Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Highway and Freeway

Highway vs Freeway
 

Highway and Freeway are often confused but there is a lot of difference between the two. Both highway and freeway are roads. If someone wants to drive fast without much of traffic, then he would prefer to use a freeway. On the other hand, highway connects two major cities and is normally crowded. The difference between highway and freeway can be discussed with regard to the nature of traffic, speed, and the presence of intersections and tollgates. No matter what the difference between the two, it should be noted that both highways and freeways are roads constructed to make transportation easier.

What is a Highway?

Unlike in a freeway, you cannot travel with high speeds on a highway. You should necessarily limit your speed on a highway. It is interesting to note that highways, at times, pass through crowded places. When it comes to the nature of the road, you will see that a highway has many intersections in between. The intersections in a highway are the primary cause for the crowded nature of the path. The more the intersections the more would be the crowd on a highway. Apart from the intersections, journey gets impeded at several places in a highway thanks to the presence of a number of tollgates on the way. With all these intersections and tollgates the presence of traffic signals is also possible in a highway. A highway is not characterized by the presence of so many lanes as a freeway all through. It may have anywhere between 2 and 4 lanes all through.

What is a Freeway?

Freeway can be considered as a toll-free express highway. You can travel with high speeds in a freeway, as long as it is under the speed limit allowed. Moreover, freeways seldom pass through crowded places. So, if you are travelling to a long distance, choose a freeway. Also, a freeway does not have intersections in between. Therefore, a freeway is bereft of crowded nature due to the absence of intersections. Tollgates are not generally seen in a freeway; in other words, it is a toll-free highway. As there are no intersections and tollgates in a freeway, you will not see any traffic signals too. Hence, it is understood that the journey in a freeway is generally not impeded and is continuous. This may be one of the reasons of preference of freeway to highway. One of the primary reasons of the lack of crowd in freeway is that it is often characterized by the presence of up to 6 lanes all through. When the traffic is divided into 6 lanes the speed of each vehicle increases and everyone has space to reach their destinations without waiting in traffic.

What is the difference between Highway and Freeway?

• Highway connects two major cities and is normally crowded. The intersections in a highway are the primary cause for the crowded nature of the path.

• Freeways are not much crowded as highways.

• Travelling with a high speed is possible in a freeway, but in a highway, you have to limit your speed.

• Highways at times pass through crowded places whereas freeways seldom pass through crowded places.

• One of the major differences between highway and freeway is that highway will have many intersections in between. On the other hand, a freeway does not have intersections in between.

• Toll gates are present when travelling in a highway. Such is not the case with a freeway.

• Freeways have lanes up to 6 all through. Highways, on the contrary, have lanes anywhere between 2 to 4 all through. This is one of the major differences between a highway and a freeway.

• In short, a freeway can be considered as a toll-free express highway.

 

Images Courtesy:

  1. Highway 401 widens to six lanes at Highway 402 in London by Haljackey (CC BY-SA 3.0)