If you’ve ever wondered why some roads are called “streets,” while others are known as “boulevards” or “avenues,” you’re not alone. As it turns out, there’s actually some meaning behind those names, and they may even help you navigate a city. Here are the traditional meanings and origins of road labels.
- • Road: Can be anything that connects two points. The most basic of the naming conventions.
- • Street: A public way that has buildings on both sides of it. They run perpendicular to avenues.
- • Avenue: Also a public way that has buildings or trees on either side of it. They run perpendicular to streets.
- • Boulevard: A wide street with trees and other vegetation on one or both sides and, often, a median to divide traffic.
- • Drive: A long, winding road that has its route shaped by its environment, like a nearby lake or mountain.
- • Lane: A narrow road often found in a rural area. Basically, the opposite of a boulevard.
- • Court: A road or street that ends in a circle or loop (cul-de-sac).
- • Terrace: A street that follows the top of a slope.
- • Way: A small side street off a road.
- • Place: A road or street that has no throughway, or leads to a dead end.
That may leave you wondering what the difference is between a highway and a freeway. A highway is a major public road, usually connecting multiple cities, while a freeway is a specific type of highway designed for high-speed vehicular traffic with no stoplights or railway crossings.
