Median strip

Reserved area that separates opposing lanes of traffic on divided roadways Typical left-hand motorway road layout in Ireland and South Africa Divided median strip on a boulevard in Huizhou, China A median strip, central reservation, roadway median, or traffic median is the reserved area that separates opposing lanes of traffic on divided roadways such as divided highways, freeways, and motorways. The term also applies to divided roadways other than highways, including some major streets in urban or suburban areas. The reserved area may simply be paved, but commonly it is adapted to other functions; for example, it may accommodate decorative landscaping, trees, a median barrier, or railway, rapid transit, light rail, or streetcar lines. Regional terminology There is no international English standard for the term. Median, median strip, and median divider island are common in North American and Antipodean English. Variants in North American English include regional terms such as neutral ground in New Orleans usage or boulevard in Vancouver, British Columbia. In British English the central reservation or central median is the preferred usage; it also occurs widely in formal documents i