States that want to call highway-related terms differently

[1995hoo]

I know of at least one sign in Philadelphia that uses that phrase as well (it's on southbound I-76 next to the Amtrak rail yard near 30th Street Station).

GSV for those curious: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G6RThwdRVdQnsZx96

For those who are interested in trains, if you pan the image to the right, you'll see some new (not yet in service) Acela trainsets (the red, white, and blue trains in the yard).

[bing101]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited-access_road
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled-access_highway
Here are the official terms for Expressway and freeways. It's Limited access road and controlled access highway.

[kphoger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited-access_road
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled-access_highway
Here are the official terms for Expressway and freeways. It's Limited access road and controlled access highway.

I love how you use that word "official".

My counterargument:

Illinois Compiled Statutes
VEHICLES
625 ILCS 5/ — Illinois Vehicle Code
Chapter 1 — Title and Definitions

§ 1-119.3 — Expressway.  A freeway with full control access and with grade separations at intersections.

[1995hoo]

"Official" is a throwaway word people on the Internet, especially Wikipedia, seem obsessed with using because they think it makes something sound more credible. It's usually unnecessary. "The ACC officially announced that it would expand"—either the league announced it or they didn't. If they announced it, by definition it's "official." I once saw a reference on Wikipedia to DC United seeking to build a new stadium (what eventually became Audi Field) that referred to "the official stadium site." What the heck does that even mean?



Similar to what kphoger posted, incidentally, this comes from Va. Code § 33.2-400:

...

"Limited access highway" means a highway especially designed for through traffic, over which abutters have no easement or right of light, air, or access by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such limited access highway.

...

The statute governing speed limits (46.2-870), in turn, allows for up to 70-mph speed limits on "multilane, divided, limited access highways," which essentially means Interstates and Interstate look-alikes. It also says this: "The maximum speed limit shall be 60 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 23, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 58, U.S. Alternate Route 58, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 360, U.S. Route 460, U.S. Route 501 between the Town of South Boston and the North Carolina state line, State Route 3, and State Route 207 where such routes are nonlimited access, multilane, divided highways."

Virginia's definition of "limited access" therefore means what those Wikipedia articles refer to as "controlled access."

[Revive 755]

Texas: "IH" for Interstates

Wisconsin is occasionally doing IH for interstates:  Example on I-894/I-41/I-43 .  There's a similar sign further north on I-41.

[Big John]

^^ That is supposed to be on road plans only and not on signs, also the case for STH or CTH.  Quality control is low on temporary signs.

[Quillz]

Some states, like California, have specific definitions for "expressway," while other states use it as just another word for freeway.

[US20IL64]

In IL you go to the Secretary of State Driver Services Facility to get plates, road tests, and licenses.  "SOS" office.

Newcomers from other states say ''DMV''.

[achilles765]

I wonder how Texas would designate Illinois-style unnumbered/hidden numbered state routes. Like here in Southern IL, most of Herrin Road is IDOT maintained and is for all intent and purposes, a state highway. The hidden Reference number is 908. So would that make it SH-908?

FM-908.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dRHaskskiu65xdQz9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5DEF2Jzxt5vNA5ySA

Or Spur 908; Loop 908.

Or even. FM 908 Spur. I used to live off of FM 149 Spur

[GaryV]

In IL you go to the Secretary of State Driver Services Facility to get plates, road tests, and licenses.  "SOS" office.

Newcomers from other states say ''DMV''.

Michigan plates and DL's go through the Secretary of State as well.  Whenever I get a message/link about the "DMV" I know it's just click-bait.

[ilpt4u]

In IL you go to the Secretary of State Driver Services Facility to get plates, road tests, and licenses.  "SOS" office.

Newcomers from other states say ''DMV''.

I've lived in various parts of the state. Plenty of Illinoisans regularly call it the DMV, but it is technically the Secretary of State Driver Services Facility, yes

[1995hoo]

Some states, like California, have specific definitions for "expressway," while other states use it as just another word for freeway.

Some states, notably California, persist in using "freeway" as a generic catch-all term for a highway or an expressway.

[mgk920]

Some states, like California, have specific definitions for "expressway," while other states use it as just another word for freeway.

Wisconsin also has a specific definition for 'expressway' essentially it is a (rural) four lane divided highway that has most of the characteristics of a regular freeway, but with at-grade intersections.

Mike

[pderocco]

Let's talk about "expressway" . . .

Heh, whereas some of us might well say that western states are weird because they insist on using the peculiar word "freeway" as a generic word to describe either a highway or an expressway.

I used to live in Massachusetts, which frequently referred to fully controlled access highways as expressways (e.g., the Southeast Expressway into Boston), but never as freeways. Now I live in California, where expressway refers only to highways that aren't FCA, but where the access is somewhat limited to allow high throughput. But then California refers to FCA highways as freeways, but also has signs on the fences along some expressways, like US-395 through the Owens Valley, labeling them as freeways due to the restriction on abutters' rights:

https://pbase.com/pderocco/image/132047586

[kphoger]

I wonder how Texas would designate Illinois-style unnumbered/hidden numbered state routes. Like here in Southern IL, most of Herrin Road is IDOT maintained and is for all intent and purposes, a state highway. The hidden Reference number is 908. So would that make it SH-908?

FM-908.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dRHaskskiu65xdQz9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5DEF2Jzxt5vNA5ySA

Or Spur 908; Loop 908.

Or even. FM 908 Spur. I used to live off of FM 149 Spur

I doubt it.  These FAS state routes in Illinois generally don't function as loops or spurs.  Many of them function as farm-to-market roads.

[SkyPesos]

Texas: "IH" for Interstates

OhioDOT sometimes uses "IR" for Interstate Route in internal documents.

[Bitmapped]

Texas: "IH" for Interstates

OhioDOT sometimes uses "IR" for Interstate Route in internal documents.

"IR" occasionally makes its way onto destination-and-distance signs in Ohio.

[KCRoadFan]

I was just in Omaha yesterday. I saw that Nebraska doesn't have a "Department of Transportation" like most other states do - it's called the Nebraska Department of Roads.

[MATraveler128]

I was just in Omaha yesterday. I saw that Nebraska doesn't have a "Department of Transportation" like most other states do - it's called the Nebraska Department of Roads.

Not anymore. They've since changed it to NDOT back in 2017. Arkansas used to be the same way except they used to be called AHTD. However, Kentucky still breaks tradition and calls their DOT the KYTC.

[Dirt Roads]

However, Kentucky still breaks tradition and calls their DOT the KYTC.

But there is an important reason in Kentucky, as many "Departments", "Divisions" and "Agencies" existed prior to consolidation into "Cabinets".  Each "Cabinet" is headed up by a Secretary, the "Departments" tend to be headed by Commissioners.  So it makes sense in Kentucky that "Transportation Cabinet" is more important than the term "Department of Transportation".

[Rothman]

However, Kentucky still breaks tradition and calls their DOT the KYTC.

But there is an important reason in Kentucky, as many "Departments", "Divisions" and "Agencies" existed prior to consolidation into "Cabinets".  Each "Cabinet" is headed up by a Secretary, the "Departments" tend to be headed by Commissioners.  So it makes sense in Kentucky that "Transportation Cabinet" is more important than the term "Department of Transportation".

So...another layer of bureaucracy.  Who knew KY was a big government state?

[hbelkins]

However, Kentucky still breaks tradition and calls their DOT the KYTC.

But there is an important reason in Kentucky, as many "Departments", "Divisions" and "Agencies" existed prior to consolidation into "Cabinets".  Each "Cabinet" is headed up by a Secretary, the "Departments" tend to be headed by Commissioners.  So it makes sense in Kentucky that "Transportation Cabinet" is more important than the term "Department of Transportation".

Cabinet, Department, Division (or Office of...), Branch, Section, Unit.

That's how Kentucky's state government is organized. Cabinets, departments, and divisions are headed by political appointees. Branches, sections, and units are headed by merit system employees.

Within the Transportation Cabinet are the Department of Highways, Department of Aviation, Department of Rural & Municipal Aid, and Department of Vehicle Regulation.

[Road Hog]

In Arkansas if you said you were going to the DMV, you'd get looked at funny. You get your driver's license and plates at the Revenue Office.

[roadman65]

I'm sure that this is mentioned, but Texas using IH over I to prefix interstates. I don't think any other states do that practice.

California and the use of " the" for freeway names and calling interstates " Freeway x" more so than " Ix." However I will let Max weigh in on that last one aforementioned.

[Big John]

I'm sure that this is mentioned, but Texas using IH over I to prefix interstates. I don't think any other states do that practice.

California and the use of " the" for freeway names and calling interstates " Freeway x" more so than " Ix." However I will let Max weigh in on that last one aforementioned.

Wisconsin does that, but on paper only.  Highway signs are not supposed to show that, but some, mainly temporary signs, get through if poor quality oversight is done.