Business route
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A business route (occasionally city route) is a branch from a numbered highway. The purpose of a business route is to link the mainline of its parent route to the central business district of a city or town. Usually, the business route connects to its parent route on both ends.
Signage of business routes varies, depending on the type of route it is derived from. Business route branches off U.S. and state highways usually have the exact same shields as their parent, however some states are beginning to use green shields for business routes off of U.S. highways. Business Interstate highways use the same four-pointed shield design as regular Interstate highways, but substitute the normal red and blue layout for an all-green color scheme. Also, BUSINESS appears at the top of the shield instead of INTERSTATE, and either LOOP or SPUR may appear above the number.
Business routes always have the same number as their parent. For example, U.S. 1 Business is a branch of U.S. Route 1, and Interstate 40 Business is a branch of Interstate 40.
In some states, a business route is designated by added the letter "B" after the number instead of placing a "Business" sign above it. For example, "US 71B" means "Business US 71". On some route shields and road signs, the word "business" is shortened to just "BUS". This abbreviation is rare and usually avoided to prevent confusion with bus routes.
[edit] City route
City routes are most commonly found in the Midwest United States, although there are exceptions. These routes serve the same purpose as business routes, but they feature "CITY" plates instead of "BUSINESS" plates above or below route shields. Many of these city routes are being phased out in favor of the business route designation.
Another definition of a "city route" is similar to a county route, where a particular city forms its own highway system, usually of beltways. The city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for instance, has a colored belt road system. Officals in Charlotte, North Carolina created Charlotte Route 4, a loop of surface streets around uptown. A route in Pawtucket, Rhode Island known as the Downtown Circulator was created by the city to help travelers navigate the downtown area.
