3. The following words or terms as used in this act shall have the following meaning unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context: "Act" means this New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act of 1984 as amended and supplemented. "Authority" means the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority created by section 4 of this act. "Bonds" means bonds issued by the authority pursuant to the act and includes prior bonds and transportation program bonds. "Circle of Mobility" means an essential group of related transit projects that include (1) the New Jersey Urban Core Project, as defined in section 3031 of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991," Pub.L.102-240, and consisting of the following elements: Secaucus Transfer, Kearny Connection, Waterfront Connection, Northeast Corridor Signal System, Hudson River Waterfront Transportation System, Newark-Newark International Airport-Elizabeth Transit Link, a rail connection between Penn Station Newark and Broad Street Station, Newark, New York Penn Station Concourse, and the equipment needed to operate revenue service associated with improvements made by the project, and (2) the modification and reconstruction of the West Shore Line in Bergen County connected to Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer Meadowlands Rail Center; the construction of a rail station and associated components at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; the modification and reconstruction of the Susquehanna and Western Railway, as defined and provided in section 3035 (a) of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991"; the modification and reconstruction of the Lackawanna Cutoff Commuter Rail Line connecting Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties to the North Jersey Transportation Rail Centers; and commuter rail service in the central New Jersey region terminating at the proposed Lakewood Transportation Center in Ocean County or other location, as determined by the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, pursuant to a resolution of the board providing for the achievement of a consensus among the interested parties as to the direction of the proposed rail line; provided, however, that this 2000 amendatory act shall not be construed as affecting any priorities which may have been assigned to any other project in the Circle of Mobility. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Transportation. "Department" means the Department of Transportation. "Federal aid highway" means any highway within the State in connection with which the State receives payment or reimbursement from the federal government under the terms of Title 23, United States Code or any amendment, successor, or replacement thereof, for the purposes contained in the act. "Federal government" means the United States of America, and any office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, corporation, agency, or instrumentality thereof. "New Jersey Highway Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1952, c.16 (C.27:12B-4) or its successor. "New Jersey Turnpike Authority" means the public corporation created by section 3 of P.L.1948, c.454 (C.27:23-3) or its successor. "Notes" means the notes issued by the authority pursuant to the act. "Permitted maintenance" means, in relation to public transportation projects and transportation projects, direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public transportation projects and transportation projects, respectively, provided the work performed is associated with the acquisition, installation, and rehabilitation of components which are not included in the normal operating maintenance of equipment and facilities or replaced on a scheduled basis. The work shall ensure the useful life of the public transportation project or transportation project for not less than five years and shall not include routine maintenance or inspection of equipment and facilities that is conducted on a scheduled basis. This definition shall not apply to the term "maintenance" as used in the definition of "public highways." In relation to public highways, "permitted maintenance" means the direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public highways, provided the work is not associated with the regular and routine maintenance of public highways and their components. The work shall ensure the useful life of the transportation project for not less than five years. "Prior bonds" means bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.1995, c.108 and P.L.2006, c.3 and any bonds issued to refund such prior bonds. "Public highways" means public roads, streets, expressways, freeways, parkways, motorways and boulevards, including bridges, tunnels, overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, rest areas, express bus roadways, bus pullouts and turnarounds, park-ride facilities, traffic circles, grade separations, traffic control devices, the elimination or improvement of crossings of railroads and highways, whether at grade or not at grade, bicycle and pedestrian pathways and pedestrian and bicycle bridges traversing public highways and any facilities, equipment, property, rights of way, easements and interests therein needed for the construction, improvement, and maintenance of highways. "Public transportation project" means, in connection with public transportation service, passenger stations, shelters and terminals, automobile parking facilities, ferries and ferry facilities, including capital projects for ferry terminals, approach roadways, pedestrian accommodations, parking, docks, and other necessary land-side improvements, ramps, track connections, signal systems, power systems, information and communication systems, roadbeds, transit lanes or rights of way, equipment storage, pedestrian walkways and bridges connecting to passenger stations and servicing facilities, bridges, grade crossings, rail cars, locomotives, motorbuses and other motor vehicles, maintenance and garage facilities, revenue handling equipment and any other equipment, facility, or property useful for or related to the provision of public transportation service. "South Jersey Transportation Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-4) or its successor. "State agency" means any office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, agency, or instrumentality of the State. "Toll road authorities" means and includes the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Highway Authority, or its successor, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority. "Transportation program bonds" means bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.2012, c.13, P.L.2016, c.56, P.L.2024, c.7 (C.39:3-8.5 et al.), and any bonds issued to refund such transportation program bonds. "Transportation project" means, in addition to public highways and public transportation projects, any equipment, facility or property useful or related to the provision of any ground, waterborne, or air transportation for the movement of people and goods including rail freight infrastructure, which equipment, facility, or property may be acquired by purchase or lease. "Transportation system" means public highways, public transportation projects, other transportation projects, and all other surface, airborne, and waterborne methods of transportation for the movement of people and goods. L.1984, c.73, s.3; amended 1991, c.40, s.2; 1992, c.10, s.1; 1995, c.84, s.2; 1995, c.108, s.1; 2000, c.59; 2000, c.73, s.15; 2012, c.13, s.1; 2016, c.56, s.1; 2024, c.7, s.1.