Talk:Highway

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[edit] Highway having multiple lanes

I wonder if someone can justify defining a highway as having multiple lanes in each direction, and a physical separation. The article states that the only place it means that is in the US, but, I cannot find any Americans who agree to this. Nor do I, and in California "highway" certainly does not mean that. I am planning to rewrite the intro, if someone doesn't get to it first or post counter-arguments here. --Yath 09:22, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)

I would agree with the introduction on highway as "... generally it is a road which will have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, often with a physical division between the directions of flow ...", based on my experience working as a road engineer in Malaysia and studies in UK. Malaysia's first highway called "Federal Highway" between Klang and Kuala Lumpur was 2 lanes in each direction separated by a 1m earth mound median. -- sabre23t 09:34, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I agree with Yath--in the U.S., the term "highway" is used much more broadly. Most roads in the United States Highway system do not have lane separation (they may in some places, by by and large do not). Similarly with the various state highway systems. The only roads which always have separated lanes are Interstate highwayss. The description of highway here seems to me more applicable to either freeway or expressway. older≠wiser 11:48, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)

In Australia, it generally varies from state to state. Due to the low population density of the country, many rural highways are 1 lane each way and are joined. Highways in Metropolitian areas can sometimes be joined or separated, but usually a highway in a city area means traffic signals are used, when freeway means there is no use of traffic signals. --Boochan 14:28, 12 July 2005 (UTC)

I would disagree, almost all our provincially designated highways are 2 lanes separated by a line on the road. Using that reasoning then there is only 2 highways in British columbia

[edit] Nomenclature

After a bit more thought, I believe the key defining difference between Road, Highway and Freeway is not really the "physical division between the directions of flow", but of the "limited access" junctions/features provided. I think it would be good for the following differences in access to be included in each article's introduction:

  • road may have direct access to properties in between junctions
  • highway may have at-grade traffic lighted junctions, but generally no direct access to properties between junctions, except in rural areas (without any other roads)
  • freeway/expressway may have grade separated junctions, but generally no at-grade traffic lighted junctions, and no direct access to properties between junctions.

-- sabre23t 03:13, 19 Aug 2004 (UTC)

We need to work out what definition applies where, because in the US, there is not such a clear distinction between road and highway. It may be that it was well-defined historically, but in modern times the meaning has become muddled. --Yath 03:37, 19 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I believe in the US, AASHTO's Green Book definition applies (at least amongst road engineers). I quote from misc.transport.road FAQ #3.14, "According to AASHTO, a freeway is a fully controlled access road with no cross traffic. A freeway can be tolled; the "free" refers to the fact that traffic can ideally flow freely. An expressway is a divided highway with no private access BUT occasional traffic lights are allowed; essentially it is a freeway with intersections, usually with traffic signals, in place of interchanges. Major roads should get interchanges where traffic necessitates them.", emphasis is mine. That seems slightly different to the definition I proposed earlier. I don't think there's an online copy of the Green Book, and I would have to do some digging up to get to my old copy of the Green Book. -- sabre23t 15:44, 19 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I think you are on the right track as far as an official or technical definition goes. Here is a FHWA publication that has these definitions:
  • Freeway - a divided highway with full control of access.
  • Expressway - a divided highway with partial control of access.
  • Conventional Road - a street or highway other than a low-volume road (as defined in Section 5A.01), a freeway, or an expressway.
  • Special Purpose Road - a low-volume, low-speed road that serves recreational areas or resource development activities, or that provides local access.
However, there are many named Expressways that are in fact Freeways. The Edens Expressway (Interstate 94), John F. Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/Interstate 94), Adlai E. Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55) in Chicago and Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) and several others in NYC come to mind. I think there are a few Interstates named Expressways in Florida as well. Perhaps we just need to point out that these named roads do not necessarily correspond to the technical definitions of Expressway? Perhaps there is some rhyme and reason for why these are called expressways, but I think it is just colloquial usage. older≠wiser 16:22, 19 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Highway as an encompassing term for Expressway, Freeway and Motorway

After re-reading this article over a period time, I finally see that the article is using Highway as a term that encompasses specific instances of highways in various countries including Expressway, Freeway, Parkway, Interstate highway, Motorway, and Autobahn. The Highway#Nomenclature describes the various usages of highways. The introduction didn't make that so clear. -- sabre23t 23:29, 20 Aug 2004 (UTC)

I've edited the first para of Highway and Highway#Nomenclature. I hope it's clearer. ;-) -- sabre23t 00:44, 21 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Expressway

I see Expressway currently being redirected to Highway. Shouldn't that be to Freeway instead? -- sabre23t 09:57, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)

There was a big merge-separate a few months back (by me, as it happens, after seeing the request). Reading all the articles which went into the melting pot (about ten of them iirc) it seemed that Highway was the most suitable as being the main target about important roads, and all others come off of it. In the case of freeway/expressway, btw, it is different in different states / countries. --[[User:VampWillow|VampWillow]] 10:35, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
Freeway appears to discuss what 'expressways' are. zoney ███ talk 11:26, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
This is quite confusing, I suspect largely because the terms have such different usage in various countries (and even various regions of the U.S.). The description of highway here does not seem applicable to most highways in the U.S. And at least in my experience, freeway and expressway are more or less synonymous. Both freeways and expressways are types of highways, but a highway is not necessarily either. Both are most often Interstates, although occasionally state or U.S. highways may also be called a freeway or expressway. older≠wiser 11:48, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Opening paragraphs

I have revised the opening paragraphs to make it more clear that a highway is not the same thing as a limited access road in every case. Also, these opening paragraphs were becoming a collection of poorly-harmonized trivia. To help with that, I removed a lot of pointless or useless words and statements and rephrased many difficult sections.

Nova SS 04:11, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trans-Canada Highway

As far as I know - and the article would seem to agree - the Trans-Canada Highway is not a single road. It is a system of highways. Perhaps the system, or a single road that is part of it, is indeed the longest highway in the world... but the article is written in a way that implies that the entire TCH is one highway, which I don't believe is the case. Could someone verify this please?

[edit] the quote from the article-

'Ventura Highway in California (America, 1972).' needs clarification. There is no 'Ventura Highway' as such, it only exists in song. The closest road that exists is 'Ventura Blvd.' in the San Fernando Valley and before the construction of US Highway 101 as a freeway it was the main US highway route from Los Angeles to Ventura. Currently Ventura Blvd. runs from intersection of Cahuenga Blvd. and Lankershim Blvd. near Universal City to Valley Circle Blvd. in Woodland Hills. Most of the sections beyond it are now part of the US101 freeway. Small parts of 'Ventura Blvd.' exist in the cities between Los Angeles and Ventura. The current 'Ventura Freeway' is that part of US101 freeway from the Ventura County line to the intersection of California routes 170/134. US101 freeway continues as the 'Hollywood Freeway' over Cahuenga Pass to downtown Los Angeles.


159.225.155.181 18:39, 13 December 2006 (UTC)eichlersocal@yahoo.com

[edit] Content problems and focus

What is this article about?

The bulk of it seems to be a couple of lines summary on the classification schemes and/or terminology used in each country. A Wikipedia article termed "Highway" isn't a particularly accurate location for such information.

zoney ♣ talk 16:25, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

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