Word or abbreviation: |
Meaning: |
AD / Advance
Directional Sign |
Sign giving an early
warning of destinations ahead |
| Alternate Route / ALT |
Alternative alignment of a route to serve other areas,
or to function as a bypass. |
| Alignment |
The physical setup of a route, which is to say, the
actual road itself. |
| At-grade Intersection |
Intersection where there is no separation of traffic
streams, for example, no bridges or underpasses. At-grade
intersections must be controlled with some sort of device,
either stop signs or traffic lights. |
| Bypass |
A route branching off from a route to go around "pass
by" a region, and rejoin it later. |
Carriageway |
Another name for roadway, especially
if a road is split in two directions by a median strip |
| Divided Road / Dual Carriageway |
Term indicating that groups of lanes travelling in
different directions are physically separated into two
streams, not just with painted lines. Medians, Traffic
Islands and Jersey barriers are some methods of separation. |
| Duplex / Multiplex |
Refers to multiple routes being signed over the same
alignment. |
| Exit Numbers |
Can be either the distance from the start of a freeway
or simply in sequence and is a method of tagging exits
with a unique numerical identifier, as an aid to the
motorist. |
Expressway |
A main road designed to high
standards that may or may not have signals or dual
carriageways, but does not have properties connecting
to it |
Gantry |
A structure, usually made of
steel used to display signs and similar traffic control
devices over a roadway |
| Grade-separated interchange |
Interchanges with ramps or connectors to isolate different
traffic streams so that conflicts are minimised. |
ID / Intersection
Directional Sign |
Sign used at an intersection
or similar detailing direction options |
| Jersey Barrier |
Standard concrete divider with a thick tapered base
and thinner top. This is one method of achieving a dual-carriageway
configuration. |
| Kilometre Post |
Kilometre signs appear on Australian highways and
roads informing the motorist how far it is to the next
major town or city. They normally appear every 5km,
however this varies depending on the state or region. |
| Limited Access Road |
A road that does not have automatic right-of-way granted
to owners of abutting properties. Lanes travelling in
different directions may be physically separated, and
the route may have interchanges with ramps or other
devices to isolate traffic streams. |
Main Roads Queensland
/ QMR |
The name of the government body
that maintains main roads in the state of Queensland,
Australia |
Main Roads Western Australia |
The name of the government body
that maintains main roads in the state of Western
Australia |
Median Strip / Traffic
Island |
A piece of earth or manmade fixture
designed to separate flows of traffic away from each
other |
Motorway / Freeway /
Tollway |
A road that is usually divided
and does not allow traffic to stop at signs or signals
or allows traffic to enter without using an on or
off ramp.
Tollways & Motorways in Australian
terms are roads on which a motorist pays a special
fee to use it. |
| Metropolitain Route / MR |
Used in Melbourne, MR's are numbered roads that use
a blue sheild similar to the NSW's state route sheild. |
| National Highway / NH |
Road of national significance that is federally funded. |
| National Route / NR |
Road of national significance that is not totally
federally funded, but partially funded by the state
through which it travels. |
On Ramp / Off Ramp |
A special short road used to
enter or exit a main road such as a freeway. |
RD / Reassurance
Directional Sign |
Sign used to detail
towns ahead and their distance |
| Road Geek |
A name given to a person that has a significant interest
in roads and related infrastructure |
Roads and Traffic Authority |
The name of the government body
that maintains main roads in the state of New South
Wales, Australia |
Roundel |
A red circle with a diagonal
line through the inside used to prohibit an action |
| Safety Ramp / Arrester Bed |
Used along some steep roads, these devices are a bed
along the ground veering off from a route, usually up-hill
to stop runaway vehicles. |
| State Route / SR |
A road which primary funding and maintenance are
provided by the state. State route numbers are determined
by the department of transportation in that state, as
well as the shields they will use. Some states use a
sheild, but others use alphanumeric numbers, for example:
A1. |
| Super 2 |
A limited access road that may be destined to become
duplicated into a divided road. |
Transport SA |
The name of the government body
that maintains main roads in the state of South Australia |
Trailblazer
/ Route Marker / Sheild |
A shape used to indicate
a road's classfication, usually accompanied by a number |
VicRoads |
The name of the government body
that maintains main roads in the state of Victoria,
Australia |