Lane 695977 224813843 2008-07-10T15:11:14Z Coolcaesar 95921 /* Types of lanes */ Copyediting {{otheruses}} {{redirect|Lanes|the urban district|The Lanes}} The word '''lane''' has several meanings, including and especially: #a narrow [[road|road or street]], usually lacking a [[Hard shoulder|shoulder]] or a [[Central reservation|median]]; this is typically applied to roads in the countryside, but can also be applied to urban [[street]]s or areas that used to be streets, such as [[Drury Lane]] in [[London]], the [[Brighton Lanes]], or the [[Cathedral Lanes]] in [[Coventry]]. #a portion of a paved [[road]] which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by [[white]] or [[yellow]] lines. [[Image:Rabbit In Country Lane.jpg|200px|thumb|A wild [[rabbit]] in an [[England|English]] country lane.]] In Northern America and Australia, the term also may refer to rear access roads which act as a secondary vehicular network in cities and towns. Large cities in the [[U.S. state]]s of [[Nevada]] and [[Texas]] tend to apply the term to many [[arterial road]]s{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Also see [[alley]]. In contrast to countries such as [[India]], most countries with a significant number of [[motor vehicle]]s have [[lane markings]] on their [[freeways]], [[highways]], and other types of paved [[road]]. A marked lane is a [[control]] device to guide drivers so that conflicts during passing are kept to a minimum. [[Lane markings]] also facilitate orderly [[queuing]] when drivers must stop and wait before proceeding. When lanes are marked, drivers are usually required to keep their vehicle within the lines unless passing or turning. In many countries, a prolonged inability to stay in one's lane is considered to be a symptom of [[driving under the influence]] and may lead to a [[Summons#Citation|citation]] or [[arrest]] for a [[moving violation]]. ==Types of lanes== [[Image:Montagueexpressway.jpg|thumb|right|Through lanes indicated by arrows on [[Montague Expressway]] in [[Silicon Valley]].]] *A '''traffic lane''' or '''travel lane''' is a lane for the movement of vehicles traveling from one destination to another, not including shoulders and auxiliary lanes. *A '''through lane''' or '''thru lane''' is a traffic lane for through traffic. At intersections, these may be indicated by arrows on the pavement pointing straight ahead. *A '''carriageway''' is a series of lanes (or part of a road) in which vehicles travel. *A '''deceleration lane''' is a paved or semi-paved lane adjacent to the primary road or street. It is used to improve traffic safety by allowing drivers to pull off the main road and decelerate safely in order to turn (e.g. right in the United States or left in Great Britain), so that the traffic behind the turning vehicle is not slowed or halted. Deceleration lanes are primarily found in [[suburban]] settings. *A '''fire lane''' is the area next to a [[Curb (road)|curb]], which is reserved for [[firefighting]] [[equipment]], [[ambulance]]s, or other emergency vehicles. [[Parking]] in these areas, often marked by [[red]] lines, usually warrants a [[parking ticket]]. *A '''loading lane''' is an area next to a curb, which is reserved for loading and unloading passengers. It may be marked by a "LOADING ONLY" sign or a yellow or white curb. *A '''[[passing lane]]''' is often provided on steep [[mountain]] [[grade (slope)|grade]]s, in order to allow smaller [[vehicle]]s to pass larger, slower ones. This is sometimes called a '''climbing lane''' if on the up[[hill]] side. Passing lanes may also be provided on long stretches of other roadway. On two-lane roads, passing in the lane of oncoming traffic is sometimes allowed given a long enough straightaway, if the broken line is on the normal side of travel. *A '''collector lane''' of a road is used for slower moving traffic and has more access to exits/off ramps. *An '''express lane''' of a road is used for faster moving traffic and has less access to exits/off ramps. In other areas, an express lane may refer to a HOV lane (see below). *A '''transfer lane''' of a road is used to move from '''express lanes''' to '''collector lanes''', or vice-versa; it is somewhat similar to an '''auxiliary lane'''. *A '''merge lane''' is a lane or [[onramp]] used to merge two flows of traffic into one, with the merge lane being the lane that disappears at the end of the merging area. Merge lane lengths depend mainly on the speed [[differential]] of the two merging flows, as the slower flow has to use the lane to accelerate. *An '''auxiliary lane''' along a [[highway]] or [[motorway]] connects [[slip road]]s, with the entrance [[Inclined plane|ramp]] or '''acceleration lane''' from one [[interchange (road)|interchange]] leading to the [[exit ramp]] or '''deceleration lane''' of the next. *The '''emergency lane''' of a road (also known as the '''breakdown lane''', '''[[hard shoulder|shoulder]]''' or '''[[hard shoulder]]''') is reserved for [[breakdown]]s, and for [[emergency vehicle]]s. The inner boundary of the lane often features [[rumble strips]] in order to physically warn drowsy or inattentive drivers that they are drifting off the roadway. This feature is seen especially often on highways and motorways, where the minimally-stimulating and monotonous nature of high-speed driving at night increases the chances for driver disorientation and serious injury or death if an accident does take place. *An '''[[HOV lane]]''' or '''carpool lane''' is reserved for [[carpool]]ing. In the US, they may be marked with a diamond icon every few hundred feet (hence the nickname "diamond lane"), or separated from other lanes by double broken white lines, a continuous pair of double yellow lines, or just a single broken white line. *A '''[[High-occupancy toll|High-Occupancy Toll]] lane''' is a combination of an HOV lane and [[Toll_road#Toll_collection_technology|toll collection technology]] that allows drivers without passengers to use the HOV lane by paying a premium price for the [[privilege]]. *A '''turn lane''' is set aside for slowing down and making a [[turn]], so as not to disrupt traffic. At a full [[Intersection (road)|intersection]] with a [[traffic light]], turn lanes are used more to hold [[traffic]] until the light changes. *A '''[[Segregated_cycle_facilities:_Official_definitions_and_legislation#On_Road:_Bicycle_facilities|designated bicycle lane]]''' is a portion of the roadway or shoulder designated for the exclusive or preferential use of [[bicyclists]]. This designation is indicated by special word and/or symbol markings on the pavement and "BIKE LANE" signs. *A '''[[bus lane]]''' is reserved for [[bus]]es providing [[public transportation]] on a fixed route, sometimes with overhead [[catenary]] for [[trolleybus]]es. In some countries, bus lanes may also be used by some other traffic, such as [[taxicab|taxi]]s, [[bicycle]]s and [[motorbike]]s. *A '''[[reversible lane]]''', which uses overhead [[light]]s, signs, poles or barriers to indicate the current direction of travel it is to be used for. Typically, it is used at [[rush hour]] to accommodate extra traffic, and at other times as a center turn lane. In between, there is approximately one [[hour]] where no traffic is allowed. While the idea is very simple, the term '''[[suicide lane]]''' became a common [[slang]] description for this design, because many people ignored their driving or the lights. Because of their history of numerous [[accident]]s and [[collision]]s, reversible lanes are rarely used now. However, there are some functional examples on the river bridges just east of downtown [[Los Angeles]] and in downtown [[Edmonton]] which use lights only and nothing else to indicate the direction of traffic for each lane. One famous example is Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis, adjacent to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, where out-of-town visitors (typically visiting the state fair) often become disoriented, creating traffic snarls. Some places, like [[Hawaii]], call these lanes [[contraflow lane reversal|'''contraflow lanes''']] and enforce them with portable barriers or plastic poles that are manually rearranged by work crews before and after rush hour. *A '''truck lane''' (United States) or '''crawler lane''' (Great Britain) is a lane provided on long and steep uphill stretches of high-speed roads to enhance the ability of vehicles which can maintain speed up the incline to pass those vehicles (usually [[Truck#Heavy_trucks_market_worldwide|heavy trucks]]) which cannot. In addition, these lanes are intended to optimize pavement performance and minimize pavement fatigue. The lane is marked only on the uphill stretch and usually a short distance afterward (for regaining speed). A '''truckway''' often allows longer box length; for instance, the [[Florida Turnpike]] allows 29.3 meter double trailer combinations, in contrast to normal Florida highways' 16.2 meter limit. Since the major cost of trucking is the fixed cost of the same trailer with its driver the cost per ton of operating with truckway size and weight allowances is 35 to 40 percent below the cost of operations on the non-truckways.<ref>{{cite book|title=Street Smart: Competition, Entrepreneurship and the Future of Roads|chapter=The Way Forward to the Private Provision of Public Roads|author=Samuel, Peter|pages=516-517}}</ref> *An '''operational lane''' or '''auxiliary lane''' is an extra lane on the entire length of highway between interchanges, giving drivers more time to merge in or out. The lane is created when an entrance ramp meets the highway, and drops out (with an "exit only" sign) to become the ramp at the next exit.<ref>[http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/gloss.html Kurumi's Field Guide to Interchanges - Glossary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *An '''overtaking lane''' is the lane furthest from the shoulder of a multi-lane carriageway (sometimes called the '''fast lane''', although this is deprecated by the authorities). *The '''slow lane''' is the lane nearest to the shoulder of a multi-lane carriageway. This usage leads to the phrase ''Life in the Slow Lane'', used as the title of various books and songs. <!-- and maybe worth a Wikipedia article --> *A '''driving lane''' is an area in a [[parking lot]] in between [[Parking space]] so that vehicles can drive into and out of the spaces. ==Lane markings== {{main|Road surface marking}} [[Image:Interstate5incentralvalley.jpg|right|thumb|350px|A typical rural American [[freeway]] ([[Interstate 5]] in the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]] of [[California]]). Notice the yellow line on the left, the dashed white line in the middle, and the solid white line on the right. There is also a "rumble strip" on the shoulder which is not easy to see here.]] Painted lane markings vary widely from country to country. In the [[United States]], [[Canada]] and [[Norway]], yellow lines separate traffic going opposite directions and white separates lanes of traffic traveling the same direction, but this is not the case in many European countries. ==Medians or central reservations== {{main|Central reservation}} Besides a painted line, lanes of traffic moving in opposing directions can also be separated by any of the following: * grass strip or ditch * a central turning lane that allows vehicles to turn into driveways or streets on the opposite side of the road without stopping traffic * a wide paved area with special paint markings indicating that it should never be crossed * metal guard rail (or guide rail) affixed to metal or wooden posts * cable barriers * concrete barriers, such as [[Jersey barrier]]s Such separations between opposing traffic are referred to as a median in [[American English]] and as a [[central reservation]] in [[British English]]. ==Numbering of freeway lanes in California== Traffic reports in California often refer to accidents being "in the number X lane." The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assigns the numbers from left to right[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/hdm/pdf/chp0060.pdf]. The '''fast lane''' is the number 1 lane. The number of the '''slow lane''' (closest to freeway onramps/offramps) depends on the total number of lanes, and could be anywhere from 2 to 6. ==History== For much of human history, roads did not need lane markings because most people walked or rode horses at relatively slow speeds. Another reason for not using lane markings is that they are expensive to maintain. However, when automobiles, trucks, and buses came into widespread use during the first two decades of the 20th century, it became common for drivers to get into [[head-on collision]]s, or to literally run each other off the road. Without the visual feedback provided by lane markings, novice drivers in the early days often erred in favor of keeping closer to the middle of the road, rather than risk going off-road into ditches or trees{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Unfortunately, this practice often left inadequate room for opposing traffic to go by. There are two people who have been credited with the invention of lane markings. In 1911, [[Edward N. Hines]], the chairman of the Road Commission of [[Wayne County, Michigan]] was trying to figure out how to make the roads safer. He supposedly came up with the idea of painting stripes to separate lanes of traffic after riding behind a milk truck that leaked milk onto the center of the road, leaving a stripe. Meanwhile in [[California]], [[June McCarroll]], a [[physician]] based in [[Indio, California|Indio]], started experimenting with painting lines on roads in [[1917]] after she was personally run off a highway by an inexperienced truck driver. In November 1924, after years of lobbying by Dr. McCarroll and her allies, California officially adopted a policy of painting lines on its highways. A portion of [[Interstate 10]] near Indio has been named the Dr. June McCarroll Memorial Freeway in her honor. By [[1939]], lane markings had become so popular that they were officially standardized throughout the United States, and they were soon copied by countries all over the world. ==See also== *[[Lane departure warning system]] *[[Road surface marking]] *[[Traffic directionality]] ==References== <references /> [[Category:Road transport]] [[bs:Saobraćajna traka]] [[ca:Carril]] [[de:Straßenquerschnitt#Fahrstreifen]] [[es:Carril]] [[eu:Errei]] [[id:Lajur lalu lintas]] [[nl:Rijstrook]] [[no:Kjørefelt]] [[sv:Körfält]]