal, objective or an indivisual project

).

Program cost account (PCA) is an assigned number that relates to appropriation authority (Reference FIMS Code Chart 81).

The program of projects (POP) is a statewide list of projects for FTA funding.

The Program Selection Committee is a committee approved by the Executive Director to select employees who may participate in the department-sponsored master’s program.

Programmatic agreement is an agreement that governs how certain activities will occur, usually on a specific environmental issue. TxDOT has a PA with FHWA and with THC on cultural resources.

A programmatic categorical exclusion (PCE) is a CE project for which an environmental analysis is prepared. The types of projects are the result of an agreement between TxDOT and FHWA. ENV approves PCEs for FHWA.

A prohibited condition is any condition in a permit space that is not allowed by the permit during the period when entry is authorized.

A project advisor (PA) is an individual who provides additional expertise for research project oversight. A project advisor may be a TxDOT employee or a person from outside of TxDOT. A project advisor serves under the project director on the Project Monitoring Committee.

Project classification is an official classification of the type of project provided for in construction plans.

The Project Development Plan (PDP) is produced by the Design and Construction Information System for 10 year planning and development. In 1996, the name changed to the Unified Transportation Plan (UTP).

A project director (PD) is the TxDOT person in charge of project oversight during the conduct of the project. The project director answers to the �Research Management Committee (RMC) through the program coordinator, ensuring that the project stays on the course determined by the RMC and as outlined in the project work plan.

A project grant agreement specifies the scope, the time period of the grant and maximum reimbursable award for a public transportation grant. Along with the (MGA), it is the legally binding instrument between TxDOT and the grant subrecipient.

Projected traffic is estimated future traffic volumes of a roadway.

In pavement management, project-level refers to activities which directly support decision-making and design of an individual pavement project. Project-level activities require more detailed data collection and analysis than that required for network-level.

Project maintenance is a project intended to maintain rather than improve the original condition of a highway facility. Special maintenance and some day labor work is handled under Project Maintenance.

A project monitoring committee (PMC) is composed of the project director, who chairs the committee, the program coordinator associated with the project, project advisors, and the RTI research engineer assigned to the under which the project is funded.

Project number is the unique number for the overall designation of a work effort containing one or more details for city/county/agency.

A project release letter is a memorandum issued by the Right of Way Division to a District authorizing funding on the ROW CSJ for right of way activities for a specific project.

A promotion is a change in duty assignment to a position in a higher salary group. Generally, such positions carry more responsibility and require that those who fill them possess higher levels of education and experience.

Property description is a description recognized by law which is sufficient to locate and identify property without oral testimony. The property description includes metes and bounds of the property and a survey (parcel) plat.

A property fence is placed on or near the boundary line between two adjacent properties.

Property interest is a right or interest that an individual has in land and chattels to the exclusion of all others.

A proposal is a prospective entity’s submission of its qualifications and/ or fees for completing a project being outsourced; the proposal is scored by the department to determine which entity will be awarded the contract.

Proprietary accounts are those accounts which show financial position and operations, such as assets, liabilities, reserves, fund balances, revenues and expenditures, as distinguished from budgetary accounts.

A proprietary purchase is a purchase in which the specifications or requirements describe a product or service that is only available from one manufacturer or vendor, and which does not permit an equivalent product to be supplied. Formerly called a 3.09 or 309 purchase.

Proprietary software is software that the department obtains from vendors or other commercially available sources, the use of which is governed by licensing agreements.

Prospective employee is a person who is being considered for employment with TxDOT. This term also includes an employee of another agency who is being considered for employment by TxDOT.

A prospectus, in transportation, is a document that describes proposed activities in transportation planning over a specified period of time, predicts future conditions in the region, assigns responsibility for planning and implementing transportation services, and discusses transportation alternatives for the future.

A protocol is a pre-established standard that is used to communicate between two entities where each entity is able to understand and communicate with the other.

Communications functions are generally divided into separate “layers” of protocol, each of which builds on the functions provided by a more basic layer. The combination of these layered protocols is termed a protocol stack.

A provider is any firm or company performing ROW services under a professional services contract.

Proximity damage is a reduction in value to improvements caused by their location too close to an activity that is not compatible to their use.

A proxy is a firewall mechanism that replaces the IP address of a host on the internal (protected) network with its own IP address for all traffic passing through it. A software agent that acts on behalf of a user, typical proxies accept a connection from a user, make a decision as to whether or not the user or client IP address is permitted to use the proxy, and perhaps does additional authentication. It then completes a connection on behalf of the user to a remote destination.

A proxy server is a device which allows (or restricts) passage from internal network facilities to external network facilities (for example, the Internet) and maintains individual records of the date, time, and duration of such passages, as well as the sites visited.

A public hearing is a hearing held after public notice to solicit public input in determining a preferred alternative for or with respect to, any changes to a project. All testimony given at a public hearing will be made a part of the hearing record.

Public Information and Education (PI&E) is an activity intended to create awareness, build knowledge, enhance sensitivity toward traffic safety issues, and change behavior of the driving public.

The Public Information Office (PIO) provides information to the public and develops public education campaigns about department functions and activities. In March of 1998, PIO assumed responsibility for the department's ombudsman.

Public involvement is an ongoing phase of the project planning process that encourages and solicits public input and provides the public the opportunity to become fully informed regarding project development.

A public key is one piece of an encrypted system. It is held by a trusted, third party, certificate authority.

Public key encryption involves encrypting messages with one key (public key) that can only be decrypted with a second key (private key) and vice versa. Each key unlocks the encryption that the other key creates. For security purposes, the private key is never revealed to unauthorized users. Only the public key is widely known.

The public key infrastructure (PKI) consists of the programs, data formats, communications protocols, institutional policies and procedures required for enterprise use of public-key cryptography.

A publicly owned utility is any utility facility or line, its accessories and appurtenances, devoted to serving the public either directly or indirectly. Common carrier type utility facilities will be considered public utilities. The function of an individual facility or line should be the determining factor and not ownership considerations. Highway design features such as storm drainage, illumination, traffic metering, intelligent traffic systems (ITS), or intelligent vehicle highway systems (IVHS) will not be considered public utilities.

Public meetings are informal discussions which may assist in the preparation of environmental documents may be held with local public officials, interested citizens or the general public and local, neighborhood or special interest groups for the purpose of exchanging ideas and collecting input on the need for and possible alternatives to a project.

A public park, forest, playground, nature preserve, or scenic area designated and maintained by a political subdivision or governmental agency.

Public property is property owned by a state, city or county.

Public transit, sometimes called mass transit, is where passenger transportation service, usually local in scope, that is available to any person who pays a prescribed fare. It operates on established schedules along designated routes or lines with specific stops and is designed to move relatively large numbers of people at one time. Buses, light rail, and rapid transit.

Public transportation is the transportation of passengers and their hand-carried packages or baggage on a regular or continuing basis by means of surface or water conveyance. This definition includes fixed guideway transportation and underground transportation, but excludes services provided by aircraft, taxicabs, ambulances, or emergency vehicles.

The Public Transportation Advisory Committee (PTAC) is a group appointed by the Transportation Commission to provide advice and recommendations to the commission on the needs and problems of the state’s public transportation providers.

A public transportation coordinator (PTC) is a TxDOT Public Transportation Division employee charged with carrying out public transportation grant management activities and providing technical assistance to transit agencies at the district level.

The Public Transportation Division (PTN) provides financial and technical assistance to a variety of public transportation entities. These include urban, rural, and persons with disabilities transit providers, as well as metropolitan planning organizations, intercity carriers, and other public transportation industry related organizations. In addition, the division also administers and oversees various programs which are financed with funds and monies appropriated and made available from both the Texas Legislature and the Federal Transit Administration. In supporting public transportation in Texas, the division represents transit in the planning and programming process including the preparation of a statewide comprehensive master plan and in rail safety oversight. It also represents the state in public transportation matters with federal officials, other state agencies, transit organizations and local communities; monitors and sponsors research and development activities; and assists in the development of policies by the commission, the governor, and the legislature.

The Public Transportation Management System (PTMS) is an information database for transit agency contact data, procurement status, security and safety information, and fleet and facility inventories.

A pump station is the facility required for mechanically lifting the storm water a required vertical distance from a gravity inflow to a gravity outflow. The station includes a wet well sump, pumps, controls, pump house, and motors.

Pumping is the ejection of mixtures of water, clay or silt along or through transverse or longitudinal joints, cracks, or pavement edges resulting from repeated wheel load applications.

A punchout is an asphaltic concrete pavement (ACP) distress type. A punchout is a full-depth block of pavement formed when one longitudinal crack crosses two transverse cracks. PMIS ratings for punchouts range from 0 to 999.

Purchase, as used in connection with claiming supplementary relocation benefits, means:

3.09 is an obsolete purchasing term taken from Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes, referring to a sole source or proprietary purchase. This has been replaced by Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D, Section 2155.067.

A purchase additive is the amount of money the displacee must pay for replacement housing over and above the acquisition amount he/she receives from the department.

Purchase Category Codes (PCC) are codes used in the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) to document the purchase method, commodity type, and dollar category of purchases. This code also determines the audit process for all types of delegated and non-delegated payments. Audits are either pre- or post-payment.

Purchase order change notice is a document used to notify a vendor of specific changes in a purchase order and to document the purchasing file.

Purchaser is an employee authorized in writing to act as a purchasing agent for TxDOT who may obligate state funds by issuing and signing purchase orders. Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D, the State Purchasing Act.

Purchasing is the acquisition of goods and services for TxDOT made under the Purchasing Act. Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D, the State Purchasing Act.

The Purchasing Act, also known as the State Purchasing Act (Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D) is the enabling legislation that governs the purchase of goods and services by state agencies.

The purchasing and materials administrator (PMA) is the same role as the former purchasing materials manager (PMM)

A pycnometer is a standard vessel often provided with a thermometer for measuring and comparing the densities of liquids and solids.