What is a Freeway – How to define it
What is a freeway and how to define a freeway? In very simple words, we can define a freeway as,
A freeway is a controlled access roadway for public use to travel high speed vehicular traffic without any stop or cross traffic. This roadway serves the purpose of traveling for long distance by avoiding local traffic congestion. Normally freeway is a fast and safe way to reach your destination.
What is a Freeway – Meaning and Definition?
However, you can also define what is a freeway, as:
A Freeway is a subset of highway, especially one which does not have access other than at access points.
Freeway is a modern roadway for high-speed transportation throughout the world, including the United States. This allows people to travel safely and quickly. A freeway serves as the backbone of the transportation system now a day. The freeways connect different cities and states of country and contributing their role in the economic growth.
Freeways are an important and fast means of connecting the ports and industrial areas with the markets of the country, due to which the trade in the country is promoted. A freeway also serves as tourism corridor. It promotes tourism and create employment opportunities.
It is always a traffic signal-free roadway and also free of intersections from other roads and railway lines. This roadway is designed to carry huge traffic at high speed with the lowest possible accident numbers.
(Synonyms for a freeway (highway, expressway, motorway)
What is Historical Background of a Freeway?
The historical background of the freeway begins in the early 20th century. Prior to that, the roads were unpaved and inadequate for the growing transportation needs. The demand for high-speed roads leads to the concept of a freeways and parkways in the USA. The concept meant creating roads separated from local streets for automobile transportation.
There is an important of German Autobahn in the development of freeways. The Autobahn was built on a model of high speed, limited access and limited entry points. The success of the Autobahn led to the construction of similar roads in other countries.
What is a dual Carriageway Speed Limit?
Why do they call it a freeway?
People call it a freeway because it is free of tolls, traffic signals, intersecting roads, and railway lines. So, vehicles on this roadway can move freely from local traffic, cross-traffic, or any stop. In short, all across roads go over by overpass or under this roadway by an underpass.
In other words, it is a roadway that is only for long-distance travel, not for local travel. Therefore local traffic has no access to the freeways.
Other words for Freeway.
In different countries, people use different words for controlled access roadway. Remember, all freeways are also highways (all highways are not freeways). Therefore, the most common word people use for this type of roadway is a controlled-access highway. People also use the term expressway for freeways in some parts of the United States, Canada, and India.
The word motorway is also common for this type of roadway in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and most parts of Europe. Similarly, the words limited-access highway, through-way, and parkway are common terms for this type of roadway. In Germany, the term Autobahn is a common word for this type of controlled-access highway.
