Botswana has a network of
road
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 ...
s, of varied quality and capacity, totaling about . Other these, are paved (this is including of motorways. The reminder worth are unpaved. Road distances are shown in kilometers and Botswana speed limits are indicated in
kilometers per hour (kph) or by the use of the national speed limit (NSL) symbol. Some vehicle categories have various lower maximum limits enforced by
speed limits
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...
, for example trucks.
Classification
Administration
Responsibility for the road network differs between
trunk
Trunk may refer to:
Biology
* Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso
* Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure
* Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy
* Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant
Computing
* Trunk (software), in rev ...
and non-trunk routes. Trunk roads, which are the most important roads, are administered by the Ministry of Transport. The classifications of A and B roads are independent of their width and quality. Some B roads are wide enough to accommodate bidirectional traffic, while others are narrower with various passing locations. B roads follow the same numbering scheme as A roads, but almost always have 3- and 4- digit designation.
A roads
A roads are highways and other major roads.
B roads
B roads are distributor roads, which see less traffic than A roads.
Motorways
Motorways in
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
have a set of restrictions, which prohibit certain traffic from using the road. The following classes of traffic are not allowed on Botswana motorways:
* Learner drivers
* Slow vehicles (i.e., not capable of reaching 60km/h on a level road).
* Invalid carriages (lightweight three-wheeled vehicles)
* Pedestrians
* Pedal-cycles (
bicycles
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bic ...
, etc.)
* Vehicles under 50cc (e.g.,
mopeds
A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typi ...
)
* Tractors
* Animals
Rules for driving on motorways include the following:
* The keep-left rule applies unless overtaking
* No stopping at any time
* No reversing
* No hitchhiking
* Only vehicles that travel faster than 80km/h may use the outside lane
* No driving on the hard-shoulder
The general
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 ...
speed limit is 120km/h.
Signage
Signage on the Botswana network conforms broadly to
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
norms, though a number of signs omit
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
route numbers. All length distances are shown in kilometers, speed is in
kilometers per hour
The kilometre per hour ( SI symbol: km/h; non-standard abbreviations: kph, km/hr) is a unit of speed, expressing the number of kilometres travelled in one hour.
History
Although the metre was formally defined in 1799, the term "kilometres per h ...
whilst height and width restrictions are required to be shown in feet and inches (though the metric measurements may optionally also appear).
Traditionally,
road signs in Botswana
Road signs in Botswana are based on the SADC-RTSM, a document designed to harmonise traffic signs in member states of the Southern Africa Development Community.
A white background signifies the sign is permanent, while a yellow background signif ...
used blue backgrounds rather than the yellow, white, or orange that the rest of the world uses on traffic
warning sign
A warning sign is a type of sign which indicates a potential hazard, obstacle, or condition requiring special attention. Some are traffic signs that indicate hazards on roads that may not be readily apparent to a driver.
While warning traffi ...
s. In the early 2010s, officials announced plans to begin phasing out the distinctive blue signs in favor of more typical signs in order to be more in line with the neighboring
Southern African Development Community
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.
Its goal is to further regional socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security coopera ...
member states.
See also
*
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
*
Transport in Botswana
Transportation in Botswana is provided by internal and extensive network of railways, highways, ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country. The transport sector in Botswana has played an important role in economic growth in the 2 ...
References
External links
UN Map of BotswanaAir Botswana UK - The national airline of Botswana
{{Commons category, Transport in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
Transport in Botswana