A road is a thoroughfare for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, whose primary function is to serve as public spaces, the main function of roads is transportation.
Autobahn is the German word for a major high-speedroad restricted to motor vehicles capable of driving at least 60 km/h (37 mph) and having full control of access, similar to a motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries.
In most countries, it usually refers to the German autobahn specifically. The recommended speed of the German autobahn is 130 km/h (81 mph), but there is no general speed limit. Austrian and Swiss autobahns have general speed limits of 130 km/h (81 mph) and 120 km/h (75 mph), respectively. In German, the word is pronounced as described above, and its plural is Autobahnen; in English, however, the segment "auto" is typically pronounced as in other English words such as "automobile". The official name of the autobahn in Germany is Bundesautobahn (BAB) (Federal Freeway).
Autobahns are built and maintained by the federal government (as are the federal highways), thus the name "Federal Freeway". The first were built in the 1920s, and in the 1930s the official name was "Reichsautobahn" (Freeways of the Reich).
Image 3The Dutch Reach - Use far hand on handle when opening to avoid dooring cyclists or injuries to exiting drivers and passengers. (from Road traffic safety)
Image 7The Great North Road near Highgate on the approach to London before turnpiking. The highway was deeply rutted and spread onto adjoining land. (from History of road transport)
Image 8Car fatalities per pax-km vs. car usage per pax-day; in Europe. It seems, at least in these European countries, that car fatalities per person-km have no strong correlation with massification of car usage. The average car usage in these countries is around 30km per person-day with varying number of fatalities ratios. These differences might be related with different cultural approaches to traffic codes, or more safety measures implemented on such countries. (from Road traffic safety)
Image 9Jan Brueghel (I) - Travellers on the Way, second half of 16th Century (from History of road transport)
Image 11Sacrifices to the Modern Moloch, a 1922 cartoon published in The New York Times, criticizing the apparent acceptance by society of increasing automobile-related fatalities (from Road traffic safety)
Image 12Closeup of asphalt on a driveway (from Road surface)
Image 26According to Eurostat and European Railway Agency, in European railway mode of transport, there is a fatality risk for passengers and occupants 28 times lower compared with car usage. Based on data by EU-27 member nations, 2008–2010. (from Road traffic safety)
Image 29According to Eurostat, there is almost a linear proportion between the total number of passenger-km driven by car and road fatalities. (from Road traffic safety)
Image 30Replacing the old road with cobblestones of cement in Bo'ao Road area, Haikou City, Hainan, China. (from Roadworks)
Image 35Vehicles experiencing a breakdown or an emergency can stop in the emergency lane; these lanes may themselves present risks to traffic. (from Road traffic safety)
Image 36Different layers of road including asphalt layer. The total thickness of a pavement can be measured using granular base equivalency (from Road surface)
Image 37Road workers crushing rocks, in the mountains near Kullu (from Roadworks)
Image 38The schedule of maximum tolls allowed on the Woodstock to Rollright Turnpike Trust on the Great Road to Worcester in 1751 (from History of road transport)
Image 39John Metcalf, also known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough. Drawn by J R Smith in The Life of John Metcalf published 1801. (from History of road transport)
The A13BrennerAutobahn's Europabrücke, or Europe's bridge, is a 777-m (2,549.2 ft) long bridge spanning the 657-m (2,155.5 ft) Wipp valley just south of Innsbruck, Austria. Built between 1959 and 1963, it was once Europe's highest bridge, standing 192 m (629.9 ft) high. Credit: Richard Hilber (Rhilber)
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