Road Types and Classification

Road Types and Naming Conventions

• A road can be any way that connects two points
• A way is a small side street off a road

Streets and Avenues

• Streets are public ways with buildings on both sides
• Streets often run perpendicular to avenues
• Avenues have trees or buildings on both sides too

Other Road Types

• A boulevard is a big wide street with trees on both sides and often has a median
• A lane is a narrow road, often in a rural area
• A drive is a long winding road that might have its route shaped by a nearby mountain or lake
• A terrace is a street that follows the top of a slope
• A place is a road or a street with no throughway (basically a dead end)
• A court is a road that ends in a circle or loop, without a throughway

Public Spaces and Roads

• A plaza or square is an open public space that's surrounded by businesses or streets
• A frontage road (or access road or service road) runs parallel to a larger road, providing local access

Highways and Interstate

• A highway is a major public road that connects larger cities
• An interstate is part of a highway system, but it's defined by being a federally funded network of roads
• A turnpike is part of a highway, but it usually means you'll hit a tollbooth
• A freeway is distinguished by size, with 2 or more lanes on each side
• A beltway is a highway that surrounds a whole city (like a belt)

Decorated Roads and Junctions

• A parkway is a decorated public road, usually called that for the parkland on the side of the road
• A junction is where two roads cross
• An interchange is where two roads cross at a different height
• An intersection is where two roads cross at the same height
• A causeway is a different raised road that passes across low or swampy ground, or water

Other Road Types

• A crescent is a winding road that usually resembles a crescent, and often attaches to a road at both ends
• An alley is a small pathway between buildings, which might not be driveable
• An esplanade is a long open path or road near the ocean, that's also called a promenade if it's primarily for walking

Road Types and Naming Conventions

• A road connects two points, while a way is a small side street off a road

Streets and Avenues

• Streets have buildings on both sides and often run perpendicular to avenues
• Avenues have trees or buildings on both sides

Road Types

• Boulevards are wide streets with trees on both sides and often have a median
• Lanes are narrow roads, often in rural areas
• Drives are long, winding roads shaped by nearby mountains or lakes
• Terraces are streets that follow the top of a slope
• Places are roads or streets with no throughway, essentially dead ends
• Courts are roads that end in a circle or loop, without a throughway

Public Spaces and Roads

• Plazas and squares are open public spaces surrounded by businesses or streets
• Frontage roads run parallel to larger roads, providing local access

Highways and Interstate

• Highways are major public roads connecting larger cities
• Interstates are part of a highway system, defined by being federally funded networks of roads
• Turnpikes are part of a highway, often with tollbooths
• Freeways have 2 or more lanes on each side, distinguished by size
• Beltways are highways that surround a whole city

Decorated Roads and Junctions

• Parkways are decorated public roads with parkland on the side
• Junctions are where two roads cross
• Interchanges are where two roads cross at different heights
• Intersections are where two roads cross at the same height
• Causeways are raised roads that pass across low or swampy ground, or water

Other Road Types

• Crescents are winding roads resembling a crescent, attaching to a road at both ends
• Alleys are small pathways between buildings, may not be driveable
• Esplanades are long open paths or roads near the ocean, also called promenades if primarily for walking

Learn about different types of roads, including streets, avenues, boulevards, and more. Understand the characteristics and features of each road type.