The word lane has several meanings, including and especially:

1. a narrow road or street, usually lacking a shoulder or a median; this is typically applied to roads in the countryside, but can also be applied to urban streets or areas that used to be streets, such as Drury Lane in London, the Brighton Lanes, or the Cathedral Lanes in Coventry. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a Road or Motorway. On divided roads including Expressways Motorways or Autobahns the central reservation (British English, median (North American A street is a Public thoroughfare in the built environment It is a Public parcel of land adjoining Buildings in an urban context Drury Lane is a street in the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England.
2. a portion of a paved road which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by white or yellow lines. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. White is a Color, the perception which is evoked by Light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive Cone cells in the Human eye Yellow is the Color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M (long and medium wavelength Cone cells of the Retina about equally

In Northern America, 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. states of Nevada and Texas tend to apply the term to many arterial roads. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. An arterial road is a moderate or high-capacity Road which is immediately below a Highway Level of service. Also see alley. An alley or alleyway is a narrow pedestrian Lane found in urban areas which usually run between or behind buildings

In contrast to countries such as India, most countries with a significant number of motor vehicles have lane markings on their freeways, highways, and other types of paved road. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A motor Vehicle is a Machine which incorporates a motor (sometimes known as an Engine) and which is used for Transportation The word lane has several meanings including and especially a portion of a paved Road which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by White * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. 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. The word lane has several meanings including and especially a portion of a paved Road which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by White Queue areas are places in which people in line ( First-come first-served) wait for goods or services

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 citation or arrest for a moving violation. Driving under the influence of alcohol ( driving while intoxicated, drunk driving, drinking and driving, drink-driving) or other drugs A summons (also in Britain known as a claim form) is a legal document issued by a court (a judicial summons) or by an administrative agency of government (an An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the investigation and prevention of crime A moving violation is any Violation of the Law committed by the driver of a Vehicle while it is in motion.

Types of lanes

Through lanes indicated by arrows on Montague Expressway in Silicon Valley. County Route G4, more commonly referred to as San Tomas Expressway and Montague Expressway is a busy 14 For the valley nicknamed "Silicone Valley" see San Fernando 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. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California.

• A fire lane is the area next to a curb, which is reserved for firefighting equipment, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles. A curb or kerb (see spelling differences) is the edge where a raised pavement/sidewalk/footpath, Road median, or Road shoulder Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms A broader definition of a tool is an entity used to interface between two or more domains that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the other An ambulance is a Vehicle for transporting sick or injured people to from or between places of treatment for an Illness or Injury. Parking in these areas, often marked by red lines, usually warrants a parking ticket. Parking is the act of stopping a Vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength A parking violation, parking citation, notice of illegal parking or parking ticket (depending on the jurisdiction is a notice of monetary penalty

• 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 grades, in order to allow smaller vehicles to pass larger, slower ones. A passing lane is the lane on a multi-lane Highway or Motorway closest to the center of the road (the Central reservation) A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak The grade (or gradient or pitch or slope) of any physical feature such as a Hill, Stream, Roof, railroad, or Vehicles, derived from the Latin word vehiculum, are non-living Means of transport. This is sometimes called a climbing lane if on the uphill 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.

• 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. In the field of Road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically 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 roads, with the entrance ramp or acceleration lane from one interchange leading to the exit ramp or deceleration lane of the next. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation In the field of Road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically This article deals with the physical structure For related terms see Canal inclined plane, Cable railway, Funicular, or Fixed-wing In the field of Road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically In the field of Road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically

• The emergency lane of a road (also known as the breakdown lane, shoulder or hard shoulder) is reserved for breakdowns, and for emergency vehicles. A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a Road or Motorway. A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a Road or Motorway. An emergency vehicle is any Vehicle that is designated and authorized to Respond to an Emergency. 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. Rumble strips (also known as audio tactile profiled markings) are a Road safety feature that alert drivers to potential danger by causing a Tactile 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 carpooling. In Transportation engineering and Transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane (or HOV lane) is a lane reserved for Vehicles with Carpooling (also known as car-sharing, ride-sharing, lift-sharing) is the shared use of a car by the driver and one or more passengers usually It 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 lane is a combination of an HOV lane and toll collection technology that allows drivers without passengers to use the HOV lane by paying a premium price for the privilege. A high-occupancy toll ( HOT) is a toll enacted on Single-occupant vehicles who wish to use lanes or entire Roads that are designated for the use A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards A privilege &mdashetymologically "private law" or law relating to a specific individual&mdashis a special Entitlement or immunity granted by a government

• A turn lane is set aside for slowing down and making a turn, so as not to disrupt traffic. At a full intersection with a traffic light, turn lanes are used more to hold traffic until the light changes. In the field of Road transport, an intersection is a road junction where two or more Roads either meet or cross at grade (they are The traffic light, also known as traffic signal, stop light, traffic lamp, stop-and-go lights, robot or semaphore, Traffic on Roads may consist of Pedestrians ridden or herded Animals Vehicles Streetcars and other Conveyances either singly

• A designated bicycle lane is a portion of the roadway or shoulder designated for the exclusive or preferential use of bicyclists. See also Segregated cycle facilities Segregated cycle facilities may consist of a separate Road, track path or lane that is designated for use by Cyclists Cycling is the use of Bicycles or - less commonly - Unicycles Tricycles Quadricycles and other similar wheeled Human powered vehicles This designation is indicated by special word and/or symbol markings on the pavement and "BIKE LANE" signs.

• A bus lane is reserved for buses providing public transportation on a fixed route, sometimes with overhead catenary for trolleybuses. A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane on a road restricted to Buses and generally used to speed up public transport otherwise held up by traffic congestions In Physics and Geometry, the catenary is the theoretical Shape of a hanging flexible Chain or Cable when supported at its ends and In some countries, bus lanes may also be used by some other traffic, such as taxis, bicycles and motorbikes. A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records.

• A reversible lane, which uses overhead lights, signs, poles or barriers to indicate the current direction of travel it is to be used for. A reversible lane (called a counterflow lane or contraflow lane in Transport engineering nomenclature) is a Lane in which Traffic Light, or visible light, is Electromagnetic radiation of a Wavelength that is visible to the Human eye (about 400–700 Typically, it is used at rush hour to accommodate extra traffic, and at other times as a center turn lane. Rush hour at Shinjuku 02JPG|thumb|right|250px|Rush hour at Shinjuku Station, Yamanote Line]] A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which In between, there is approximately one hour where no traffic is allowed. The hour (symbol h) is a unit of Time. It is not an SI unit but is accepted for use with the SI 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. A reversible lane (called a counterflow lane or contraflow lane in Transport engineering nomenclature) is a Lane in which Traffic Slang is the use of highly informal Words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's Dialect or Language. Because of their history of numerous accidents and collisions, reversible lanes are rarely used now. An accident is a specific identifiable unexpected unusual and unintended external event which occurs in a particular time and place without apparent or deliberate A collision is an isolated event in which two or more bodies (colliding bodies exert relatively strong forces on each other for a relatively short time 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. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. 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 lanes and enforce them with plastic poles that are manually rearranged by work crews before and after rush hour. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Contraflow lane reversal is used to refer to plans that alter the normal flow of traffic typically on a Controlled-access Highway such as a Freeway or

• A truck lane (United State) 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 heavy trucks) which cannot. This article is about the semi-truck For the North American use of the word see Pickup truck. 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).

• An operational 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. ^[1]

• 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.

Lane markings

Main article: Road surface marking

A typical rural American freeway (Interstate 5 in the Central Valley of California). Road surface marking is any kind of device or material that is used on a road surface in order to convey official information Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional

Medians or central reservations

Main article: 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 barriers

Such separations between opposing traffic are referred to as a median in American English and as a central reservation in British English. On divided roads including Expressways Motorways or Autobahns the central reservation (British English, median (North American A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall separates lanes of traffic (often opposing lanes of traffic with a goal of minimizing vehicle crossover in the case of accidents Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology. On divided roads including Expressways Motorways or Autobahns the central reservation (British English, median (North American British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the

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[1]. 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 collisions, or to literally run each other off the road. A head-on collision is one where the front ends of two Ships, Trains, Planes or Vehicles hit each other as opposed to a Side-collision

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. 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. Edward N Hines (1870-1938 was a member of the Wayne County, Michigan, Road Commission from 1906 to 1938 Wayne County is a county in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 2061162 with an estimated population of 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, started experimenting with painting lines on roads in 1917 after she was personally run off a highway by an inexperienced truck driver. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. June Hill Robertson McCarroll ( June 30 1867 — March 30 1954) was a Nurse (later a Physician) with the Southern Pacific A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health Indio California, is a US city located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Desert region Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year 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. Interstate 10 ( I-10) is the southernmost east-west coast-to-coast Interstate highway in the United States. 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. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

See also

• Lane departure warning system
• Road surface marking
• Traffic directionality

References

1. ^ Kurumi's Field Guide to Interchanges - Glossary