Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used in this article:

(1) "Affected local jurisdiction" means any county or incorporated municipality of this state in which all or any part of a transportation facility is or will be located, or any other local public entity, including, but not limited to, a public service district or highway authority or highway association that is directly affected by a transportation project.

(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Highways who is the chief executive officer of the Division of Highways.

(3) "Department" means the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

(4) "Division" refers to the Division of Highways, a division within the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

(5) "Governmental entity" means any county, municipality, or other governmental unit or political subdivision of the State.

(6) "Highway authority" or "highway association" means any entity created by the Legislature for the advancement and improvement of the state road and highway system, including, but not limited to, the New River Parkway Authority, Midland Trail Scenic Highway Association, Shawnee Parkway Authority, Corridor G Regional Development Authority, Coalfields Expressway Authority, Robert C. Byrd Corridor H Highway Authority, West Virginia 2 and I-68 Authority, Little Kanawha River Parkway Authority, King Coal Highway Authority, Coal Heritage Highway Authority, Blue and Gray Intermodal Highway Authority and the West Virginia Eastern Panhandle Transportation Authority or, if an authority is abolished, any entity succeeding to the principal functions of the highway authority or to whom the powers given to the highway authority are given by law.

(7) "Private entity" means any natural person, corporation, general partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, joint venture, business trust, public benefit corporation, nonprofit entity or other business entity.

(8) "Project costs" means capital costs, costs of financing, planning, designing, constructing, expanding, improving, maintaining or controlling a transportation facility, the cost of land, equipment, machinery, installation of utilities and other similar expenditures and all other charges or expenses necessary, appurtenant or incidental to the foregoing.

(9) "Sponsor" or "project sponsor" means a governmental entity proposing a transportation project.

(10) "Public-private partnership" means a consortium that includes the Division of Highways, a governmental entity, a highway authority or any combination thereof, together with a private entity or entities, which proposes to finance, acquire, plan, design, construct, expand, improve, maintain or control a transportation facility.

(11) "Public service district" means a public corporation or political subdivision of this state created pursuant to section two, article thirteen-a, chapter sixteen of this code.

(12) "Revenue" means all revenue, income, earnings, user fees, lease payments or other service payments arising out of or in connection with supporting the development or operation of a transportation facility, including, without limitation, money received as grants or otherwise from the United States of America, from any public entity or from any agency or instrumentality of the foregoing in aid of such transportation project, moneys generated by way of contract, pledge, donation, bequest or bonds and moneys generated by taxes which are authorized to be assessed and levied by the Legislature or another governmental entity.

(13) "Secretary" means the Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

(14) "Transportation facility" means a public highway, road, bridge, tunnel, overpass, building, structure, airport, vehicle parking facility, riverport facility, rail facility, or intermodal facility used for the transportation of persons or goods.

(15) "Transportation project" means any project to acquire, design, construct, expand, renovate, extend, enlarge, increase, equip, improve, maintain or operate a transportation facility in this state for which a governmental entity is permitted by law to expend public funds but does not include any project that would otherwise be under the authority of the Public Port Authority, the Aeronautics Commission or the Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority.

(16) "User fee" means a rate, toll, or fee imposed by an operator for use of all or a part of a transportation facility authorized in section five of this article.

(17) "Utility" means a privately, publicly or cooperatively owned line, facility or system for producing, transmitting or distributing communications, cable television, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil, crude products, water, steam, waste, storm water not connected with highway drainage, or any other similar commodity, including fire or police signal system or street lighting system, which directly or indirectly serves the public.