Väghalvor

Väghalvor is a Swedish term used in road design and maintenance to describe the two halves of a road’s cross-section, divided by the road’s center line. The term is used to indicate the portion of the roadway that lies on one side of the axis, including its traffic lanes, adjacent shoulder, and any side drainage or verge that belongs to that side, while excluding the central reservation or the opposite carriageway.

In practice, a väghalva includes the elements on one side of the center line. On a dual carriageway, there are two väghalvor corresponding to the two directions of travel. On a single carriageway with a center line, the concept still applies, with each väghalva representing the half of the cross-section on either side of the line.

The exact width and composition of a väghalva vary depending on road category, design standards, and local specifications. Design manuals and maintenance plans typically define these halves to organize inspection, budgeting, and responsibility for the assets on each side of the road.

The term is primarily used in Swedish civil engineering and transport documentation. It provides a practical way to describe cross-sectional assets and tasks in planning, construction, and upkeep, without reference to the entire road at once.

Etymology: väg means road and halva means half; väghalvor is the plural form. See also cross-section of a road, carriageway, shoulder, central reservation.