What exactly counts as an expressway?

[hotdogPi]

Different people have different meanings for "expressway". Here are some types of roads that people might argue either way. This will start at the lowest level of expressway and go to the highest level.

The first level is anything with some interchanges. This shows US 4 near NH 108. However, this is not divided, and there are still at-grade intersections.



The more overpasses there are, and the fewer at-grade intersections there are, the more likely it is to be considered an expressway. This is NH 101 near NH 13. Note that it is still undivided.



At about the same level (but slightly different type), this is divided, but has some at-grade intersections (not shown here). This is MA 16 to the left and the offramp for MA 107 to the right. Ignore the sign (if you can read it). It incorrectly says MA 1A.



This is considered by most people to be an expressway. There are no at-grade intersections that require turning left, and it is divided. However, there are businesses on the side. This is US 1 near MA 114.



Anything higher than this is probably a freeway. (Some people still call it an expressway.)



If you're not sure what the rest of the road looks like, you can use Google Maps to find the intersection of the two routes given.

Would you consider these expressways or not?

[Zeffy]

In the US, I know the term expressway is used almost synonomously with freeway and highway. My definition is a (usually) controlled-access roadway designed for high speed travel that may or may not feature a divided roadway and or at-grade intersections.

The only road I know that is called an expressway (at least on signs), is the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. But it's (kinda) built to Interstate standards, so I'm not sure if that should count.

[oscar]

There are significant regional differences in how to define "expressway" -- for example, eastern states use that term for what would be called "freeways" out West.  So you're not going to get any universal definitions.

[bzakharin]

I would imagine speed limits and number of lanes would factor in there somewhere. In this area (NJ/Greater Philadelphia) the general public doesn't use the terms expressway or freeway unless they are part of the name (or nickname, like the 42 freeway) of the road, but as a proxy, the term highway is generally applied to both expressways and freeways. I would call a road a highway if it is 2 lanes in each direction or more, at least some access control, and a speed limit of at least 50. If it's divided, a speed limit of 45 or possibly even 40 could make the cut.

The only road I know that is called an expressway (at least on signs), is the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. But it's (kinda) built to Interstate standards, so I'm not sure if that should count.

The New York City area has a number of other "expressways" that are all freeways, the Long Island Expressway, Staten Island Expressway, Bruckner Expressway, Cross Bronx Expressway, Major Deegan Expressway, Van Wyck Expressway. I'm sure there are more, but I don't think they call a road an expressway unless it's in the name over there either.

[NE2]

Goat.

Please, let's not have yet another what do your locals call it thread.

MUTCD says "a divided highway with partial control of access", but there are definitely some undivided ones.

"Partial control of access" legally means that abutting property owners can't build unlimited driveways. This describes many state highways and even local roads, hence is too broad. Here's how NCDOT defines the term:

Driveways:
Limited Control of Access - Not Allowed
Partial Control of Access - One Driveway Connection per Parcel; Consolidate and/or Share Driveways and Limit Access to Connecting Streets or Service Roads; Restrict to Right-in/Right-out

But NCDOT also says traffic signals are not allowed, which is not always true.

In many ways there's a continuum of access control from none (residential street) to full (freeway). Expressways begin somewhere in the middle, but the exact place is unclear.

[Brandon]

Goat.

Please, let's not have yet another what do your locals call it thread.

Screw your goat.  FHWA may have a definition of terms in the MUTCD, but that does not mean that locals, and even states have the same definitions.

[Alps]

MTR has held that "expressway" applies to a road with access control but not necessarily grade separation. However, I'm seeing now that the definition is not supported by the MUTCD, which calls for "partial" access control. Can an expressway have driveways? (Expresswaysite would say no.) That's why we created the term "Jersey freeway", for a road with driveways but no cross streets.

[hbelkins]

I remember once making an offhand reference on MTR to "freeways" in NYC and Randy Hersh going off on me like I had African pigmentation, because they're "expressways" there.

[empirestate]

When I use the term "expressway" it is synonymous with "freeway", because in the region I come from that's the case. Of course, I've traveled enough, and been a discusser of roads long enough, to know the various other meanings according to highway engineers and laypeople of other regions. But I've just never had occasion to use the term "expressway" as a generic term in any setting where it doesn't mean the same as "freeway", and if anything, I'll favor the term "freeway" even in regions where the more usual word would be "expressway".

So to succinctly answer the topic question, to me a freeway counts as an expressway, as does anything where "Expressway" is a component of its proper name. Things which count as expressways to other people having a credible reason for counting them as such also count to me, just not out loud.

I remember once making an offhand reference on MTR to "freeways" in NYC and Randy Hersh going off on me like I had African pigmentation, because they're "expressways" there.

Well, he's right, if freeways are like hurricanes. A hurricane which crosses from the eastern Pacific into the western Pacific becomes a typhoon. If a freeway, having been built in Los Angeles or Houston, were to be moved intact from there into New York City, would it thereby become an expressway? If yes, he's right. If not, he isn't.

[NE2]

We've already had this discussion about what locals call them 366 times. That's not the question that was asked.

[vdeane]

366 times

Did we have the discussion at 85 miles per hour?

[briantroutman]

I've long thought of it like this:

	No Access from Frontage	Access from Frontage
Grade Separation	Freeway	"Jersey Freeway"
No Grade Separation	Expressway	Surface Street

[1995hoo]

There are significant regional differences in how to define "expressway" -- for example, eastern states use that term for what would be called "freeways" out West.  So you're not going to get any universal definitions.

Then you have West Virginia, where their DOT uses "freeway ends" on road signs located on what most people here would call an "expressway" (at-grade intersections). In some cases this is reasonable enough as a practical matter, I suppose–Corridor H's eastern portion comes to mind as a road that has some at-grade intersections but less traffic than almost any "freeway" I've ever driven, such that for all practical purposes it functions as a "freeway."

[bing101]

But Wait in San Jose an expressway is a Limited Access Road owned by Santa Clara County. But Some Cities in California would refer to Parkway as a Limited access Road such as Fairfield CA Air Base parkway. Its a limited access Road owned by the city of Fairfield. But in San Jose CA-87 is Guadalupe Parkway its a freeway owned by Caltrans or LA's CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway and the New York Parkway system they are freeways with state designations but does not meet interstate standards and does not accept trucks.

[TEG24601]

The way I see it...


A Highway is any state/federal roadway that has a numbered designation, regardless of construction or other official designation (State Road, State Route, State Trunk, etc)


An Expressway is a roadway, typically a highway, that has a physical divider between directions of travel.  Speeds will usually be in excess of 50MPH and there will be few if any driveways.  It will have a limited number of controlled intersections.  There may be some grade separation with some roadways, and perhaps a few exits, but they will be the exception, not the rule. (Example, SR-20 (WA) from Anacortes to Burlington) - There can also be the Michigan Modifier to the Expressway which limits left turns from the roadway to other Expressways or Major Highways, with all other left turns relegated to U-Turns, either at certain intersections or utilizing the Michigan Left.


A Freeway is a roadway, usually a highway, that has a physical divider between directions of travel.  No access to the roadway other than interchanges.  Grade separation required.


A Tollway is a roadway, usually a highway, that has a physical divider between directions of travel.  No access to the roadway other than interchanges.  Grade separation required.

[TEG24601]

"Jersey Freeway"

Or "Texas Freeway" or "Michigan Freeway", etc.  Best to just call them "Urban Freeways".

[Grzrd]

366 times

Did we have the discussion at 85 miles per hour?

While working on this quiz.

[agentsteel53]

While working on this quiz.

wow.  I was at 0/11 before giving up.  anyone have any idea what any answer is?

[agentsteel53]

generally, many Sporcle quizzes are quite suspect.  I tried a "197 countries of the world", but gave up when I typed in Venezuela and it credited me Peru.

[Kacie Jane]

While working on this quiz.

wow.  I was at 0/11 before giving up.  anyone have any idea what any answer is?

If you wait long enough (~15 seconds), it'll give you a "give up" link.  Turns out I had two of them, but typing "interstates" doesn't credit you "Interstates of the US", and "super 2" isn't good enough for "2 lane freeways"...

Complete list of answers: Interstates of the US, Autoroutes of Quebec, 400 series highways in Ontario, Autobahn in Germany, Some state routes in the US, 100 series highways in nova scotia, 2 lane freeways, Parkways, Expressways, Motorways, Undivided freeways.

So speaketh ethanman.

[NE2]

"Jersey Freeway"

Or "Texas Freeway" or "Michigan Freeway", etc.  Best to just call them "Urban Freeways".

No. A "Jersey freeway" (called such since they're very common in NJ) is a road that is otherwise a freeway but has RIROs for local roads and private driveways. Start here and go north on NJ 17, or here and go north on US 1. Note the utter lack of cross traffic.

[bing101]

http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ny/rock_fwy/

Its odd that in New York a City Street is called a Freeway
Rockaway Freeway. But its really a street.

[vdeane]

But Wait in San Jose an expressway is a Limited Access Road owned by Santa Clara County. But Some Cities in California would refer to Parkway as a Limited access Road such as Fairfield CA Air Base parkway. Its a limited access Road owned by the city of Fairfield. But in San Jose CA-87 is Guadalupe Parkway its a freeway owned by Caltrans or LA's CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway and the New York Parkway system they are freeways with state designations but does not meet interstate standards and does not accept trucks.

Some parkways are debatable as freeways.  For example does it count if half the intersections are at-grade like the Taconic and Saw Mill?

[Alps]

While working on this quiz.

wow.  I was at 0/11 before giving up.  anyone have any idea what any answer is?

I typed Parkway and Expressway. Apparently it had to be plural.

[TCN7JM]

While working on this quiz.

wow.  I was at 0/11 before giving up.  anyone have any idea what any answer is?

Wow. Who the hell's going to guess "Some state routes in the US"?