How standardized are access control designations? Can you look at side road and median spacing and say "oh, that's access control type X"? Or does it vary from state to state?
I think it's something that can be generally defined but ultimately varies by state...
I find it rather interesting that, as a baseline (one I use whenever describing freeways in California), I think of the segment of Route 35 between Hickey Boulevard and Westmoor Avenue in Daly City - ONE interchange total, yet fully considered freeway based on signs on the road itself!
It's not like that's consistently applied on an official basis (i.e. Route 1 along what was originally planned as part of I-280 from Brotherhood Way south), however.