motorways
Major traffic arteries
Motorways are high-speed divided highways designed for long-distance travel, with controlled access via entrance and exit ramps.
The term is primarily British; Americans say freeways or highways.
Motorways typically have multiple lanes in each direction, separated by a central barrier: Traffic was backed up on the motorway for miles.
German expressway system
- autostradaItalian toll motorway
- autorouteFrench limited-access highway
- interstateBetween political regions
- turnpikeFee-charging highway
expressway · beltway · orbital · vignette
Movement along routes
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
- rush-hourDaily commute congestion period
- tailbacksVehicle backup on roads
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
commuters · drive-time · roadworks · delays · queues · bottlenecks · carpooling · park-and-ride
Parallel traffic divisions
- overtakingGetting ahead of another
- mergingBlending into one
- tailgatingFollowing another vehicle unsafely
- indicatorSign revealing status
blindspot · lorries · HGVs · coaches · caravans · breakdowns · chevrons · contraflow
Leisure travel by car
- journeyTravel from place to place
- navigationDetermining position and course
- signpostsMounted directional guides
- destinationsPlaces one travels to
Structures spanning obstacles
- tunnelsUnderground hollow pathways
- overpassesElevated road crossings
- underpassesPassages beneath roads
- interchangesReciprocal substitutions or swaps
viaducts · junctions · embankments · drainage · culverts · barriers · guardrails · signage
autobahn
German expressway system
- autostradaItalian toll motorway
- autorouteFrench limited-access highway
- interstateBetween political regions
turnpike · expressway · beltway · orbital · vignette
traffic
Movement along routes
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
- rush-hourDaily commute congestion period
- tailbacksVehicle backup on roads
gridlock · commuters · drive-time · roadworks · delays · queues · bottlenecks · carpooling · park-and-ride
lanes
Parallel traffic divisions
- overtakingGetting ahead of another
- mergingBlending into one
- tailgatingFollowing another vehicle unsafely
indicator · blindspot · lorries · HGVs · coaches · caravans · breakdowns · chevrons · contraflow
roadtrip
Leisure travel by car
- journeyTravel from place to place
- navigationDetermining position and course
- signpostsMounted directional guides
destinations · satnav · cross-country · long-distance · refreshments
bridges
Structures spanning obstacles
- tunnelsUnderground hollow pathways
- overpassesElevated road crossings
- underpassesPassages beneath roads
interchanges · viaducts · junctions · embankments · drainage · culverts · barriers · guardrails · signage · lighting
- UK roadsM6, M4, A1, trunk road, trunk roads
- infrastructurehighways, road construction, railway expansion, power grid, roads
- highwayshighways, freeway, freeways, expressway, interstate
- road mapsroad atlas, street map, city map, country map, regional map
- road typesdirt road, gravel road, paved road, country road, back road
- roadshighways, road, freeway, roads, freeways
motorwayscountry lanes
Narrow rural thoroughfares
back roads · side streets · dirt roads · alleyways · residential streets
motorwaysrailways
Fixed-track transport systems
canals · cycle paths · waterways · airways · hiking trails