If you have spend any amount of time driving, whether just in the city of Tucson, Arizona as a whole, or all across our great nation, you have probably noticed that roads come in all different shapes and sizes. Every road has been designed to fulfill a specific purpose. Highway design is different from Freeway design which is different from the many designs of surface streets. In our blog today, we will learn about a few of the different types that you many encounter here in America.
Highways v. Freeways
One of the questions we are most frequently asked is, “What is the difference between a highway and a freeway?” Most people know there is a difference, after all, they have different names, but they do not have an idea what that difference is. Here is the trick, highways and freeways are almost totally interchangeable! The difference is quite minor. Essentially, a freeway is a type of restricted-access highway. An additional difference, freeways do not include any tolls. Restricted, or controlled-access means that no pedestrians, horses, or bicycles can use a freeway There are also no lights or intersections on a freeway while they many appear on a highway. If you see a bike lane, a stoplight, or a toll sign, you know you are traveling on a highway.
Surface Streets
Surface streets are your basic city road. They are also something of a specialty for us here a Sunrise Asphalt. Because surface streets receive such massive amounts of traffic on a daily basis, it is important for them to be kept in excellent condition. Surface streets which fall into disrepair can negatively impact the flow of traffic in an entire city! If is one of our missions here at Sunrise Asphalt to see that never happens in beautiful Tucson.
