(1) "Corridor" means a pathway for mass rapid transit. It is synonymous with words such as "route," "route location," "route proposal," "location of the system," and "alignment." In this chapter, a corridor refers to a route used by a substantial portion of vehicles in the overall system and not simply to one or several bus routes. A corridor need not be used exclusively for mass rapid transit.

(2) "Corridor public hearing" means a public hearing that:

(a) The municipality holds before it is committed to or establishes a specific mass rapid transit system corridor; and

(b) Affords an opportunity for public comment on the need for and location of the system and on the social, economic, and environmental efforts on that location and alternate locations.

The statutory phrases "committed to or establishes" and "adoption of location plans" shall refer to a resolution of the council of the municipality that authorizes a specific mass rapid transit system project and describes its location. The consideration of various proposals, including preferred alternatives, preliminary engineering work, or other planning during the environmental review process, do not constitute the establishment of or commitment to a specific mass transit route proposal.

(3) "Design public hearing" means a public hearing that:

(a) The municipality holds after it establishes a system route location, but before it adopts a design; and

(b) Affords an opportunity for public comment on the system's design and on the social, economic, and environmental effects of that design and alternate designs.

The phrase "adopts a design" shall refer to a resolution of the council of the municipality that approves a final design for the system's major design features. Authorization or approval of preliminary design (sometimes referred to as predesign) does not constitute adopting a design.

(4) "EIS" means an environmental impact statement prepared under SEPA or NEPA.

(5) "Environmental document" means any written public document prepared under SEPA or NEPA.

(6) "Executive director" means the executive director of the municipality or the executive director's designee.

(7) "Final design" means plans and specifications in sufficient detail to authorize construction activities or, if applicable, to receive final approvals from other government agencies under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act or Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

(8) "Lead agency" means the local, state, or federal agency or agencies responsible for the preparation of environmental documents under SEPA or NEPA.

(9) "Major design features" means the physical size, shape, and appearance of the principal components of a mass rapid transit system, and the relationship of these components to each other and to their surroundings.

(10) "Mass rapid transit system" (or "system") means a new network of routes and facilities to be used by mass transit vehicles serving the municipality's functions. A system is not simply a particular facility or group of facilities serving transit purposes, but must involve the establishment of a new corridor for transit vehicles. A system refers both to the location and to the major design features of the corridor and associated facilities.

(11) "Mass transit facility" means a facility constructed on a separate right of way as part of a mass rapid transit system.

(12) "Mass transit route proposal" means a proposed corridor for a mass rapid transit system.

(13) "Municipality" means the municipality of metropolitan Seattle, a unit of local government established under chapter 35.58 RCW.

(14) "NEPA" means the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 40 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.

(15) "Right of way acquisition" refers to right of way acquisition for a mass rapid transit system (as defined in WAC 330-01-050(10)), and does not include rights of the municipality under RCW 35.58.330.

(16) "Route." See "corridor."

(17) "SEPA" means the State Environmental Policy Act of 1971, chapter 43.21C RCW.

(18) "Separate right of way" means a right of way proposed to be used for public transportation that is not in, along, on, under, over, or through public streets, bridges, viaducts, and other public rights of way.

(19) "Social, economic, and environmental effect" means a direct or indirect consequence of a system's location or design. The term "environmental effect" means the impact on the elements of the environment, as specified by RCW 43.21C.110 (1)(f), and is not synonymous with "social" or "economic" effects.

(20) "System" means "mass rapid transit system" (WAC 330-01-050(10)).