Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
- An expressway is usually a limited access at grade multilane highway with traffic lights at major intersections, and with all other intersections removed (or restricted to right turns onto and off of the side road). Usually driveways are prohibited. Some freeways are called expressways because the were built before the word freeway was coined in 1947. Others were expressways that were later upgraded to freeways, but kept their old names.
- A freeway is a fully controlled access highway where there are no intersections, and entry and exit are by means of interchanges. No tolls are charged to use it.
- A tollway, thruway, turnpike, or other facility with an unusual name is like a freeway, except that tolls are charged to use it. But some thruways and turnpikes still kept their old names after the tolls were discontinued. And many early turnpikes (preceding the automobile) were two-lane facilities. A pike is a shortened name for turnpike.
- The word "parkway" has a varying definition depending on what state it is in. Originally in New York, a parkway was a freeway with truck and bus traffic prohibited. In New Jersey and Kentucky, a parkway was a toll version of a freeway. But the tolls were removed from most of the Kentucky parkways after their bonds were paid off. In Indiana, a parkway is a road following a park or a river. And sometimes parkway is just the given name of the road.
- The word "boulevard" has several meanings. Sometimes, it is just the name the jurisdiction gave a street. In other locations, it is a divided street. And in still other locations, it is a street with traffic priority over other streets.
- Streets and avenues originally ran at right angles to each other, with streets going east and west, and avenues going north and south. But most cities today just apply whatever suffix sounds nice.
How many states besides California use "freeway" officially? Here like you say if you are on a freeway and you get to a part with traffic lights or cross streets then signs will say "end freeway" and then "begin freeway" when you pass them. You were always on whatever "highway", but the "freeway" stopped and started. In other states that I've seen they just say "highway" and it's all highway lights or not. They may have signs stating that there are cross streets, but no "end freeway" signs. I don't think that I've seen "freeway" used on signs outside of California.
I like the parkways they have in NY and NJ. They are actually surrounded by a park and billboards are effectively prohibited. Even cellphone towers are disguised. Around Chicago the closest thing they have is Lake Shore Drive.
- An expressway is usually a limited access at grade multilane highway with traffic lights at major intersections, and with all other intersections removed (or restricted to right turns onto and off of the side road). Usually driveways are prohibited. Some freeways are called expressways because the were built before the word freeway was coined in 1947. Others were expressways that were later upgraded to freeways, but kept their old names.
- A freeway is a fully controlled access highway where there are no intersections, and entry and exit are by means of interchanges. No tolls are charged to use it.
- A tollway, thruway, turnpike, or other facility with an unusual name is like a freeway, except that tolls are charged to use it. But some thruways and turnpikes still kept their old names after the tolls were discontinued. And many early turnpikes (preceding the automobile) were two-lane facilities. A pike is a shortened name for turnpike.
- The word "parkway" has a varying definition depending on what state it is in. Originally in New York, a parkway was a freeway with truck and bus traffic prohibited. In New Jersey and Kentucky, a parkway was a toll version of a freeway. But the tolls were removed from most of the Kentucky parkways after their bonds were paid off. In Indiana, a parkway is a road following a park or a river. And sometimes parkway is just the given name of the road.
- The word "boulevard" has several meanings. Sometimes, it is just the name the jurisdiction gave a street. In other locations, it is a divided street. And in still other locations, it is a street with traffic priority over other streets.
- Streets and avenues originally ran at right angles to each other, with streets going east and west, and avenues going north and south. But most cities today just apply whatever suffix sounds nice.
No, I'm not confused. Your labels of expressway are not what I'm familiar with. Your description is of freeway is what I'd call an expressway. Freeway isn't used much in the Northeast, and someone using that in everyday speech would make me think they're from a different part of the country. I assumed freeways were what expressways were called in other parts of the country; I've never heard expressways used for a road with frequent traffic lights around here.
I grew up in Long Island. Officially, in the region all the non-toll limited access highways that allowed trucks are called expressways regardless of when they were built:
Long Island Expressway
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Van Wyck Expressway
Cross-Bronx Expressway
etc.
In the Boston area, the interstates are officially called expressways but most refer to them by their number (except for I-90 but it's tolled). Chicago has the Dan Ryan Expressway, built in 1962. What you describe expressway I'd call a divided highway, never an expressway since it has lights.
Here, downtown, most of the streets with the glaring exception of Main St. are set for 20 MPH. Problem is, sometimes it takes too long for the cars in front to get going, causing you to miss the light anyway
In Brooklyn avenues, if I lose a bit of time, I might speed slightly to beat a changing yellow (or just accelerate). Watching the pedestrian countdown gives a good hint on when I'm going to lose my green cycle. Only works on light traffic times such as evenings.
"timing" traffic signals usually doesn't work due to varying traffic patterns. Different algorithms are often used, often based on how fast traffic is actually moving at the time. Of course not all transportation departments use the same system.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
