misc.transport.road FAQ
misc.transport.road Frequently Asked Questions
If you are having trouble finding a subject in the table of contents below, a text search of this document may be helpful. If reading this on the World Wide Web, choose Edit: Find or other similar command from the toolbar in your browser.
Note: Map references are now given in latitude and longitude, due to most online mapping services easily incorporating the data. Use one of the following URLs to get a map (* = latitude and ** = longitude, the latter of which will be a negative number [west] for nearly all of North America):
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=*,**
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=*&longitude=**
http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?Lat=*&Lon=**
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=*&lon=*
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=*,**
(Acme Mapper does not provide its own images but uses various from above sources)
http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapgen?lat=*&lon=**&on=streets
http://tiger.census.gov/instruct.html contains more options such as zoom and resize; go to http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl for a coordinate-ready browser
Changing of scale and/or medium (map vs. photograph) may be required, especially involving topographic maps, since three different series (1:24000, 1:100 000, 1:250 000) are used.
1 Discussing roads | 2 Frequently used abbreviations | 3 Common Road and Highway Terms | 4 Government | 5 Websites | 6 The Interstate Highway System | 7 The US Route System | 8 State/provincial highway systems (U.S./Canada) | 9 Other Countries | 10 Road signs | 11 Traffic signals | 12 General miscellaneous | 13 Road construction | 14 Road maps | 15 County highway systems of the U.S. | 16 Road-related employment | 17 History | 18 Bibliography | 19 Photography | 100 Who wrote this FAQ?
Table of Contents
1 Discussing roads
1.1 What is misc.transport.road?
1.1.1 What types of postings are acceptable on misc.transport.road?
1.1.2 Why are people talking about (insert offtopic subject) on m.t.r?
1.2 Is there a roadgeek mailing list?
1.3 What other newsgroups are similar to misc.transport.road?
2 Frequently used abbreviations
3 Common Road and Highway Terms
3.1 Breezewood
3.2 Business Routes
3.3 Button Copy
3.4 Control City
3.4.1 What are the longest distances listed to a particular control city?
3.4.2 Which control city for an Interstate has the smallest population?
3.5 Decommission
3.6 Interchanges
3.6.1 SPUI
3.6.2 What is the longest distance between interchanges?
3.6.3 Exit Lists
3.6.4 Interchange names
3.6.5 Volleyball
3.6.6 One-quadrant ramp
3.6.7 Truck escape ramps
3.7 Jersey Barrier
3.8 Mileposts
3.9 Multiplex
3.9.1 What is the highway with the most multiplexes?
3.10 Ramp to Nowhere
3.11 Roadgeek
3.12 Super 2
3.13 Toll highway
3.13.1 E-ZPass
3.14 What is the difference between an expressway and a freeway? What is the difference between limited access and controlled access?
3.14.1 What is the difference between the terms "highway" and "route" when referring to numbering systems?
3.15 Spur
3.16 What is the difference between a traffic circle and a roundabout?
3.16.1 Where is the Magic Roundabout?
3.17 Bump
3.18 Cutout
3.19 Clinch
4 Government
4.1 What is FHWA?
4.2 What is AASHTO?
4.3 What are ISTEA, TEA-21, and SAFETEA-LU?
4.4 What are the Appalachian Regional Corridors?
5 Websites
6 The Interstate Highway System
6.1 Interstate History
6.1.1 How did the Interstate Highway System come to be?
6.1.2 What was the first stretch of Interstate to open?
6.1.3 What were the early plans for Interstates?
6.2 Interstate Numbering
6.2.1 Letter Suffixes
6.2.1.1 What happened to letter extensions on Interstate highways?
6.2.1.2 Why does I-35 split in Dallas and Minneapolis?
6.2.1.3 What are/were all the suffixed interstates?
6.2.2 Why the heck does I-99 have such a weird number?
6.2.3 What is I-238?
6.2.4 Why are there two Interstates 76, 84, 86 and 88?
6.2.5 Which 3di spurs go both directions from a parent?
6.3 Oddities
6.3.1 What happens to I-95 in NJ?
6.3.1.1 Are I-95's exit numbers between I-80 and NY an extension of I-80's?
6.3.2 Why do some Interstates, such as I-180 in WY, have traffic lights or at-grade intersections?
6.3.3 Where was the Embarcadero Freeway and why was it torn down?
6.3.4 Why are these I-73 and I-74 signs popping up in North Carolina?
6.3.5 Why are there freeway loops in Phoenix?
6.3.6 What is the new I-86?
6.3.6.1 Does it really dip into Pennsylvania?
6.3.7 Where are all the drawbridges on the Interstate system?
6.3.8 Why are there Interstate highways in Hawaii? Are there plans for Interstates in Alaska or Puerto Rico? Are there any freeways in Alaska or Puerto Rico?
6.3.9 What's up with I-585 in Spartanburg, SC?
6.3.10 Why is the Chicago Skyway no longer I-90?
6.3.11 Why does I-180 in IL exist?
6.3.12 What happened to I-265 in Nashville?
6.3.13 Are Kentucky's parkways built to Interstate standards?
6.3.14 Why do I-17's exit numbers start so high?
6.3.15 What's with the I-465 spur northwest of Indianapolis? What is it designated?
6.3.16 Has there been a proposal to extend eastern I-76 eastward?
6.3.17 What's with I-22?
6.3.18 What's with I-41?
6.3.19 What's with the proposed Interstates in in the southern US?
6.4 Why do people want I-69 extended?
6.5 What's this I hear about a new Interstate marker?
6.6 Is one mile of each five in the Interstate system required to be able to act as an emergency landing strip for aircraft?
6.7 What is PrePass?
6.8 What is the largest city without an Interstate?
6.9 Interstate Standards
6.10 Where is the longest stretch between services on an Interstate?
6.10.1 Where is the longest stretch between other Interstates on an Interstate?
6.11 Tunnels
6.12 Intrastate Interstates
6.13 Multistate 3di's
6.14 Which 3dis exist in states where their parents are not?
6.15 What are the highest and lowest elevations on the Interstate system?
6.16 Which Interstate and US route pair crosses each other the most?
6.17 Do Interstates have publicly-accessible U-turn ramps in places?
6.18 What's with crossing gates on onramps?
7 The US Route System
7.1 Is the US route system a federal program?
7.1.1 Do Federal funds support the US system?
7.2 US Highway Numbering
7.2.1 Why are there still US routes with directional suffixes and single state US routes?
7.3 How old is the US route system?
7.4 Why has so much of the US highway system been decommisioned?
7.4.1 What happened to US 66?
7.4.1.1 What happened to US 666?
7.4.2 What happened to US 99?
7.5 What's with the new US routes?
7.6 Miscellaneous
7.6.1 What is the longest US route?
7.6.2 What is the shortest US route?
7.6.3 What are the current remaining single-state US routes?
7.6.4 Why do US routes in the southeast have concurrent state routes?
7.6.5 Where is the north end of US 25?
7.7 What is the National Highway System?
7.8 What happened to the colored US routes?
7.9 Which Interstate and US route pair crosses each other the most?
7.10 Are there any more unpaved sections of US routes?
8 State/provincial highway systems (U.S./Canada)
8.1 How come so many routes keep numbers when crossing state boundaries?
8.2 What is the shortest numbered highway?
8.3 What is the highest numbered highway?
8.3.1 What is the most common street name in the US?
8.4 Why is WY 789 numbered as such?
8.5 Why is FL A1A numbered (and lettered) as such?
8.6 Why do many state routes in New England keep their numbers between states?
8.7 What's with the WV fractional routes?
9 Other Countries
9.1 Which countries use right-side driving, and which use left-side driving?
9.2 Canada
9.2.1 What is the Trans-Canada Highway?
9.2.2 What is the Quebec Autoroute system?
9.3 Mexico
9.4 Europe
9.4.1 France
9.4.2 United Kingdom
9.5 Australia
10 Road signs
10.1 What does the highway marker look like in...?
10.1.1 Are route markers painted on pavement anywhere?
10.2 What are the fonts used in signage?
10.3 How do exits get their numbers?
10.3.1 Where are there fractional milemarkers?
10.3.2 What is the highest number or distance on a milemarker?
10.3.3 Where is there an Exit 0?
10.3.4 What is the highest-lettered exit?
10.4 What's with the new fluorescent color for signs?
10.5 Where can one buy road signs?
10.6 Speed limits
10.7 Sign art
10.8 What's with the services signs with business logos?
10.9 What's with the permanent detour signs in PA and MI?
10.10 What does "HM" mean?
10.11 Trucker jargon
11 Traffic signals
11.1 What does a blinking green light mean?
11.1.1 What does a blinking yellow arrow mean?
11.1.2 What does a blinking walk signal mean?
11.2 What does it mean when the red and yellow lights are on at the same time?
11.3 Why do some red lights have strobe lights? Are these a danger to people with epilepsy?
11.4 What do the signals look like in...?
11.5 What are LED signals?
11.6 What are countdown crosswalk signals?
11.7 Are there audible crosswalk signals?
11.8 Where is that upside-down signal?
11.9 Is there a traffic signal sculpture?
11.10 Where are there horizontal traffic signals?
11.11 Ramp meters
11.12 Why can't I see the signal indication?
11.13 Who invented the traffic light?
11.14 What is the difference between permissive and protected left turns?
12 General miscellaneous
12.1 Where is there left-hand drive in right-hand drive countries?
12.2 Which highways either just enter or just miss a state?
12.3 Which freeways have the most lanes at one point (not counting toll booths or ramps)?
12.4 What songs are about roads?
12.4.1 What movies and television shows contain many road scenes?
12.4.2 Board games
12.5 What were auto trails?
12.6 What is the greatest distance between roadways of a divided highway?
12.7 What was that old bridge that shook itself apart?
12.8 What is a suicide lane?
12.8.1 Reversible lanes
12.9 What is a zipper lane?
12.10 Pavement markings
12.11 What and where are floating bridges?
12.12 What is the name of the area between a road and an adjacent sidewalk?
12.13 Where is the longest 6-lane stretch?
12.14 Do highways loop around themselves?
12.15 Are there any rest areas in the medians of divided highways?
12.16 Which routes have direction indication changes?
12.16.1 Which routes have significant portions 180 degrees from their direction indications?
12.17 Have there been posted directions other than cardinal (N/S/E/W)?
12.18 Double-deck streets
12.19 Road designators
12.20 Sports venues
13 Road construction
13.1 Where can I go to find out where road construction is in a certain area?
14 Road maps
14.1 Where can I find old maps?
14.1.1 Why are many route numbers in the 1926 Rand McNally U.S. atlas wrong?
14.2 Where can I find current maps?
14.3 Why do different computer mapping programs have the same mistakes?
15 County highway systems of the U.S.
15.1 Are Wisconsin's and Missouri's lettered routes county highways?
16 Road-related employment
16.1 What are some road-related jobs?
16.2 What should I study in school?
16.2.1 Schools
16.3 Job resources
17 History
17.1 Historical Archives
18 Bibliography
19 Photography
19.1 What are the best cameras for taking road photos?
19.2 Where are there road photos on the Internet?
100 Who wrote this FAQ?
1 Discussing roads
1.1
What is misc.transport.road?
misc.transport.road is an unmoderated (uncensored, uneditable) Usenet newsgroup in which individuals may discuss issues pertaining to road transportation and design. Read misc.transport.road using Google Groups Usenet archive: http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road . Usenet is described at http://www.faqs.org/usenet/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet , http://www.smr-usenet.com/tech/about.shtml , and http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/ (1997). Sep 13, 2005
1.1.1
Q: What types of postings are acceptable on misc.transport.road?
A: The charter is as follows:
misc.transport.road is for discussion of all aspects of road/highway transportation and design not included in other groups (such as misc.transport.trucking and misc.transport.urban-transit).
Commercial posts and advertising are not appropriate for this group, with the following exceptions:
* individuals seeking to buy or sell books, magazines, collector's items, memorabilia, etc. are permitted.
* announcements of commercial or semi-commercial web sites and other resources are permitted.
All such commercial or advertising posts should be brief, should not be posted repeatedly and must be clearly related to the topics the group is meant to discuss. Frequent reposting of the same or similar articles is specifically prohibited.
The charter is archived at http://faqs.org/usenet/news.announce.newgroups/misc/misc.transport.misc .
m.t.r is not for only US-related topics, although it is dominated by them.
Binary files are not appropriate on m.t.r .
Sep 28, 2004
1.1.2
Q: Why are people talking about (insert offtopic subject) on m.t.r?
A:
Radio/TV stations | Gas stations/restaurants/stores | License plates | Geographical names | Government units | Area codes | ZIP codes | Time Zones
Radio/TV stations: This started because of people talking about it in roadtrip reports; it usually starts as an on-topic thread and drifts off-topic. Go to http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/audio/tvq.html for a list of American TV stations (this also accesses radio station information). See also http://dmoz.org/Arts/Radio/Resources/Guides/ , http://dmoz.org/Arts/Radio/Internet/Directories/ , and http://dmoz.org/Arts/Television/Stations/
Gas stations/restaurants/stores: Gas stations came first as offshoots of roadtrip reports, generally to mention prices of fuel; now new threads have been started about current and former restaurant and store chains. A site with links to nearly all active U.S. retail chains is located at http://www.synergos-tech.com/crossroads/business.htm . More information may be found at http://dmoz.org/Business/Retail_Trade/ . Information about old supermarket chains may be found at http://www.groceteria.net/ . Malls and other retail outlets no longer extant or with few locations remaining are discussed at http://www.deadmalls.com/ . A timeline of significant events in retail in the 20th Century is at http://retailtrafficmag.com/ar/retail_cheers_years_th/ . Stuckey's information is at http://www.stuckeys.com/ , http://www.stuckonstuckeys.com/ , and http://www.wunderland.com/WTS/Rash/stuckey.html . Gas prices may be located at http://www.gaspricewatch.com/ , http://www.gasbuddy.com/ , or various sites at http://dmoz.org/Home/Consumer_Information/Automobiles/Fuels/Price_Comparisons/ . Gas station memorabilia is the subject of http://www.oldgas.com/ . A discussion group about oil company history is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oilhistory/ .
License plates: Obviously license plates are visible anytime one uses a road. For a directory of webpages showing photos of current standard, current special, and old license plates, go to http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Collecting/Themes/Transportation/Automobiles/License_Plates/ .
Washington is wholly within the District of Columbia and therefore separate from all states as well as counties (DC has had no counties for a long time).
Counties have "collectors", those who make a roster of ones visited. Many roadgeeks travel as many roads as they do because they are county collectors. See http://www.extramilerclub.org/ , http://www.countycounters.com/ , and http://www.mob-rule.com/counties/ .
For more information, see http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/4f046af1cfe0f7eb , especially message 16 ( http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/msg/266bc5b127d59585 , message ID 0014749c.4288b434@usw-ex0104-033.remarq.com ) , the Census Bureau website at http://www.census.gov/ , and Rand McNally's Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide, available at most larger libraries or at http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/promo/promoCAO.jsp .
A list of each state's smallest municipality per the 2000 U.S. Census is located at http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/msg/b6237468990d6bbc (12/6/05 - Message ID: 1133924285.930983.52500@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com ).
Area codes: Usually a secondary off-shoot of the above. Thorough area code information is at http://www.lincmad.com/ and http://www.nanpa.com/ . See also http://dmoz.org/Reference/Directories/Address_and_Phone_Numbers/Area_Codes/ and http://dmoz.org/Business/Telecommunications/Resources/Numbering/ .
ZIP codes: Similar to area code discussion. ZIP codes are American postal codes, 5 digits long with an optional 4-digit suffix ("ZIP" stands for "Zone Improvement Plan"). http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/ is the United States Postal Service page which includes an FAQ and a locator; http://acg.media.mit.edu/people/fry/zipdecode/ is an unofficial map locator.
Canadian postal codes are covered at http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pcl/bin/advanced-e.asp .
Time zones: These are usually mentioned in reference to signs designating them or to old maps which show former boundary alignments. http://www.worldtimezone.com/ shows boundaries worldwide; http://www.time.gov/ has US boundaries as well as links to pages on time zone history (official zone and boundary definitions are at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/49cfr71_03.html ). Standardized daylight-saving time in the US was created by the Uniform Time Act of 1966 http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/260.html ; states observing year-round standard time (AZ, HI, formerly IN, possibly future ME) are documented at http://www.mccsc.edu/time.html . A history of daylight-saving time is at http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/ . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zone and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time
Making repeated off-topic posts in any newsgroup is generally considered bad Netiquette ( http://faqs.org/usenet/ ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette ).
Apr 5, 2007
1.2
Q: Is there a roadgeek mailing list?
A: There are many. See http://www.aaroads.com/kick-off/highway.html#lists and http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Roads_and_Highways/Mailing_Lists/ .
Jul 13, 2004
1.3
Q: What other newsgroups are similar to misc.transport.road?
A: Here are some related newsgroups:
misc.transport.trucking
misc.transport.urban-transit
alt.planning.urban
sci.engr.civil
sci.geo.* newsgroups, especially sci.geo.satellite-nav and sci.geo.cartography
alt.petromatica (Gasoline)
rec.autos.driving
alt.travel.road-trip
Various rec.travel.* newsgroups
Various regional transportation newsgroups including dc.driving, phl.transportation, nyc.transit ,ne.transportation, la.transportation, and ba.transportation
Jul 19, 2005
2 Frequently used abbreviations
2di, 3di = 2 or 3-digit interstate; occasionally used to mean 2 or 3-digit of any route type, but in this FAQ it means 2 or 3-digit interstate (2 digit interstate); 2di usually refers to all mainlines, which include 1 digit routes; "odd/even 3di" often refers to the 1st digit, not the last, since the 1st digit in a 3di defines its function - e.g. I-235 may be called an even 3di
2dus, 3dus = 2 or 3-digit U.S. Route; as above, 2dus usually refers to all 1- and 2-digit mainlines
AADT = Average Annual Daily Traffic. Counts for selected urban U.S. highways may be found at http://www.webspawner.com/users/beachbuminda650/ ; in addition, state DOT websites (see entry below) may list counts for all highways which they maintain.
AASHTO = American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (sets US and Interstate route numbering, among other duties) http://www.transportation.org/
A-nn = Autoroute nn (used in Quebec and some European countries)
Alt = Alternate
BANANA = Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody
BGS = Big Green Sign -- those huge signs on freeways that tell drivers where to go (also BBS for blue or brown, BYS for yellow, BOS for orange; and SGS for small, LGS for little, etc.). The section in the MUTCD (see entry below) that covers them is Chapter 2E ( http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003/part2/part2e1.htm ).
Bus = Business
Byp = Bypass
C/D = Collector/distributor. These are roadways which parallel a roadway of a freeway, and are used within interchanges or interchange complexes to separate exits and entrances from the main roadway so that all weaving can occur on the C/D roadway. These differ from frontage roads in that they are always one-way freeway-grade, whereas frontage roads can have at-grade intersections and driveway access.
CL = Center line (often the "C" and the "L" overlap on documents)
CMS - see VMS
CR = County Route/Road
DOT = Department of Transportation. Most U.S. states abbreviate their DOTs as *DOT, where * is the initial letter(s) of the state name (ex. Colorado = CDOT, New Hampshire = NHDOT). Exceptions: ALDOT (Alabama), (A)DOT&PF (Alaska), AHTD (Arkansas), Caltrans (California), CTDOT (Connecticut), DelDOT (Delaware), ITD (Idaho), INDOT (Indiana), IaDOT (Iowa), KYTC (Kentucky), La DOTD (Louisiana), EOTC (Massachusetts), Mn/DOT (Minnesota), MoDOT (Missouri), MDT (Montana), NDOR (Nebraska), NYSDOT (New York), PENNDOT (Pennsylvania), DTOP (Puerto Rico), TxDOT (Texas), VTrans (Vermont), WSDOT (Washington), WisDOT (Wisconsin), and WYDOT (Wyoming). New Mexico's was formerly NMSHTD but became NMDOT on July 1, 2003. A list of links to all state DOT websites is at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/webstate.htm .
HOT = High Occupancy Toll lane, a tolled HOV lane (see next entry), sometimes derisively referred to as a "Lexus lane" - http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS/REPTS_TE/hot/
HOV = High Occupancy Vehicle lane, where there must be a certain number of people in a car or it cannot use that lane. Sometimes the lane is named using the minimum number of occupants required, e.g. "HOV-3". See http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2b2.htm#section2B26 and http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part3/part3b2.htm#section3B22
I-nn = Interstate nn (Texas officially uses IH-nn)
IC = Interchange (variant: TI = Traffic Interchange)
ITS = Intelligent transportation systems - http://www.its.dot.gov/ See also 10.3.1
K-nn = Kansas state route nn
LOS = Level of Service. This is a traffic engineering term and ranges from LOS A (free-flowing traffic) to LOS F (traffic crawling or completely stopped). See http://web.archive.org/web/20040229073836/http://yerkes.mit.edu/DOT1/LOS/LOS.html (no-longer-extant webpage at Archive.org) A list of U.S. bottlenecks is available at http://www.highways.org/pdfs/bottleneck2004.pdf
Mnn = Motorway nn (British or Australian freeway)
M-nn = Michigan state route nn
MPO = Metropolitan Planning Organization. A list of these in the U.S., with links to their websites, is at http://www.ampo.org/links/mposnet.html .
MUTCD = Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. See Section 10 .
N-nn = Nebraska state route nn (only in official use by Nebraska DOR)
NG = National Geographic (usually not "newsgroup" as elsewhere on Usenet)
NHS = National Highway System. See Question 7.7 .
NIMBY = Not In My Back Yard (means anyone who opposes a project, often highway, because of its nearby location; it is often used in an expanded context as anyone who opposes any road project which the labeler wants built)
NMSL = National Maximum Speed Limit - In the U.S. this was 55 mph, 1974-1987; 1987-1991 it was 55 mph except on rural Interstates (but not Interstate-grade non-Interstate highways) where it could be raised to 65 mph; 1991-1995 this was extended to Interstate-grade non-Interstates. The National Highway System legislation of 1995 repealed the NMSL. It was originally part of the 1974 Emergency Highway Conservation Act.
NOPE = Not On Planet Earth
RMcN = Rand McNally
ROW = Right of Way
SPUI = Single Point Urban Interchange. Information is available at http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/spui.html . See also Question 3.6.1 .
SR = State Route/Road. Common usage in m.t.r is to refer to state routes by their two-letter postal codes http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.htm#states for the US and http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/b03-e.asp#c013 for Canada. For reference:
AL - Alabama; AB - Alberta; AK - Alaska; AZ - Arizona; AR - Arkansas
BC - British Columbia
CA - California; CO - Colorado; CT - Connecticut
DE - Delaware; DC - District of Columbia
FL - Florida
GA - Georgia
HI - Hawaii (Hawai'i)
ID - Idaho; IL - Illinois; IN - Indiana; IA - Iowa
KS - Kansas; KY - Kentucky
LA - Louisiana
ME - Maine; MB - Manitoba; MD - Maryland; MA - Massachusetts; MI - Michigan; MN - Minnesota; MS - Mississippi; MO - Missouri; MT - Montana
NE - Nebraska; NV - Nevada; NB - New Brunswick; NH - New Hampshire; NJ - New Jersey; NM - New Mexico; NY - New York; NL - Newfoundland and Labrador (formerly NF); NC - North Carolina; ND - North Dakota; NT - Northwest Territories; NS - Nova Scotia; NU - Nunavut
OH - Ohio; OK - Oklahoma; ON - Ontario; OR - Oregon
PA - Pennsylvania; PE - Prince Edward Island; PR - Puerto Rico
QC - Quebec (formerly PQ)
RI - Rhode Island
SK - Saskatchewan; SC - South Carolina; SD - South Dakota
TN - Tennessee; TX - Texas
US - United States; UT - Utah
VT - Vermont; VA - Virginia
WA - Washington; WV - West Virginia; WI - Wisconsin; WY - Wyoming
YT - Yukon Territory
TC nn = Trans-Canada Highway nn
Temp = Temporary
TI - see IC
TR = Township Route/Road (see 1.1.2 Government Units)
U-nn = Utah state route nn
US nn = US route nn
VMS = Variable message sign (variant: CMS = Changeable message sign)
See Section 4 for more abbreviations. General Usenet abbreviations may be found at http://www.netlingo.com/ .
Apr 5, 2007
3 Common Road and Highway Terms
3.1 Breezewood
This term refers to a stretch of surface road that connects two different freeways, or two different stretches of a single one, without any direct connection via an interchange. Usually, these roads are filled with traffic lights, gas stations, fast food joints, etc. The original example is in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, where I-70 follows surface US 30 for a quarter mile where it meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike. See http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.htm or http://www.pahighways.com/interstates/I70.html for more details. Breezewood is the subject of a 2002 documentary by Jason Hutt called Breezewood, Pennsylvania (see 12.4.1 ). Oct 3, 2004
3.2 Business Routes
A loop or spur off a highway into the center of a town. Business routes generally have the same number of the main highway, but have special "Business" signs. Interstate business routes, for example, have special green shields, sometimes offset from the rest of a BGS by what MI's DOT calls an "accent square" (see http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2d1.htm#section2D11 ). Most interstate business routes are surface streets, usually old alignments of US highways. Some are freeways, like the I-80 business loop in Sacramento (see http://www.cahighways.org/049-056.html#051 and http://www.interstate-guide.com/business-routes/bus80.html for details on and history of that particular route), but don't meet more technical interstate standards like ramp spacing. Sometimes but not often Interstate business routes are referred to as "green Interstates" in certain areas. The only Interstate business routes from the same parent to meet each other are I-44 BS and I-44 BL in MO ( http://www.cosmos-monitor.com/road/sign/mo/routeindex.html#BS44 ). US and state business routes are often the original route through the city. A list of Interstate business routes is at
http://www.interstate-guide.com/business-routes/ and a list of U.S. business and other auxiliary routes is at
http://www.us-highways.com/usban.htm . Jul 18, 2006
3.3 Button Copy
Button copy is a term used to describe letters and characters on signs with several inlaid reflectors in them, providing better visibility at night. States started phasing them out on signs at the end of the 20th Century, opting for reflective sign sheeting for the whole sign instead. See http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/msg/3d4e957b8741f740 (Message-ID: 3A3D4D1F.58FD0D6C@earthlink.net ). Jun 27, 2005
3.4 Control City
Usually associated with the Interstate Highway system, a control city is usually identified as the city on a sign which drivers are most likely to be headed. They appear as the bottom city on distance signs, on "pull-through" BGSes, and in signs leading to the freeway at interchanges. A complete list of control cities that AASHTO recommends for the Interstate system, as well as a more complete description, can be found at http://home.roadrunner.com/~pwolf/controlcities.html .
The cities on the exit signs on freeways are often called control cities as well on the newsgroup, as are the signs that say "City A ->" at an intersection, though these are officially known as "destinations". MUTCD sections: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2e1.htm#section2E12 (freeway/expressway), http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2d2.htm#section2D34 (surface road) Oct 4, 2007
3.4.1
Q: What are the longest distances listed to a particular control city?
A:The longest distance on a conventional mileage sign, and one of only three four-digit instances, is probably 1007 miles for Los Angeles on I-40 in NM. Others of note are 1508 km (937 mi) for Yellowknife, NT ( http://albertaroads.homestead.com/transcanada/hwy16/hwy16w1.html - the largest number on a conventional distance sign), 857 (mi) for El Paso on I-10 in TX, and 1065 km (662 mi) for Fairbanks, AK on the Alaska Highway in YT ( http://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/20010613/84km-close.jpg ). Other very-long-distance controls include New York City in Ohio ( http://www.roadfan.com/nycohio.html ), on the New York State Thruway just into NY State, in Baltimore, and in Boston; Miami in VA; Tampa on I-285 in Atlanta; Memphis in Chicago; Tulsa in St. Louis; Los Angeles in the San Francisco Bay area; Manteo, NC on US 64 at the other end of NC; Denver in eastern KS; and various large western U.S. cities from other large western U.S. cities which contain no cities of note between them.
For non-conventional control cities, there are signs at highway termini which list distances to the other terminus. These include US 41's north end ( http://www-personal.umich.edu/~aleskiw/roadgeek/Gallery1.htm and http://www.geocities.com/usend4049/End041/end041.htm ) and I-70's east end ( http://www.m-plex.com/roads/trips/i70et_parkandride.html - bottom), as well as both ends of I-40 ( http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-040.html ) and US 50 ( http://www.geocities.com/usend5059/End050/end050.htm ). Also, signs on the Ohio Turnpike list Chicago ( http://www.roadfan.com/ohtpkchi.jpg ) and New York City "VIA TURNPIKES".
See also 10.3.2 . Mar 25, 2005
3.4.2
Q: Which control city for an Interstate has the smallest population?
A: The smallest places follow, with 2000 Census populations:
Breezewood, PA (I-70): c. 200 (unincorporated, estimated by Rand McNally)
Delaware Water Gap, PA (I-80): 744 (may refer to the geologic feature rather than the locality)
Valley Forge, PA (I-76): 1200
Hancock, MD (I-70): 1725
New Stanton, PA (I-70): 1906
Limon, CO (I-70): 2071
Other notably small controls also appear elsewhere in PA as well as in CA and MS. Jun 16, 2005
3.5 Decommission
To revoke a number from a particular highway. Normally this is accompanied by downloading to the next lower government body, although sometimes it remains as a secret state route, or a US route becomes a state route.
3.6 Interchanges
Interchanges are grade-separated intersections with one-way ramps connecting the two roads. They are often also called "exits" though that term may also apply to a single off-ramp (road carrying traffic from the freeway to the crossroad). The many different types are outlined at http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/ . Hybrid interchange-intersection conditions also exist, such as Jughandles, common in NJ ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jughandle ); Michigan Lefts, common in MI ( http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/michigan_left.html ), known in Chicago as "Boulevard Turns"; or "channelization". Sep 13, 2005
3.6.1 SPUI
One of the more talked about types of interchanges, a SPUI (single-point urban interchange) looks like a standard diamond interchange, but the ramps work in a much different way, allowing traffic to flow easier by making opposing left turns concurrent. A list is available at http://web.archive.org/web/20021218091949/http://web.mit.edu/spui/www/spui/ (page no longer active). See also http://www4.trb.org/trb/crp.nsf/All+Projects/NCHRP+3-40 / http://64.118.69.9/acb1/showdetl.cfm?DID=92&Product_ID=2277 ("Single Point Urban Interchange Design and Operations Analysis", National Cooperative Highway Research Program [NCHRP] Report 345) as well as Section 2 . Mar 11, 2006
3.6.2
Q: What is the longest distance between interchanges?
A: In the U.S., there are 51 miles southbound and 49 miles northbound between Exit 193 (US-441/FL-60) and Exits 242/244 (US-192/441), and 41 miles between Exit 152 (FL-70) and Exit 193, on Florida's Turnpike. There are 37 miles between Exit 4 (Bonneville Speedway) and Exit 41 (Knolls) on I-80 in western Utah, the longest stretch on both a free highway and a publicly-numbered highway (Florida's Turnpike is officially FL-91 but there are no references to that in the field). There are also no services between these two I-80 exits, just a pair of rest areas (the two Florida's Turnpike stretches listed above both have a median service area along them). See Question 6.10 for the longest stretch between services on an Interstate and Question 6.10.1 for the longest stretch on an Interstate between other Interstates. Jun 10, 2005
3.6.3 Exit Lists
An exit list, also called an exit guide, is a listing of all the exits on a section of freeway/tollway/expressway. It is used to find the information about an exit before one exits. Sometimes exit lists are also made for surface streets with some degree of access control (for example arterials with jughandles in New Jersey). The exit lists are typically made by people who want to make them (roadgeeks). They use maps and personal experience when creating the exit guide. A few state departments of transportation make bare-bones text exit lists. Some of the exit lists have services listed at exits, while others just list the exits. Most list the cities and towns the exit leads to. Rest areas are usually listed. Some of the service area listings even include what types of food and gas (petrol) establishments may be found at those service areas (service plazas/oases). Links to exit lists are at http://www.ajfroggie.com/triskele/ . Nov 18, 2003
3.6.4 Interchange names
All locations in North America unless otherwise specified. All numbered routes through the interchanges may not be identified.
Alemany Maze: I-280 @ US 101, San Francisco
Anjou: A-40 @ A-25, Montreal
The Apex: I-75 @ I-275 (north junction), Metro Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL
Basketweave: ON 401's collector lane/local lane exchange near Jane Street, Toronto
The Big I: I-25 @ I-40, Albuquerque
The Big I: I-10 @ I-95, Jacksonville
The Big Scramble: I-24 @ I-124 (US 27), Chattanooga, TN
The Big Split: I-94 @ I-494 (W), Metro Minneapolis/St. Paul
The Big X: I-74 @ I-80 (E), near Moline, IL (Metro Quad Cities, IL/IA)
Blue Water Tower Interchange: I-90 @ I-290, Metro Buffalo
Braintree Split: I-93 and US 1 @ MA 3, Braintree
Brookwood Interchange: I-75 @ I-85 (north junction), Atlanta
Bruckner Interchange: I-95 @ I-295 @ I-278 @ I-678, New York
Can of Worms: I-490 @ I-590/NY 590, Rochester
Capitol Interchange: I-35E @ I-94, St. Paul
Circle Interchange: I-90/94 @ I-290, Chicago
Cloverleaf: I-77 @ I-480, Metro Cleveland
Crossroads of Mid-America: I-55 @ I-80, Joliet, IL
Crosstown Commons: MN 62 @ I-35W, Minneapolis
Dallas High 5: I-635 @ US 75, Dallas
Dead Man's Curve: I-90 @ OH 2, Cleveland
Dead Man's Curve: I-65 @ I-70 (north junction), Indianapolis
Decarie: A-40 @ A-15 @ QC 117, Montreal
East Los Angeles Interchange: I-5, I-10 and US 101 @ CA 60, Los Angeles
Edens Junction: I-90 @ I-94 (north split), Chicago
El Toro Y: I-5 @ I-405, Irvine, CA - its often-cited 26-lane width contains roadways of both highways (see also 12.3)
Elkhorn Interchange: I-5 @ CA 99 (north junction), Metro Sacramento
Fish Bowl: I-15 @ I-215, Las Vegas
Fishhook: CA 1 @ CA 17, Santa Cruz
Flying Wye: I-84 @ I-184, Boise
Fountain Interchange: US 41 @ FL 82, Ft. Myers
The 4-Level: US 101 @ I-110, Los Angeles (adjacent to the Slot on US 101)
Freeman Interchange: QEW @ ON 403 @ ON 407, Burlington
Golden Glades: I-95, FL 826, US 441 and FL 9 @ Florida's Turnpike, North Miami Beach
Grandview Triangle: I-435 and US 71 @ I-470, Kansas City
Halawa Interchange: H-1 @ H-3, Metro Honolulu
Henderson Spaghetti Bowl: I-215 @ I-515 (UC), Metro Las Vegas
Highbridge Interchange: I-87 @ I-95, New York
Hillside Strangler: I-88 @ I-290 @ I-294, Metro Chicago
Jacques-Cartier: A-20 @ QC 132 and QC 134, Montreal
The Junction: I-196 @ US 131, Grand Rapids (See also 12.1)
The Junction: I-276 @ I-476, Metro Philadelphia
Kew Gardens Interchange: I-678 @ Grand Central Pkwy @ Robinson Pkwy, New York
Lemoyne: QC134 @ QC 112 @ QC 116, Montreal
MacArthur Maze (officially Distribution Structure): I-880 and I-80 @ I-580, Oakland
Malfunction Junction: I-75 @ OH 4, Dayton
Malfunction Junction: I-275 @ I-4, Tampa
Malfunction Junction: I-20/59 @ I-65, Birmingham (AL, US) (See also 12.1)
Malfunction Junction (old): I-40 @ I-275 (former I-75), Knoxville
Malfunction Junction: I-26 @ I-126, Columbia
Malfunction Junction: I-40 @ I-85, Greensboro, NC
The Merge or The Split: I-94 @ I-57, Chicago
The Merge: I-96 @ US 131 (part), Grand Rapids
Midtown Interchange: I-95 @ I-395, Miami
Mixing Bowl: I-5 @ Atlantic Blvd., East Los Angeles
Mixing Bowl: I-696 @ US 24 and MI 10, Southfield (Metro Detroit)
Mixing Bowl: I-96 @ I-96/275 @ I-696 @ MI 5, Farmington Hills/Novi (Metro Detroit)
Mixing Bowl (old): I-395 and VA 27, Arlington
Mixing Bowl: I-95 and I-495 @ I-395, Springfield, VA
Mixmaster: I-30 @ I-35E, Dallas
Mixmaster: I-84 @ CT 2, East Hartford (aka East Hartford Interchange)
Mousetrap: I-25 @ I-70, Denver
North Mixmaster: I-35/80 @ I-235 (N), Des Moines
NW 27th Interchange: I-95 @ I-195, Miami
Oak Park Interchange: US 50/BL I-80 @ CA 99, Sacramento
The Octopus (intersection, extensively rebuilt 1997-'98): NY 13 @ NY 13A @ NY 79 @ NY 89 @ NY 96, Ithaca (42.44,-76.515 ; http://www.14850.com/web/octopus/ )
Orange Crush: I-5 and CA 22 @ CA 57, Orange
Riverside Junction: I-215 and CA 60 @ CA 91, Riverside
St.-Hubert: QC 112 @ QC 116, Montreal
San Bernardino Split: US 101 @ I-10, Los Angeles
Short Stack: I-10 @ AZ-51 @ AZ-202, Phoenix
The Split: I-80 @ BR-80 and CA 244, Sacramento
The Split: See "The Merge"
The Stack: I-84 @ CT 9, Newington
The Stack: I-55 and I-20 @ US 49, Jackson, MS
The Stack: I-10 @ I-17, Phoenix
Spaghetti Bowl: I-15 @ I-515, Las Vegas
Spaghetti Bowl: I-80 @ US 395, Reno
Spaghetti Bowl: I-10 @ I-110, El Paso
Spaghetti Bowl: I-30 @ I-35, Dallas
Spaghetti Bowl: I-64 @ I-264, Metro Norfolk (?)
Spaghetti Bowl: I-65 @ I-70 (N), Indianapolis
Spaghetti Bowl: I-80 @ US 46 @ NJ 23, Wayne
(See also Henderson Spaghetti Bowl)
Spaghetti Junction: I-35W @ I-94 @ MN-55, Minneapolis
Spaghetti Junction: SH 1 @ SH 16, Auckland, New Zealand
Spaghetti Junction: H1 @ HI 92, Honolulu
Spaghetti Junction: I-85 @ I-285 (NE), Metro Atlanta
Spaghetti Junction: I-64 and I-65 @ I-71, Louisville
Spaghetti Junction (formally Gravelly Hill interchange): M6 @ A38(M), Birmingham, West Midlands, England
(see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Junction )
Teriyaki Bowl: US 95 @ Summerlin Pkwy, Las Vegas (aka Rainbow Curve)
Tobin Merge: US 1 @ I-93, Boston
Topple Alley: I-5/CA 99 @ US 50/CA 99 (S-to-E only, carrying CA 99 SB), Sacramento
Turcot: A-15 @ A-20 @ A-720, Montreal (see also 12.1 )
West Mixmaster: I-35/80 @ I-235 (W), Des Moines
Zoo Interchange: I-94 @ US-45, Milwaukee
Hawaii generally names all interchanges, and many toll highways name their interchanges as well.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Named_interchanges
Feb 20, 2007
3.6.5 Volleyball
An interchange between two roads whose ramps meet at at-grade intersections on a third level, those at-grade intersections being the only ones in the interchange. Not an official term. See http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/volleyball.html Jan 3, 2003
3.6.6 One-quadrant ramp
As named by AASHTO (see Question 4.2) in their "Green Book", aka A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (2001 edition: Publication Code GDHS-4, ASIN 1560511567), this describes a simple two-way connecting road between two main roads which themselves are grade-separated. While it is identified as an interchange and displays a main characteristic of one (the separation), it is unusual in that all eight turn movements traverse two at-grade intersections, one at each end of the connector (unless right-turn ramps at one or both of the intersections are employed), whereas generally at least one of the main roads in an interchange only connects to the other with sharp-angled offramps that do not allow cross traffic.
A sampling of locations of these is located at http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/29557225ca80a680 Aug 12, 2004
3.6.7 Truck escape ramps
A discussion of escape ramp construction/composition and locations is at http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/2999858fb0a6548 (6/30/05), and signage standards are at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2c.htm#section2C13 . Jul 19, 2005
3.7 Jersey Barrier
A concrete divider on freeways with a cross-section in the shape on an inverted Y. More information is available at http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Jersey_Barrier.html .
3.8 Mileposts
Mileposts are signs placed every mile on roads which show the mileage from some point along the route (usually a terminus or a political boundary.) The MUTCD standard is to use a green vertical sign with the word "MILE" at the top. Some states use them only on Interstates; others put them on other routes as well. California restarts its mileposts (which it calls postmiles) at each county line, including interstates. Many other states do this too, but not for interstates. Kilometerposts are used in places using kilometers. Images are at http://members.aol.com/rcmoeur/d10.html and http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003/part2/fig2d-13_longdesc.htm . There is also a 1967 publication by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety called "Mileposting". See also 10.3.1 and 10.3.2 .
3.9 Multiplex
When two routes "join up" and are co-signed. Other similar terms used are "concurrency" and "overlap" ("multiplex" seems to be a creation of m.t.r while the others are actually used by DOTs). A secret multiplex occurs when one route is unsigned on the concurrent section. A useless/unnecessary multiplex occurs when one or both of the routes ends while multiplexed; one of them could have ended at the other. A wrong-way multiplex occurs when the 2 routes are signed in opposite directions (e.g. [NORTH] [1]/[SOUTH] [3]). A wrong-way multiplex may also carry a route with a third direction (e.g. [NORTH] [1]/[SOUTH] [3]/[EAST] [2]) - there are many examples of this in the field in various places. A four-direction multiplex is theoretically possible (some individual routes can and do briefly run in or close to the opposite direction of which they are signed, see Question 12.16.1 ) but none has been found yet by m.t.r contributors.
RI-114 actually multiplexes with itself in Pawtucket (it is a transition between two one-way couplets where one couplet has each direction with the oncoming route to the left rather than to the right, due to a circuitous path taken by the northbound routing). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_Route_114#endnote_Pawtucket .
Truck US-19 also does this while traversing a pair of I-279 interchanges in Pittsburgh. http://www.m-plex.com/roads/pamplex/mp_i279_us19_trkus19_us22_us30.html#19
US-250 may also do this at US-19 in Fairmont, WV.
A more detailed guide on multiplexes is located at http://www.m-plex.com/roads/mpguide.html . Mar 8, 2007
3.9.1
Q: Which highway has the most multiplexed routes?
A: I-465 on the east side of Indianapolis, IN, between the US-36/SR-67 and US-40 exits, also carries US-31, US-36, US-40, US-52, US-421, SR-37, and SR-67, for a total of 8 routes on one highway, though only I-465 is posted along this stretch as all other routes following I-465 except I-74 have a sign reading "FOR [route shield][direction]/FOLLOW [I-465 shield]/to Exit [number]" on the onramps where they enter I-465 (see http://illi-indi.com/showFull.php?id=1452§ion=34652 ). The most signposted routes is 7 in GA: US-1, US-23, US-301, SR-4, SR-15, SR-23, and SR-121 just short of the FL line ( http://www.gribblenation.com/papics/outofstate/gatotempole-folkston.jpg ). This is possible because in GA every US highway is usually paired with at least one signposted state route (see 7.6.4 ), so other examples with this many or possibly even more may exist elsewhere in the state.
For Interstates the most along any one roadway is
I-55/64/70 between St. Louis, MO, and East St. Louis, IL (FHWA implies in its route log [see Section 6 intro] that I-44 ends at I-70, but MoDOT states that it goes to the IL border, creating by that reckoning I-44/55/64/70, though this may change with the construction of a new Mississippi R. bridge further north [ http://www.newriverbridge.org/ ]),
and I-39/90/94 in WI.
(In OH, I-77/80/90 and I-77/80N/90, portions of today's I-80/90 and I-90, were briefly proposed when the easternmost portion of today's I-94 was to be the northernmost portion of I-77, but these were never signposted - see http://www.roadfan.com/5758int.html .)
For U.S. highways, it's a tie between many four-route multiplexes, including that on the aforementioned I-465 segment. (US-61/63/64/70/79 used to run on I-55 between West Memphis, AR, and Memphis, TN, possibly with US-63 ending at the AR/TN line, but US-63 was later rerouted.) Sep 13, 2005
3.10 Ramp to Nowhere
Segments of highway or ramp that sit unused, often barricaded. They may be part of a cancelled or a future highway project. Also called Ghost Ramps. A special type is the Evel Knievel Ramp, which stops in mid-air. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unused_highway Feb 8, 2007
3.11 Roadgeek
Usually used to mean an m.t.r regular who is not professionally involved with roads. Also used to describe anyone who has a larger-than-average interest in roads. Other similar terms used are "roadfan", "highway enthusiast", "viaphile", "odologist" (see http://www.cbrd.co.uk/reference/dictionary/#o ), and the pun "roads scholar". See http://web.archive.org/web/20040414215828/http://www.ylekot.com/geek.html (no-longer-extant webpage at Archive.org)
A list of roadgeeks by location is at http://www.roadfan.com/roadfan.html . A collection of photographs from various roadgeek meetings is at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gtg377a/meetings.html . Mar 10, 2006
3.12 Super 2
A controlled-access freeway with two lanes and usually without a center median. Super 4s are undivided 4-lane freeways. A Super 2 Expressway is a Super 2 with occasional at-grade intersections; some states call these Super 2s.
3.13 Toll highway
A freeway that charges a toll. Some people on m.t.r do not use "freeway" to describe a toll highway (see also 3.14). Various states refer to these with various names. Lists of toll facilities are available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tollpage.htm and http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollroads.html . In the 1800s toll roads were known as Turnpikes (see http://eh.net/encyclopedia/?article=Klein.Majewski.Turnpikes ), a term which resurfaced in the middle of the 20th Century. Interstates specifically may be tolled only if physical improvements are made to them (in which case the toll is used to pay for the improvements), there is reimbursement to the Federal Highway Administration all federal money used in the building process of the stretch in question, or there is an Act of Congress. See also http://www.tollroadsnews.com/ . Mar 8, 2007
3.13.1 E-ZPass
This is one of many Electronic Toll Collection agencies in North America. Go to http://www.e-zpass.info/ for a list and map of E-ZPass-compatible highways, and http://www.e-zpassiag.com/ for a list of all the ETC agencies worldwide as well as contact information. The term "open-road tolling" is used to describe the condition using this system in which motorists do not have to slow to below highway speed to be detected. Apr 5, 2007
3.14
Q: What is the difference between an expressway and a freeway? What is the difference between limited access and controlled access?
A: According to AASHTO, a freeway is a fully controlled access road, one 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. Many states, including California and Wisconsin, use this. This FAQ does too.
However, most east coast states plus others use expressway for the "official" freeway, and freeway is simply an alternate term for the same thing, or absent from the vocabulary altogether. Many of these states use the "official" terms in legal matters but name them differently. There are two cases of an "official" expressway being named a freeway: the Rockaway Freeway in New York City and the State Fair Freeway (K-96) between Wichita and Hutchinson, Kansas.
A special type of expressway is the "Jersey Freeway", an unofficial term used to describe an expressway with no median breaks. As the name implies, these are common in NJ.
For a list of expressways in the US and Canada see http://www.expresswaysite.com/ .
"Limited access" usually refers to freeway grade in common usage; according to AASHTO, however, only "controlled access" refers to freeway grade, whereas "limited access" refers to expressway grade. Some states including FL reverse AASHTO's definitions, and some states such as VA use "limited access" to designate only frequency of access and not specifically highway type.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeway and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressway . Jul 18, 2006
3.14.1
Q: What is the difference between the terms "highway" and "route" when referring to numbering systems?
A: It depends on the local region's tradition. OR actually uses both terms in different contexts (see Question 7.6.4). The term "the" preceding the route number (e.g. "the 405") is only common in S. CA ( http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/a7a6b7d8190d5ade ) and metro Buffalo within the US (it is common in other English-speaking countries). Discussions on the topic: http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/63541a08acbb25df ; http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/450c1b829e05b5f6 ; http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/777d51fb2d8bf9a4 Oct 21, 2004
3.15 Spur
A branch route whose number often contains the same number as the primary route and ends at a specific point away from the mainline. Jan 28, 2002
3.16
Q: What is the difference between a traffic circle and a roundabout?
A: Very generally, roundabouts are small circular roadways built for traffic flow improvement which are designed more meticulously than traffic circles, which sometimes are just the roadway around an obstruction rather than dedicated traffic control. For very detailed information, see http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/00-0671.pdf , especially Section 1.5 (this is part of http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/00068.htm ), as well as http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part3/part3b2.htm#section3B24 . See also http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Roads_and_Highways/Interchanges/Roundabouts/ and http://www.aaroads.com/kick-off/highway.html#roundabout . (Note that some newer traffic circles are not roundabouts, but small "traffic-calming" devices - see http://dmoz.org/Science/Technology/Transportation/Traffic_Calming/ .)
Roundabouts are often used in Great Britain at interchanges, either as a large roundabout ( http://www.cbrd.co.uk/reference/interchanges/roundabout.shtml ) or two smaller ones on each site of the motorway ( http://www.cbrd.co.uk/reference/interchanges/dumbbell.shtml ). The latter is also gaining presence in the U.S., most notably along I-135 in KS, and on I-70 in Vail, CO. Other locations are listed at http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_frm/thread/fbba5dca747aa3ec (10/17/05).
The term "rotary", found mostly in MA, may refer to either a traffic circle or a roundabout.
The term "roundabout" originated in Great Britain, but is purported to have been coined by an American working abroad there ( http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/msg/85bb8a44f40b98e9 , message ID 1127264917.495082.158470@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com ). Dec 15, 2005
3.16.1
Q: Where is the Magic Roundabout?
A: There are many. The most famous of these is located in Swindon in southern England, and is a roundabout containing five mini-roundabouts within it. The main roundabout carries two-way traffic. For more information, see http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm and http://www.digitalnorseman.com/musings/2002/rndabt.html . A compilation of locations of these roundabouts is located at http://www.pberry.plus.com/ukroads/magicroundabouts/ . Apr 8, 2003
3.17 Bump
This is a term used on m.t.r to describe two routes which resume each other's routings at an intersection, only overlapping within the intersection (ex.: a route which enters an intersection from the west and leaves to the north, and another which enters the same intersection from the south and leaves to the east). This term is also applied to freeway interchanges, even if the routes in question actually cross each other or have a short overlap within the interchange (exs.: I-80/eastern I-76, I-80/I-74). "Cannon" has been suggested as a British equivalent (http://www.cbrd.co.uk/reference/dictionary/#c ). Apr 23, 2005
3.18 Cutout
This refers to a route marker (see Question 10.1) which is cut in its own shape, rather than cut as a square or rectangle with a black background behind the marker shape. All route markers were originally cutouts, and today most Interstate and some state route shields are cutouts, as well as US shields in various places, predominantly CA (see http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~jlin/signs/usa/#US ). Jul 19, 2005
3.19 Clinch
To travel a highway its entire length. This definition is tempered by personal interpretations, such as travelling both directions, traversing ramps, driving vs. riding, and completing in a single trip. See http://cmap.m-plex.com/ and http://www.aaroads.com/clinched/ . Mar 8, 2007
Other road terms are listed at http://www.aaroads.com/glossary.html . A parody list of terms is at http://www.kurumi.com/roads/bierce.html . Jan 27, 2005
4 Government
Highways are covered in the respective Section 23s of both the U.S. Code ( http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title23/title23.html ) and the Code of Federal Regulations (U.S.) ( http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200523 ). Mar 10, 2006
4.1
Q: What is FHWA?
A: The Federal Highway Administration (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation that administers funding for American highways, including the National Highway System (see Question 7.7 ). It also promotes safety on the highway system. Links to online manuals and articles published by the FHWA (including the MUTCD, see Section 10 ) are on http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fhwaweb.htm (see also Section 10). Note that the abbreviation for the agency is not "FHA" (which is the Federal Housing Administration). Also note that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is not a part of FHWA (but is a part of the USDOT), nor are the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) (formerly but no longer part of the DOT) or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Mar 11, 2006
4.2
Q: What is AASHTO?
A: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (http://www.transportation.org/) is a consortium of the 50 state DOTs and USDOT. Formerly known as AASHO. Documents with route numbering decisions made by AASHTO since 1989 are located on the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering page at http://cms.transportation.org/?siteid=68 . Dec 8, 2005
4.3
Q: What are ISTEA, TEA-21, and SAFETEA-LU?
A: ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, passed in 1991, authorized federal funding for highway, transit and safety programs. The funding expired in October 1997, so in March 1998, ISTEA was given an extension. TEA-21, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century ( http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/ ), which can be viewed as a successor to ISTEA, authorizes a 33% increase in transportation spending. They also include regulations which must be followed to receive federal funding. The next successor, passed in 2005, is SAFETEA-LU, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users, known prior at different times as SAFETEA or TEA-LU ( http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/ , http://www.house.gov/transportation/highway/tealu.html , or http://www.house.gov/transportation/highway/increasehighwayfund.html ). A list of corridors is at http://www.aaroads.com/high-priority/ and http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/nhs/hipricorridors/ . Sep 13, 2005
4.4
Q: What are the Appalachian Regional Corridors?
A: The Appalachian Regional Corridors are a system of proposed 4-lane highways designed to stimulate economic development in the Applachian Mountain Region. They each have letters. For more information see http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=1006 and http://www.aaroads.com/arc/ (the latter has a chart of corridor letters and corresponding route numbers). Jan 14, 2002
5 Websites
Links to road websites are available at
http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Roads_and_Highways/ (alternate URL: http://roadlinks.cjb.net/ ),
http://www.aboutvia.com/ (alternate URL: http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~jlin/links/ ),
http://www.aaroads.com/kick-off/highway.html , and
http://www.cahighways.org/othlinks.html .
(All of these are listed at http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Roads_and_Highways/Directories/ .)
See also the Wikipedia "Road"ters.topsites2007.com/">Computers -
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