A route (or road) number, designation or abbreviation is an identifying numeric (or
alphanumeric
Alphanumericals or alphanumeric characters are a combination of alphabetical and numerical characters. More specifically, they are the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits. An alphanumeric code is an identifier made of alphanumeric c ...
) designation assigned by a
highway authority
A highway authority is a government organization responsible for public roads.
India
The National Highways Authority of India is the national authority for the management of a network of over 60,000 km of national highways in India. The Autho ...
to a particular stretch of roadway to distinguish it from other routes and, in many cases, also to indicate its classification (e.g. motorway, primary route, regional road, etc.), general geographical location (in zonal numbering systems) and/or orientation (north-south v. east-west). The numbers chosen may be used solely for internal administrative purposes; however, in most cases they are also displayed on roadside signage and indicated on maps.
Use of letters
Letters
Letter, letters, or literature may refer to:
Characters typeface
* Letter (alphabet), a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet.
* Letterform, the graphic form of a letter of the alphabe ...
are often used in road designations to indicate a class of roadways. Within such a class, roads are distinguished from each other by a road number. The way such letters are used depends on the country or other political jurisdiction which contains and controls the road. For instance, among A1 motorways, the one in Spain has a
hyphen
The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. The use of hyphens is called hyphenation. ''Son-in-law'' is an example of a hyphenated word. The hyphen is sometimes confused with dashes (figure d ...
between the A and the 1 (Autovia A-1) while in Germany the Autobahn 1 is written A 1, with a space between the A and the 1. In Argentina there are zeros between the A and the 1 (Autopista A001).
Single-letter abbreviations
* "
A" may mean "motorway" in a number of countries (ex. ''
Autoroute'' in France or ''
Autostrada
The Autostrade (; singular ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about . In North and Central Italy, the Autostrade mainly consists of tollways managed by Autostrade per l'Italia, a ...
'' in Italy or ''
Autobahn
The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track'. ...
'' in Germany), usually the largest and highest-quality roadways in the country. Is also used for primary roads in the UK. It also means a road of national significance in Australia.
* "
B" may mean "Bundesstraße" in Germany and means a road of state significance in Australia
* "
C" may mean county in the US and means a connecting route that connects two places in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
or the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
* "
D" may mean "départementale" in France or "Diaľnica" in Slovakia
* "
E" may mean "European" road or "Expressways" in Zimbabwe
* "
F"
* "
G"
* "
H" may mean "Hawaiian Interstate" in the US
* "
I" may mean "Interstate" in the US
* "
J"
* "
K" may be used for a state highway in
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
in the US or ''Kreissstraße'' in Germany
* "
L" may mean "local" route in Ireland or ''Landesstraße'' in Germany
* "
M" used for motorways in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, metropolitan routes in South Africa, municipal roads in Portugal, and also used for
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
s in Michigan in the US
* "
N" may mean "national" road
* "
O" may mean "Otoyol" in Turkey
* "
P"
* "
Q"
* "
R" may mean "regional" route in South Africa, Ireland, Portugal and Ukraine or "ring" road or "Rýchlostná cesta" in Slovakia
* "
S" may mean expressways in Austria ("Schnellstraße") and Poland ("droga ekspresowa")
* "
T" T roads in Malaysia are roads in Terrengganu; in some parts of the U.S., they are township roads; In Estonia, T is the official prefix for national routes; "territorial" roads in Ukraine
* "
U" may mean "unclassified" road; also used in Utah routes in the US
* "
V"
* "
W"
* "
X"
* "
Y"
* "
Z"
Multiple-letter abbreviations
* AP: ''Autopista de peaje'' (
toll
Toll may refer to:
Transportation
* Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway
** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use
** Road toll (historic), the historic practice of charging for road use
** Shadow toll, ...
motorway) in Spain
* BAB: ''Bundesautobahn'' (federal motorway) in Germany, only used in documents, normally just A
* BR: Brazilian Federal Highway
* CH/CR: County Highway, Route or Road in the US or Canada among other countries
* CT: ''cao tốc'' (freeway/expressway) in Vietnam
* DK: ''droga krajowa'' (national road) in Poland
* DW: ''droga wojewódzka'' (voivodeship/provincial road) in Poland
* Fv: ''Fylkesvei'' (county road) in Norway
* IC: ''Itinerário complementar'' (complementary route) in Portugal
* IP: ''Itinerário principal'' (principal route) in Portugal
* NH: Is used to designate National Highway network in India. Also used to designate State Highways in the US State of New Hampshire.
* SH/SR: State Highway, Route or Road in New Zealand or the US
* TH/TR:
Township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
Highway, Route or Road in the US
* US:
United States Numbered Highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
* USBR:
United States Bicycle Route
Road systems
Depending on the country, the letter attributed to a road may be part of a road grading system, be a
shortening
Shortening is any fat that is a solid at room temperature and used to make crumbly pastry and other food products. Although butter is solid at room temperature and is frequently used in making pastry, the term ''shortening'' seldom refers to bu ...
for a
type of road especially in a foreign language or refer to a geographical zoning system, such as the
Appalachian Development Highway System or the
county highway
A county highway (also county road or county route; usually abbreviated CH or CR) is a road in the United States and in the Canadian province of Ontario that is designated and/or maintained by the county highway department. Route numbering can ...
systems of
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
, and
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
in the United States.
International systems
*
AH roads in the Asian Highway Network
* CA-: highways part of the Central American highway network
*
E roads in the International E-road network in Europe
* EV: long-distance cycling routes in the
EuroVelo
''EuroVelo'' is a network of currently 17 long-distance cycling routes criss-crossing Europe, in various stages of completion. When completed, the EuroVelo network's total length will almost be . more than were in place. EuroVelo is a project of ...
network of Europe
* TAH: highways part of the
Trans-African Highway network
The Trans-African Highway network comprises transcontinental road projects in Africa being developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (ADB), and the African Union in conjunction with re ...
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has two road numbering schemes, one for Great Britain and the other for Northern Ireland. Both schemes follow the same principles, but the numbers are independent and the same road number may be duplicated between the two schemes.
A, B, unnumbered, and unclassified roads
In the United Kingdom, road numbers consist of a number up to 4 digits, prefixed with the letters A or B.
The main road from
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
to
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
was designated the
A1 in 1921; the "A" indicates a "trunk" or "principal" road, between regional towns and cities.
In Great Britain, the A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6 radiate out from London, or nearby, (in clockwise order) to points around the coast. Some A-roads, or sections of A-roads, are
dual carriageway, without being full motorways; some sections upgraded to motorway standards are designated in the form A1(M). B roads are minor roads; they may connect small towns and villages, or offer an alternate route to major roads. Classified unnumbered roads, unofficially called C roads, are smaller roads typically connecting unclassified roads with A and B roads. Unclassified roads are roads intended for local traffic; 60% of UK roads are unclassified,
[ and the 200,000 miles of B, unnumbered, and unclassified roads constitute 87% of total road length in the UK.][
All classified roads in England and Wales starting in the zone between the A1 and the A2 begin with the figure 1 (e.g. A137, B1412), etc. Scotland is similarly divided into zones by the A7, A8 and A9 which radiate out from Edinburgh. Zones are not used in Northern Ireland.
]
Motorways
Motorways are classified as "special roads", and are numbered in a similar, but not identical, manner. Motorways are either M-class or upgraded A-road, A(M) class. M-class motorways are labelled in the form M''x'', as a higher grade of motorway, and A(M) roads are labelled in the form A''x''(M), where ''x'' is the designation of the road, dependent on the zone. For example, the M25 is the London Orbital Motorway, and the A1(M)
A1(M) is the designation given to a series of four separate motorway sections in England. Each section is an upgrade to a section of the A1, a major north–south road which connects London, the capital of England, with Edinburgh, the capit ...
is the upgraded A1 dual carriageway.
A similar clock-face zonal system is used in many other European countries (for example, Spain and Belgium).
United States
File:I-10.svg, alt=Interstate 10 route marker, 10
File:US 50.svg, alt=US. Route 50 route marker, U.S. Route 50
File:Elongated circle 1.svg, alt= Delaware Route 1 route marker, Route 1
File:Essex County 609.svg, alt= County Route 609 route marker, County Route 609 (Essex County, New Jersey)
In the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, numbered highways belong to one of three or more systems of numbered routes, depending on the state. There are two national-level route numbering systems, the older United States Numbered Highway System
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
laid out in 1920s, and the newer Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
started in the 1950s. Additionally, every state in the U.S. maintains its own set of numbered state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
s. Some states have other systems as well, either a system of numbered county highway
A county highway (also county road or county route; usually abbreviated CH or CR) is a road in the United States and in the Canadian province of Ontario that is designated and/or maintained by the county highway department. Route numbering can ...
s or secondary state highways. A few cities also have numbered city highways; for example, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, maintains Charlotte Route 4
Route 4 is an partial ring road located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Beginning and ending at Interstate 85 (I-85), it loops south around Uptown Charlotte along state-maintained secondary roads, connecting the Charlotte Douglas International A ...
.
The U.S. Highway System, indicated by a white shield with black numbers, is based on a numbering grid, with odd routes running generally north–south and even routes running east–west. Primary routes have a one- or two-digit number, and are supplemented by spur routes
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A bypass or beltway should not be considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the s ...
that add a hundreds digit to their parent route. Routes increase from east-to-west and north-to-south, such that U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
follows the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, while U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...
does the same at the Pacific Ocean Coast. Likewise U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west United States Numbered Highways, U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern ...
runs near the Canadian border
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, while U.S. Route 98 follows the Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...
. Major cross-country routes end in either a "1" or a "0". For example, U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
is a route that runs over from Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868. Newport was named for Newport, Rhode Island. As of the 2010 census, the city had ...
, while U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
spans the country from Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by t ...
. Routes like U.S. Route 141
US Highway 141 (US 141) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. The highway runs north-northwesterly from an interchange with Interstate 43 (I-43) in Bellevue, Wisconsin, near Green B ...
and U.S. Route 441 branch off U.S. Route 41. U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...
, known as the "Mother Road", was a cultural touchstone that inspired literature, songs, and other media from its creation in 1926 until it was superseded by segments of the Interstate Highway System. Parts of the road have been designated "Historic Route 66".
The Interstate Highway System, indicated by a red and blue shield with white numbers, is a system of entirely freeways
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
(unlike the U.S. Highway System, which is mostly undivided surface roads). The Interstate System is also based on a grid, with east–west routes bearing even numbers and north–south routes bearing odd numbers. In order to prevent confusion with the earlier U.S. Highway System, however, the Interstates are numbered in the opposite direction, such that the lowest routes numbers are in the south and west, and the highest numbers in the north and east. Major routes end in either a "0" or a "5"; for example Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
spans the country from Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, to Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, while Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
goes from the Mexican border to the Great Lakes. Like with U.S. Highways, subsidiary routes are numbered by adding a hundreds digit to the parent route. Because of the large number of these routes, three-digit numbers may be repeated within the system, but unique to each state. Additionally, the parity of the hundreds digit tells the nature of the spur route: odd hundreds digits like Interstate 393
Interstate 393 (I-393) is a east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway extending from I-93 at Concord to Pembroke, New Hampshire. The primary purpose of the road is to bypass a densely built commercial strip on New Hampshire Route 9 (NH&nb ...
only connect to the system at one end (forming "spurs"), while an even hundreds digit like Interstate 440 indicates that the highway connects to another Interstate at both ends (forming loops).
The numbering system for state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
s varies widely from state to state. Each state decides how to number its own routes. Some maintain systems similar to the national road systems, based on a grid. Others number highways regionally, with similar numbers occurring in the same area of the state. Still others have no discernible system, with no connection between a route's location and its number.
In addition to numbers, route numbers also use suffixed letters and banners appended to the tops of signs to indicate alternate routes to the main highway. For example, U.S. Route 1A
U.S. Route 1A is the name of several highways found in the United States.
North Carolina Wake Forest–Youngsville
U.S. Route 1A (US 1A) is a alternate route of US 1 through the towns of Wake Forest and Youngsville, North Caroli ...
is the name given to many highways which are either older alignments of U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
or provide an alternate route either around or through a city along U.S. Route 1's route. Banners are sometimes used to indicate alternate routes. Words like "Alternate
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
", "Business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
", or " Bypass" can be added to a sign to indicate such a situation.
Canada
The Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway ( French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean o ...
system is made up of a series of provincially maintained highways, and is one of only two systems (the other being the Crowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway is an east-west highway in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. It stretches across the southern portions of both provinces, from Hope, British Columbia to Medicine Hat, Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection b ...
) that uses route numbering that spans multiple provinces, albeit not across the entire country. The provincial highways are assigned numbers by their respective provinces.
Alberta
All provincial highways are 'Primary Highways'. They are divided into two series', and sub-series'.
*1-216 Series — core highway network
**Hwy 1-100 — intercity
**Hwy 201, 216 — orbital routes
*500-986 Series — local highways
**Hwy 500-699 — west–east routes
**Hwy 700-899 — south–north routes
**900 and X series — potential realignments and extensions
British Columbia
Owing to the mountainous terrain in the province, route numbers are assigned on a mostly ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning literally 'to this'. In English, it typically signifies a solution for a specific purpose, problem, or task rather than a generalized solution adaptable to collateral instances. (Compare with ''a priori''.)
Com ...
basis, and vary between west–east and south–north routes. They currently span from 1-118, except for Hwy 395 which is a counterpart of US 395. Some routes are grouped in numerical patterns (e.g. Highways 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 are north–south routes with values increasing by increments of two moving West). British Columbia formerly had "400 series" of highways similar to Ontario, but that scheme was dropped in 1973.
Manitoba
Provincial Trunk Highways (PTH) are divided into two series'.
*PTH 1-199 — primary highways
**PTH 1-89 — intercity
**PTH 100, 101, 110 — loop routes
*PR 200-699 — secondary highways
New Brunswick
Provincial highways are divided into three series'.
*Route 1-99 — arterial highways
*Route 100-199 — collector highways
*Route 200-999 — local highways
Newfoundland and Labrador
Provincial highways are divided into three series'.
*Main highways have varying numbers
*Regional roads are numbered by region
**Route 2-203 — Avalon Peninsula
**Route 204-205, 230-239 — Bonavista Peninsula
**Route 210-222 — Burin Peninsula
**Route 301-346 — Kittiwake Coast, Fogo Island, & Twillingate
**Route 350-371 — Exploits River Valley & Bay d'Espoir
**Route 380-392, 410-419 — Baie Verte
**Route 401, 420-438 — Great Northern Peninsula
**Route 402-407, 440-490 — Western Newfoundland
**Route 500-520 — Labrador
* Local highways are based on intersecting primary routes and numbered with extension (i.e. 210-1)
Nova Scotia
Provincial highways are divided into five series'.
*100-Series — arterial highways
*Trunk Highways
*Route 200-399 — collector highways
*Scenic Routes are unnumbered
*Local roads are unnumbered
Ontario
Provincial highways are divided into four classes.
*Hwy 2-148, 400-427 — King's (primary) highways
**Hwy 2-148 — intercity
** 400-series highways (freeways)
*Hwy 500-699 — secondary highways
*Hwy 800-813 — tertiary highways
*7000-series — resource & industrial roads
Prince Edward Island
Provincial highways are divided into three series'.
*Route 1-4 — primary highways
*Route 4-27 — secondary highways
*Local highways are numbered by county
**Route 101-199 — Prince County
**Route 201-299 — Queens County
**Route 301-399 — Kings County
Quebec
Provincial highways are divided into three classes. Odd numbers refer to routes that are generally perpendicular to the Saint Lawrence River. Even numbers refer to routes that are generally parallel to the Saint Lawrence River.
*Autoroutes - expressways
** Route numbers for bypasses and spurs take on a prefix (4nn-9nn)
*100-series — primary highways
*Secondary routes
**200-series — south of the Saint Lawrence River
**300-series — north of the Saint Lawrence River
Saskatchewan
Provincial highways are divided into three series', and sub-series'.
*Hwy 1-99 — primary highways
*Hwy 100-399 — secondary highways which are spurs of primary highways
**Hwy 102-167 — northern routes
**Hwy 201-271 — routes to recreational areas
**Hwy 301-397 — routes to minor communities
*Hwy 600-799, 900-999 — minor highways
**Hwy 600-699 — south–north highways
**Hwy 700-799 — west–east highways
**Hwy 900-999 — northern or isolated roads
Northwest Territories
There are currently eleven territorial highways in the Northwest Territories. All eleven are named, eight are numbered 1-8, and two are winter roads.
Nunavut
There are a number of roads and highways in Nunavut, none are yet numbered.
Yukon
There are currently fourteen territorial highways in Yukon. All fourteen are named and numbered 1-11, 14-15, & 37.
People's Republic of China
Expressways
National expressways of China
The expressway network of China, with the national-level expressway system officially known as the National Trunk Highway System (; abbreviated as NTHS), is an integrated system of national and provincial-level expressways in China.Li, Si-ming ...
are designated with letter G (for 国家高速, ''guójiā gāosù'') followed by 1, 2, or 4 digits. For national expressways, one-digit numbers are used for expressways starting in Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
. Two-digit odd numbers from G11 to G89 are for north–south long-distance expressways, and even numbers from G10 to G90 are for east–west long-distance expressways. Numbers G91 – G99 denote regional ring routes. Four-digit numbers indicate city ring routes, spur routes and parallel routes. The first two numbers indicates their parent routes, while for the three types of routes, the third digit is 0, an odd number, or an even number, respectively. Provincial city ring routes, spur routes uses two digits. For example, in G1503 ( Shanghai Ring Expressway), "15" refers to the G15 Shenyang–Haikou Expressway
The Shenyang–Haikou Expressway (), designated as G15 and commonly referred to as the Shenhai Expressway () is an expressway in China that connects the cities of Shenyang, Liaoning, and Haikou, Hainan. When fully complete, it will be in length ...
, which passes through Shanghai, and "0" indicates that the route is a city ring expressway.
Provincial expressways are designated with letter S (for 省高速, ''shěng gāosù'') followed by 1 or 2 digits. Similar to the national expressways, one-digit numbers are used for routes starting in the provincial capital. Since 2017, the Chinese route naming standard no longer designates provincial expressways with 4 digit numbers.
Non-expressways
*G, followed by 3 digits, stand for ''guódào'' (), or China National Highways
The China National Highways (CNH/Guodao) () is a network of trunk roads across mainland China. Apart from the expressways of China that are planned and constructed later, most of the CNH are not controlled-access highways.
History
The bui ...
. S routes stand for ''shěngdào'' (), or provincial roads.
**Roads 101 – 199 radiates from Beijing (G roads) or the provincial capital (S roads).
**Roads 201 – 299 are north–south highways.
**Roads 301 – 399 are east–west highways.
**Roads 501 – 599 are spur routes.
*County roads (''xiàndào'', ) are prefixed with letter X. Township roads (''xiāngdào'', ) are prefixed with letter Y. Village roads (''cūndào'', ) are prefixed with letter C. Special roads (''zhuānyòng dàolù'', ) are prefixed with letter Z.
Finland
Germany
Hong Kong
* Highways or Routes are numbered 1-10; there is no Route 6 (it is a proposed route)
* Routes are also given names (e.g. Tolo Highway)
Indonesia
Indonesia is an archipelago. For national route numbering, every main island has its own number. For both national routes and toll roads, numbering starts at 1 on every main island and continues to the small surrounding islands.
* National Route Sign Number: on the top of route number has combination letter "NASIONAL" with background color red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
, followed by region code each province and number route written on the bottom.
* Toll Road Sign Number: on the top of route number has combination letter "TOL" with background color red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
, followed by region code each province and number route written on the bottom.
* Provincial Route Sign Number: on the top of route number has combination letter "PROVINSI" with background color blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...
, followed by region code each regency or city and number route written on the bottom.
File:Nasional17-6.png, National route 6 in Region 17 (Bali
Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
)
File:Nasional14-17.png, National route 17 in Region 14 (Central Java
Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
)
File:Tol12-1.png, Toll route 1 in Region 12 (West Java
West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
) Jakarta–Cikampek Elevated Toll Road
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Skyway (abbreviated MBZ Skyway), formerly (and still colloquially) known as the Jakarta–Cikampek Elevated Toll Road, is a elevated expressway that extends from Cikunir, Bekasi, to Karawang in West Java, Indonesia, ...
File:Tol2-2.png, Toll route 2 in Region 2 (North Sumatra
North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...
)
The numbering is considered by these provision:
*The road sections that parallel to the coastline are given an odd number start from 1 (one) in every main island.
*The next numbering starts from left-right then top-down until the roads on the island have been mapped.
*The road sections that cross the island are numbered even, starting with the number 2 (two).
*Especially for Sulawesi
Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
Island, route numbering starts from the bottom of the island to the top of the island.
Until 2019, Ministry of Transportation (Indonesia)
The Ministry of Transportation ( id, Kementerian Perhubungan), formerly Department of Transportation ( id, Departemen Perhubungan) is a government ministry responsible for the governance and regulation of transportation in Indonesia. The Mini ...
has set 31 national routes on Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
Island, 55 national routes on Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
Island, and 6 national routea on Bali
Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
Island. For toll road numbering, the ministry also has set 11 number routes on Java Island, 5 number routes on Sumatra Island, and 1 number route on Bali Island.
Malaysia
Route numbering in Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
is fairly simple.
West
* All expressways (classified as an expressway by the Malaysian government) has a route number beginning with 'E', followed by a number. (e.g. North–South Expressway Northern Route
The North–South Expressway Northern Route is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway forms the north section of the North–South Expressway, passing thr ...
and New Klang Valley Expressway
The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja nea ...
)
* All federal roads can have any route number except those stated below. (e.g. Malaysia Federal Route 1
The Federal Route 1 is the first federal road in Malaysia, the oldest federal road in Malaysia, and among the nation's earliest public roadways ever constructed. The Federal Route 1 was the backbone of the road system in the western states of Peni ...
)
* Industrial roads has a four-digit route number beginning with '3'.
* Roads build by the Federal Land Development Authority
The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda; ms, Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan. LKTP) is a Malaysian government agency that was founded to handle the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas (''colonies'', ''settlements'' ...
has a four-digit route number starting with '1' or '2'.
* Institutional facilities roads follow the normal numbering of federal roads.
* All state roads begins with a letter other than 'E', followed by a number.
East
=Sabah
=
* All major roads in Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
are federal roads. The route numbers are usually three-digits beginning with '5'.
* Route 1, 13 and 22 belong to the Pan Borneo Highway
Pan Borneo Highway ( ms, Lebuhraya Pan Borneo), also known as Trans-Borneo Highway or Trans-Kalimantan Highway ( id, Jalan Lintas Kalimantan), is a road network on Borneo Island connecting two Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei ...
.
* Institutional roads route numbers have three-digits beginning with '6'.
* State roads normally begins with the letter 'SA', but some roads such as the Sapi-Nangoh Highway starts with the letter 'R'. Papar Spur-Pengalat-Lok Kawi Road and Beluran Road begin with the letter 'A' which is derived from the old route numbering scheme, though both of them are state roads.
=Sarawak
=
* Federal roads in Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
are divided into sections. They have a main route number of '1', referring to the whole stretch of the route (i.e. Pan Borneo Highway
Pan Borneo Highway ( ms, Lebuhraya Pan Borneo), also known as Trans-Borneo Highway or Trans-Kalimantan Highway ( id, Jalan Lintas Kalimantan), is a road network on Borneo Island connecting two Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei ...
), followed by a dash (-) and the section number. (e.g. Jalan Kuching-Serian
''Jalan'' ( ur, , lit=Jealousy) is a Pakistani television series premiered on ARY Digital on 17 June 2020. It is directed by Aabis Raza and produced by Fahad Mustafa and Dr. Ali Kazmi under Big Bang Entertainment. It stars Minal Khan, Areeb ...
)
* Other roads can have any route number and are also divided into sections.
* All state roads begin with the letter 'Q' followed by a number. Like federal roads, state roads may also be divided into sections.
=Labuan
=
* All federal roads in Labuan
Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capita ...
have a three-digit number beginning with '7'.
Australia
In Australia, road routes are allocated along sections of named roads, often along parts of multiple roads. Unlike many other countries, most highways in Australia tend to be referred to only by their names. State road authorities have separate numbering systems, for internal use only.
File:AUS Alphanumeric Route A1.svg, Alphanumeric route (NSW, NT, QLD, SA and VIC)
File:New South Wales alphanumeric route B23.svg, Alphanumeric route (On old signs in New South Wales & All signs in the ACT; note the white border)
File:Australian national highway M31.svg, National Highway (alphanumeric) - Only used in SA and QLD. On old signs in Victoria
File:Australian national highway 66.svg, National Highway (numeric) Only used in QLD and WA
File:Australian national route 80.svg, National Route Only used in QLD and WA
File:Australian state route 100.svg, State Route - Also called metropolitan routes in Melbourne
The first route marking system was introduced to Australia in the 1950s. National Routes were assigned to significant interstate routes – the most important road links in the country. National Route 1 was designated to a circular route around the Australian coastline. A state route marking system was designed to supplement the national system, for inter-regional and urban routes within states. When the National Highway system was introduced, National Routes along it became National Highway routes with the same numbers, but with distinctive green and gold route markers. Alphanumeric routes were introduced in Tasmania in 1979, and during the 1990s, planning began for nationally consistent route markings, using the alphanumeric system.Austroads
Austroads is the apex organisation of road transport and traffic agencies in Australia and New Zealand. It publishes guidelines, codes of practice and research reports that promote best practice for road management organisations in Australasia. A ...
(1997),
Towards a Nationally Consistent Approach to Route Marking
' Alphanumeric routes have been introduced in most states and territories in Australia, partially or completely replacing the previous systems.
National Routes and Highways
In 1955, the Australian National Route Numbering System was introduced to simplify navigation across Australia. The National Route Numbers are marked by white shields that are present in directional signs, distance signs or trailblazers. The general rule was that odd-numbered highways travel in north–south directions and even-numbered highways in east–west directions, with only a few exceptions. National Route 1 was assigned to a network of highways and roads, which together linked all capital cities and coastal towns circumnavigating the mainland. The National Route system initially linked the centres of towns and cities and terminated at the junction of other national routes, however many bypasses have been constructed since then. National Routes often terminated at the metropolitan city limits rather than the individual city centres.
In 1974, the federal government assumed responsibility for funding the nations most important road links, with the introduction of the National Highway. These highways were marked with distinctive green and gold route marker shields instead of the plain National Route shield. Though the National Highway system has been superseded in subsequent legislation, National Highway route markers are still used on many of the routes. Additionally, National Highways and National Routes have been phased out, or are in the process of being phased out, in all states and territories except Western Australia, in favour of the alphanumeric system.
State Routes
Important urban and inter-regional routes not covered by the National Highway or National Route systems are marked under the State Route system. They can be recognised by blue shield markers. They were practically adopted in all states by the end of the 1980s, and in some states, some less important National Routes were downgraded to State Routes. Each state has or had its own numbering scheme, but do not duplicate National Route numbers in the same state, or nearby routes in another state.
As with the National Routes and National Highways, State Routes are being phased out in most states and territories in favour of alphanumeric routes. However, despite the fact that Victoria has fully adopted alphanumeric routes in regional areas, state route numbers are still used extensively within the city of Melbourne as a part of its Metropolitan Route Numbering Scheme.
Metroads
In the 1990s in Sydney and Brisbane, urban route numbering system were streamlined under the Metroad
Metroads were the primary road routes serving the Sydney and Brisbane metropolitan areas from the 1990s to the early 2010s. The Metroads formed a network of radial and circumferential routes throughout the cities, simplifying navigation. Metroads ...
scheme. Metroad route numbers were assigned to the key navigational corridors, along ring
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
and radial routes, and marked by distinctive hexagonal shields. Most Metroads have been completely or partially replaced with alphanumeric routes in Brisbane with currently only have 2 routes; Metroad 2 and Metroad 5, and they have been fully replaced by alphanumerics in Sydney.
Alphanumeric routes
Tasmania introduced an alphanumeric route numbering system in 1979, based on the British system from 1963. The new system aimed to upgrade the signing of destinations, including previously unmarked roads, and to simplify navigation by allowing visitors to follow numbered routes. National Highway 1 was retained as the only route without an alphanumeric designation.
In the 1990s Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
and South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
also overhauled their systems. While South Australia discarded the National and State Route Numbering Systems, those shield-based schemes were retained in the Melbourne metropolitan area as the Metropolitan Route Numbering Scheme. The route numbers used in the alphanumeric schemes were generally inherited from the original National Route Numbering System, with only a few exceptions, and prefixed with letters denoting their grade. For example, Western Freeway is M8 until Ballarat and continues beyond as A8 Western Highway. They are not used extensively in the Melbourne metropolitan area where the blue-shield metropolitan route system is retained for most routes. The National Highways were retained, but with the route numbers changed to alphanumeric designations.
New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...
introduced the alphanumeric system from early 2013.[ Before being officially announced, new road signs were fitted with such numbers and then being "coverplated" with the existing route number. However, the new system does not distinguish between the former National Highways and other routes.
Alphanumeric routes have also been introduced for many major highways and urban routes in ]Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, although many other roads retain markers from the National Route, National Highway, State and Metroad numbering systems. According to the New South Wales Roads & Maritime Services
A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation.
There are many types of ...
, the Northern Territory has similarly begun converting their numbered routes to alphanumeric routes, with a "progressive replacement" scheme that sees alphanumeric route markers introduced only when signs are replaced. There are no plans to introduce an alphanumeric route numbering system in Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
.
=Prefix letters
=
In the alphanumeric systems, a letter denoting the route's construction standard and function is prefixed to the route number, creating an alphanumeric route designation. One of six letters may be used:
* "M" routes are primary traffic routes, called motorways in some states. These are typically dual carriageway, freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
-standard highways, but may also be used for rural roads that are nearly at freeway-standard, or at least are dual carriageways.
* "A" routes are other primary highways, including urban arterials and interstate or interregional single carriageways.
* "B" routes are less significant routes, either as an alternative to an "A" or "M" route, or linking smaller population centres to larger regional centres, but without being a major through-route in the region. These are the major road links in areas without "A" routes.
* "C" routes link smaller settlements and towns to the rest of the major road network. They are used for roads without the significance of an "M", "A", or "B" route, but where numbering would assist navigation.
* "D'' routes are detour routes for motorways. There are only two of them, D1 and D5
* "R" routes are ring routes in South Australia. There is only one route, R1
Germany
''A'' stands for ''Autobahn
The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track'. ...
'' (motorway), ''B'' for ''Bundesstraße'' (literally "federal road"). There are also ''L'' roads (''Landesstraße'' for Bundes''land''; in Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
''S'' and Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
''St'' for ''Staatsstraße''), ''K'' roads (''Kreisstraße'' for districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
, in some states of Germany ''K'' roads are classified as ''Landesstraßen 2. Ordnung'' and also carry an ''L'' number).
Formerly, ''B'' roads were also designated as ''F'' for ''Fernstraße'' (long-distance road) in East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
until 1990 and as ''R'' for ''Reichsstraße'' (imperial road) in the Weimar republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
and Nazi-Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
until the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
''A'' roads use white numbers on blue shields, ''B'' and ''R'' roads black numbers on yellow shields and ''L'', ''K'' and ''St'' roads – if designated – black numbers on white shields. The respective letters are normally not included in the shield.
Bundesautobahn 7 number.svg, Shield for Bundesautobahn 7
is the longest German Autobahn and the longest national motorway in Europe at 963 km (598 mi). It bisects the country almost evenly between east and west. In the north, it starts at the border with Denmark as an extension of the Danish part o ...
, short ''A 7''
Bundesstraße_14_number.svg, Shield for Bundesstraße 14, ''B 14''
Reichsstraße 128 number.svg, Shield for former Reichsstraße 128 in former East Prussia
East Prussia ; german: Ostpreißen, label=Low Prussian; pl, Prusy Wschodnie; lt, Rytų Prūsija was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 187 ...
, abbreviated as ''R 128''
L262 Saar.jpg, Road marker for Landesstraße 262 in the Saarland
The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
, abbreviated as ''L 262''
Autobahns
In Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the normal route number for the German autobahns
The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track' ...
consists of the letter A and a number:
* 1-digit-numbers are the most important autobahns;
* 2- and 3-digit numbers are for connectors of 1-digit-number-autobahns; and
* north–south routes have odd numbers, and east–west routes have even numbers.
Bundesstraßen
Bundesstraßen are national highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
s, their numbers consist of the letter B and a number:
* 1-digit numbers are more important than 2- or 3-digit numbers;
* the first ten roads span the entire country, the 2-digit roads were assigned sequentially in clusters connecting the major regions, and the 3-digit roads are usually shorter connector roads.
* short branches of Bundesstraßen are sometimes signed with the letter "a" (e.g. B 27a); and
* rerouted Bundesstraßen may be given numbers with an appended "n" (e.g. B 7n).
West Berlin
West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...
once had its own Bundesstraßen with letters.
State roads
State roads are roads operated by the German federal states. They are called Landesstrasse or Staatsstrasse (in Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
and Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
). They are labeled by an initial L or S and a one- to four-digit individual number (e.g. S2 or L240). The federal states sustain their own numbering systems with individual styles of number shields used.
Gallery
File:Bundesautobahn 1 number.svg, A 1
File:Bundesautobahn 66 number.svg, A 66
File:Bundesautobahn 100 number.svg, A 100
File:Bundesstraße_35_number.svg, B 35
File:Bundesstraße 28a number.svg, B 28a
File:Bundesstraße 71n number.svg, B 71n
File:Bundesstraße E number.svg, E from West Berlin
File:Bundesstraße R number.svg, R from West Berlin
File:Bundesstraße S number.svg, S from West Berlin
File:Bundesstraße Z number.svg, Z from West Berlin
Elsewhere
Some countries, such as Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, number their national highways by direction. (BR1xx = North/South highways, BR2xx = East/West, BR3xx = 'Diagonal' (i.e. NW/SE or NE/SW)).
Cyprus A, B, E, F system
A stands for motorway and B is for main roads. E and F are for smaller local roads.
Estonian T system
T is the prefix for all roads, however not represented on route shields.
The prefix is mostly only used by the Estonian Road Administration and is not in common usage when referring to roads.
French A, N, D system
A stands for "autoroute" (motorway), N for "national road", D for "départementale" road and C for "communale". France still uses Route Nationale
A ''route nationale'', or simply ''nationale'', is a class of trunk road in France. They are important roads of national significance which cross broad portions of the French territory, in contrast to departmental or communal roads which serve m ...
numbers from an 1824 revision of 1811 numbers made under Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
.
Irish M, N, R, L system
M stands for Motorway, N for National primary road or National secondary road, R for Regional road and L for Local road.
Jamaica A, B system
Japanese C, E system
C stands for circular, E stands for expressway. These designations are used on most expressways in Japan outside of the urban systems. The designations, depicted with a green rectangle with white numbers and letters, are used on guide signs as well as highway shield
A highway shield or route marker is a sign denoting the route number of a highway, usually in the form of a symbolic shape with the route number enclosed. As the focus of the sign, the route number is usually the sign's largest element, with oth ...
s.
Netherlands' A, N system
A stands for "Autosnelweg" (motorway), N for Non motorways. The A-codes use white letters on a red shield, the N-codes black letters on a yellow shield. Where a highway changes into a motorway or vice versa, it may continue to use the same number, but the letter and the color are switched.
When the letter is followed by three digits, the road is typically a provincial road. When there are only one or two digits, it is typically a national road.
Philippines E, N system
The Philippines' new route numbering system, started in 2014, for its network of expressways
Expressway may refer to:
*Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
*Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional slide ...
(limited access roads) and national roads (of the primary and secondary types), uses E and N, respectively. National roads ("N" roads, of the primary and secondary designation) use white shields based on the Australian National Route shields, but signed with the number only, with N included for inventory purposes. Expressways ("E" roads) uses signs the same design as with national primary and secondary roads, but colored yellow, and unlike national roads, includes E to prevent confusion.
Polish A, S, DK, DW system
* A stands for "autostrada
The Autostrade (; singular ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about . In North and Central Italy, the Autostrade mainly consists of tollways managed by Autostrade per l'Italia, a ...
" (motorway)
* S stands for " droga ekspresowa" (expressway)
* DK stands for " droga krajowa" (national road)
* DW stands for " droga wojewódzka" (voivodeship/provincial road)
Senegal N, R system
N stands for "national" roads while R is for "regional" roads.
Slovak D, R system
D stands for "diaľnica" (motorways) while R is for "rýchlostná cesta" (expressways).
South African N, R, M system
N stands for national road, R stands for regional road and M stands for metropolitan road.
Spain A, AP, N system
* A, followed by one or two digits, stands for "autovía
An ''autovía'' is one of two classes of major highway in the Spanish road system similar to a British motorway or an American freeway. It is akin to the autopista, the other major highway class, but has fewer features and is never a toll roa ...
" ( dual carriageway).
** If followed by three or four digits, it is road owned by a regional government, usually Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
or Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
, and may or may not be a divided highway.
* AP stands for "autopista de peaje" (toll
Toll may refer to:
Transportation
* Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway
** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use
** Road toll (historic), the historic practice of charging for road use
** Shadow toll, ...
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
)
* N stands for "nacional" (national), single carriageway road owned by the national Government. National roads 1 to 6 are radial roads linking Madrid with major cities or borders with France and Portugal. All other roads are numbered with three digits.
Other letters refer to the code of the region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
or city that is served by the road. See for example M-30, with M standing for Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
.
Turkey O, D, I system
* O stands for "Otoyol
The Otoyol (Plural: ''Otoyollar'') is the national network of controlled-access highways in Turkey. The network spans as of 2020-end and was first opened in 1973. Another term for the system is Otoban, which is a popular but unofficial term tra ...
" (motorway)
* D stands for " Devlet Yolu" (expressways/major highways)
* I stands for "Il Yolu" (provincial roads/minor highways)
Vietnamese QL, TL, HL system
The following abbreviations appear on guide signs and kilometer posts:
; CT : (expressway)
; QL : (national road)
; TL or ĐT : or (provincial road)
; HL : or (rural district road)
; ĐCK : (canal towpath)
See also
*Highway shield
A highway shield or route marker is a sign denoting the route number of a highway, usually in the form of a symbolic shape with the route number enclosed. As the focus of the sign, the route number is usually the sign's largest element, with oth ...
*Highway location marker
A highway location marker is the modern-day equivalent of a milestone. Unlike traditional milestones, however, which (as their name suggests) were originally carved from stone and sited at one-mile intervals, modern highway location markers are m ...
*Driver location signs
Driver location signs are signs placed every along each side of English motorways, and some other major English roads, to provide information that will allow motorists to know their precise location. , roads in England, but not Scotland, Wale ...
* Asian Highway Network
*Auxiliary route
In road transportation in the United States, a special route is a road in a numbered highway system that diverts a specific segment of related traffic away from another road. They are featured in many highway systems; most are found in the In ...
(United States)
* China road numbering
*International E-road network
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads cross national borders. It also reaches Centr ...
(Europe)
* State-numbered route (countries that are divided into states)
*Numbered street
A numbered street is a street whose name is an ordinal number, as in ''Second Street'' or ''Tenth Avenue''. Such forms are among the most common street names in North America, but also exist in other parts of the world, especially in Colombia, w ...
*List of roads and highways
List of articles related to roads and highways around the world.
International/World
* Asian Highway Network
* Arab Mashreq International Road Network
* Alaska Highway
* International E-road network
* Pan-American Highway
* Trans-African Highwa ...
Notes
References
Further reading
Road numbering systems
covering most nations
Explanation of British road numbers
{{Road types
Roads
French inventions
Identifiers