Straßenkategorie
Straßenkategorie is a classification system used to organize public roads according to their function, traffic importance and administrative responsibility. The categorization serves planning, funding, maintenance and signage, providing a common framework for how roads are designed and managed within a country’s transport network.
In Germany, the common categories are Autobahnen (motorways), Bundesstraßen (federal roads), Landesstraßen (state roads), Kreisstraßen (district
The classification emerges from functional criteria such as traffic volume, connectivity, access control and design standards.
Signage and numbering in Germany follow the category system to varying degrees: Autobahnen use the letter A