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This is a list of countries (or regions) by total road network size, both paved and unpaved. Also included is additional data on the length of each country or region's controlled-access highway network (also known as a motorway, expressway, freeway, etc.), designed for high vehicular traffic.
In the United States, the Interstate Highway standards for the Interstate Highway System use a 12 ft (3.7 m) standard lane width, while narrower lanes are used on lower classification roads. In Europe, laws and road widths vary by country; the minimum widths of lanes are generally between 2.5 to 3.25 m (8.2 to 10.7 ft). [ 13 ]
Longer bridges can reduce the width of both shoulders to 4 feet (1.2 m). Existing bridges can remain part of the Interstate system if they have at least 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) lanes with 3.5-foot (1.1 m) shoulder on the left and a 10-foot (3.0 m) shoulder on the right, except that longer bridges can have 3.5 feet (1.1 m) shoulders on both sides.
Paved highways in the United States Numbered Highway System (for example, U.S. Highway 53) can vary from two lanes wide (one lane each direction), shoulderless, roads with no access control, to multi-lane high-speed controlled-access highway, such as the Interstate Highways. These roads are usually distinguished by being important, but not ...
The selection of lane width affects the safety, maximum capacity, and cost, of a highway. Safety is best at a width of 3.0 to 3.1 metres (9.8 to 10.2 ft) in urban settings, where both narrow (less than 2.8 metres (9 ft 2 in)) and wide (over 3.1 metres (10 ft)) lanes have higher crash risks.
A controlled access highway may be two lanes known as a two-lane expressway. They are often undivided, are sometimes built when traffic volumes are low (but may be upgraded later), right-of-way is limited or due to low funding. They may be designed for easy conversion to one side of a four-lane freeway and right of way may already be acquired.
Bundesautobahn 9 near by Garching bei Muenchen, Germany. At the top of the hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed are controlled-access highways; their defining characteristic is the control of access to and from the road, meaning that the road cannot be directly accessed from properties or other roads, but only from specific connector roads.
Length (mi) [2] Length (km) Southern or western terminus Northern or eastern terminus Formed Removed Notes I-2: 46.80: 75.32 BL US 83 in Peñitas, Texas: I-69E/US 77/US 83 in Harlingen, Texas: 2013: current Unfinished in Texas; Texas only I-4: 132.30: 212.92 I-275 in Tampa, Florida: I-95/SR 400 in Daytona Beach, Florida: 1959: current