4 ms·

Autobahn = interstate highway. There are different kinds of highways here: interstate (numbered highways that cross state lines, with the exception of I-4, whic

Autobahn = interstate highway. There are different kinds of highways here: interstate (numbered highways that cross state lines, with the exception of I-4, which is entirely within Florida), state, county, and municipal. The concept is the same throughout: a highway differs from other roads (sometimes we call those "surface streets") in that it has controlled or limited access and is "maintained" by a government agency of some kind. They're intended for non-local travel, just like the Autobahn and the other federal/state motorways. I drove on the Autobahn once (A13) going from Berlin to Dresden when teaching a class there. I remember distinctly feeling that it was all familiar to me. Just like an interstate highway here in the US, only the drivers around me generally seemed like they were attentive to their driving. :) I'd guess the German equivalent to our other highways would be Bundesstraßen and Landesstraßen?

Amezarak 12y ago
> There are different kinds of highways here: interstate (numbered highways that cross state lines, with the exception of I-4, which is entirely within Florida), There's actually a lot of interstates that aren't interstate. Not quite sure how that got started. Aside from perhaps a dozen "primary" interstates that aren't interstate, most of the "auxiliary" interstates are not interstate. > a highway differs from other roads (sometimes we call those "surface streets") in that it has controlled or limited access and is "maintained" by a government agency of some kind. I am a little bit curious as to where you're from. :) In my experience (a little bit of California, a lot of the south and eastern seaboard), controlled access on state highways is the exception rather than the rule. Usually the best case scenario is that you get no stops for the non-highway intersecting roads (they simply stop and make a turn or cross the highway when there's no traffic - obviously this only works on the rural sections) and interstate-style merges on major state highway intersections. In more built up areas stops tend to be frequent. I'd like to drive where you are!
- spdustin 12y ago
  Loops (three digit Interstates beginning with an even number) and spurs (three digits beginning with an odd number) are not considered separate from the interstate off which they branch, semantically speaking. So I-4 it is. And maybe one in Hawaii? I can't recall. :) I'm from Chicago area, grew up in Southeast, many years all over eastern seaboard up to upstate NY. Limited access just means no intersection with every possible side street, basically. Was just trying to simplify it a bit for the comment. :)

Amezarak 12y ago

> There are different kinds of highways here: interstate (numbered highways that cross state lines, with the exception of I-4, which is entirely within Florida), There's actually a lot of interstates that aren't interstate. Not quite sure how that got started. Aside from perhaps a dozen "primary" interstates that aren't interstate, most of the "auxiliary" interstates are not interstate. > a highway differs from other roads (sometimes we call those "surface streets") in that it has controlled or limited access and is "maintained" by a government agency of some kind. I am a little bit curious as to where you're from. :) In my experience (a little bit of California, a lot of the south and eastern seaboard), controlled access on state highways is the exception rather than the rule. Usually the best case scenario is that you get no stops for the non-highway intersecting roads (they simply stop and make a turn or cross the highway when there's no traffic - obviously this only works on the rural sections) and interstate-style merges on major state highway intersections. In more built up areas stops tend to be frequent. I'd like to drive where you are!

spdustin 12y ago
Loops (three digit Interstates beginning with an even number) and spurs (three digits beginning with an odd number) are not considered separate from the interstate off which they branch, semantically speaking. So I-4 it is. And maybe one in Hawaii? I can't recall. :) I'm from Chicago area, grew up in Southeast, many years all over eastern seaboard up to upstate NY. Limited access just means no intersection with every possible side street, basically. Was just trying to simplify it a bit for the comment. :)