motorways

Motorways are high-capacity roads designed for fast, long-distance motor vehicle traffic. They are built to provide uninterrupted flow, with controlled access and no at-grade intersections. Motorways typically feature segregated directions, a central reservation, multiple lanes, and extensive signage and safety systems. They are intended to move large volumes of vehicles efficiently and to minimize conflicts with slower or entering traffic.

Key characteristics include grade-separated junctions through interchanges, hard shoulders or emergency lanes, and restricted entry and exit points via slip roads. Motorways often employ dedicated lighting, traffic cameras, variable message signs, and other intelligent transport systems. Speed limits are higher than on ordinary roads and vary by country. Some motorways also operate under dynamic or all-lane-running conditions, sometimes using the hard shoulder as a running lane during peak periods.

Access is typically restricted to motor vehicles; pedestrians, cyclists, and livestock are generally prohibited, and slower or non-motorized traffic may be restricted on certain sections. Tolls are common on many national networks in Europe and parts of Asia, while many motorways in the UK and parts of North America are toll-free.

Global terminology varies: nations use terms such as Autobahn (Germany), Autoroute (France), and Autostrada (Italy); in the United Kingdom the term motorways is standard, including smart motorways with variable speed limits. In other regions, similar high-speed, limited-access roads may be called freeways or interstates.