3 ms·

The original freeway system was designed for 70mph... Dunno how old these roads are though.

wahern 6y ago
The U.S. Interstate system was designed for 70mph. California's freeway system is older. IIRC, California built the first "freeway" in the U.S.[1] It wasn't until I moved to California that I ever even heard the term, freeway, used regularly; elsewhere in the U.S. most people use the term, highway, as a general word for a fast artery. Some east coast locales often have their own terminology (e.g. turnpike) for the same reason California does--they were the first to build such infrastructure, and to do so long before the interstate system. FWIW, the U.S. Highway system predates the U.S. Interstate system, and is still primarily composed of a patchwork of pre-existing state roads, "freeways", etc. At the time the interstate system was created highways weren't limited access--and still aren't necessarily, though most people don't understand or obey the technical distinctions in the terminology, or what type of road they're driving on. [1] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway. It was designed for 45mph.
- mech422 6y ago
  Huh - I never realized there was a 'real' distinction. I always thought it was just regional slang. Thanks! edit: spelling
- xyzzyz 6y ago
  This results in lots of confusion. For example, California Vehicle Code defines "highway" as "a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. Highway includes street." This is much wider understanding of what "highway" is than that of the rest of the country.
  - lonelappde 6y ago
    Hmm? Highway means "public road" (and sometimes private) pretty much everywhere, legally, since before the US existed. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/highways_and_motor_vehicles https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/highways_and_motor_vehicles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway "Freeway" is the term for the kind of road that has "highway" in its official name. Also "parkway", from the era when there was more landscaping around freeways.
- derivagral 6y ago
  I enjoy amateur etymology. I'm also from the east coast. Turnpikes are a specific thing dating back to original tolls. I think what most mean by "highway" is actually a freeway. There are plenty of real "highway" roads as well, but I don't think anybody I've known refers to them as that. (Learned something today!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike https://www.diffen.com/difference/Freeway_vs_Highway https://www.diffen.com/difference/Freeway_vs_Highway

The U.S. Interstate system was designed for 70mph. California's freeway system is older. IIRC, California built the first "freeway" in the U.S.[1] It wasn't until I moved to California that I ever even heard the term, freeway, used regularly; elsewhere in the U.S. most people use the term, highway, as a general word for a fast artery. Some east coast locales often have their own terminology (e.g. turnpike) for the same reason California does--they were the first to build such infrastructure, and to do so long before the interstate system. FWIW, the U.S. Highway system predates the U.S. Interstate system, and is still primarily composed of a patchwork of pre-existing state roads, "freeways", etc. At the time the interstate system was created highways weren't limited access--and still aren't necessarily, though most people don't understand or obey the technical distinctions in the terminology, or what type of road they're driving on. [1] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway. It was designed for 45mph.

mech422 6y ago
Huh - I never realized there was a 'real' distinction. I always thought it was just regional slang. Thanks! edit: spelling
xyzzyz 6y ago
This results in lots of confusion. For example, California Vehicle Code defines "highway" as "a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. Highway includes street." This is much wider understanding of what "highway" is than that of the rest of the country.
- lonelappde 6y ago
  Hmm? Highway means "public road" (and sometimes private) pretty much everywhere, legally, since before the US existed. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/highways_and_motor_vehicles https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/highways_and_motor_vehicles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway "Freeway" is the term for the kind of road that has "highway" in its official name. Also "parkway", from the era when there was more landscaping around freeways.
derivagral 6y ago
I enjoy amateur etymology. I'm also from the east coast. Turnpikes are a specific thing dating back to original tolls. I think what most mean by "highway" is actually a freeway. There are plenty of real "highway" roads as well, but I don't think anybody I've known refers to them as that. (Learned something today!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike https://www.diffen.com/difference/Freeway_vs_Highway https://www.diffen.com/difference/Freeway_vs_Highway