Arterials

Arterials are a class of major roads designed to move traffic efficiently across urban and suburban areas. In transportation planning, the term arterial roads, often called arterials, refers to routes that form the backbone of a network by carrying high volumes over longer distances and connecting neighborhoods to interchanges and expressways.

Their primary role is mobility—facilitating through trips and rapid access between districts—while serving as corridors for public transit and as routes for freight in many cities. They also shape land development, influence property values, and determine the efficiency of the wider road system.

Common design characteristics include multiple lanes, medians or barriers, and limited access to reduce conflict points. Intersections are typically equipped with signal control and turn lanes; in many areas, dedicated bus lanes or cycling facilities are provided to support multimodal travel.

The arterial network is usually organized into a hierarchy that includes principal or major arterials and minor arterials. Design speeds, lane counts, and spacing of intersections vary with urban density, traffic demand, and context. The goal is to balance mobility with local access and safety.

In medical terminology, the plural term arterials is rare and not typically used to describe blood vessels. In anatomy, arteries and arterioles are used to refer to the different sizes of the circulatory system, rather than a category called arterials.