Two-lane freeway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A two-lane freeway or two-lane expressway is a freeway or expressway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes rise. The term super two is often used by roadgeeks for this type of road, but traffic engineers use that term for a high-quality surface road.

A somewhat related concept is a four-lane undivided freeway. This is much rarer.

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Two-lane freeways are usually built as a temporary solution due to lack of funds, as an environmental compromise or as a way to overcome problems constrained from highway reconstruction when there are four lanes or more. If the road is widened, the existing road is typically allocated to traffic going in one direction, and the lanes for the other direction are built as a whole new roadbed adjacent to the existing one. When upgraded in this manner, the road becomes a typical freeway. Many two-lane freeways are built so that when the road is upgraded to a proper divided freeway, the existing overpasses and ramps do not need reconstruction.

  • Linking the cities of Napier and Hastings is the 2-laned Napier - Hastings Motorway.
  • Christchurch
    • In the South-Western part of the City is the Two-Laned Christchurch Southern Motorway
    • Linking Christchurch with Lyttelton is the Limited-Access Tunnel Road.
  • The Northern Access road into Dunedin is the Dunedin Northern Motorway also known as the Dunedin-Waitati Road.

  • In a few European countries (like Switzerland), many rural highways have been converted into two-lane freeways. However, most of these have been built with low overpasses wide enough to accommodate only 2 lanes, which indicates that there is no intent to widen them into freeways in the foreseeable future. In German this type of road is called an Autostrasse.

  • The former A6144(M) in Manchester had one lane in each direction, although to Motorway standards. It has now been downgraded to an A road.
  • The A601(M) road in Lancashire is a two lane freeway between its junction with the M6 and terminus at the B6254.

  • A new Super-2 bypass of Mexicali (MEX-2D) was completed in Summer 2006. It features 1 lane in each direction and is a toll road. Three interchanges exist--one at each end, and one in the middle, providing access to MEX-5 (north to Downtown Mexicali and south to San Felipe). The road has complete control of access. According to a toll collector, this Super-2 is scheduled for an upgrade to a full toll freeway (four lanes, two in each direction) by sometime in 2008. Eventually, this freeway may be constructed all the way to San Luis Rio Colorado, replacing the existing four lane undivided highway, MEX-2.
  • Apparently, a Super-2 toll road also connects Mexico City and Oaxaca (route number unknown).
  • A Super-2 bypass of Poza Rica, Veracruz, was finished in 2005. This two-lane toll highway connects MEX 131 north of Poza Rica to MEX 180 east of Papantla.

Route 2A from I-395 to Route 2, serving as a bypass to the city of Norwich. There are plans to add a second carriageway, upgrading Route 2A to a 4-lane expressway, including the construction of a parallel span across the Thames River. The Mohegan Sun Casino is located adjacent to Route 2A.

  • The Hal Rogers Parkway (formerly Daniel Boone Parkway), connecting Hazard and London, is a two-lane freeway for its entire length (approximately 65 miles). May be upgraded to four-lanes in the future as part of a possible extension to Interstate 66.

  • Interstate 95 North of Bangor, Maine was originally constructed as a two-lane freeway. In 1981 the present divided highway was completed between Bangor and Houlton at the Canadian border.

  • US 12 bypass around Long Lake, under construction, though funding constraints have reduced the length that will be considered freeway.

  • The Freehold Bypass of Route 33 is a two-lane freeway between Halls Mill Road (CR 55)and Brickyard Road. There is a full cloverleaf at Halls Mill, a westbound entrance at Howell Road, and full access from Brickyard Road.

  • An example of a two-lane parkway is Bethpage State Parkway, on Long Island, NY. This was constructed by Robert Moses as a two-lane freeway in part due to aesthetics. Like most parkways (especially those created by Moses), the road was originally meant to deliver a pleasurable motoring experience, and as such incorporates natural scenery, as well as pedestrian and bicycle trails for those who choose not to drive.

US 33 in southeast Ohio
US 33 in southeast Ohio

  • U.S. Route 220, south of the Bedford Fairgrounds interchange to the intersection with Business Route 220.

  • Route 78, which starts about 200 yards (meters) inside Connecticut bypasses the city of Westerly to the north and east, and is a key route for traffic heading between I-95 and the Rhode Island beaches.

  • A section of State Highway 19 east of Huntsville is a two-lane freeway.
  • Most of Loop 322 in Abilene was once a two-lane freeway, but construction is underway that will expand the entire loop to a standard four-lane freeway.

  • US 7 just north of Bennington, Vermont to just north of Manchester, Vermont is a full expressway that turns into a two-lane freeway just after Exit 2 (VT 7A). There are two more exits on this section of Route 7. Exit 3 serves VT 7A in the Arlington area, and Exit 4 serves VT Routes 30 and 11 for Manchester.
  • Route 289, which was once planned as Interstate 289, around Burlington. There are plans to extend the Super-2 both north and south, and current mile markers are based upon the entire length as originally planned.

  • The Danville Bypass, (U.S. Highway 29) was originally constructed as a two-lane freeway.
  • The Warrenton Bypass portion of U.S. Highway 29 was originally constructed as a two-lane freeway. It has since been upgraded to a divided highway.
  • The Staunton Loop Road (Virginia Highway 262) is a two-lane freeway for most of its length. Grading already exists for this highway to be upgraded to a fully divided highway in the future.
  • U.S. Highway 501 in Lynchburg.
  • U.S. Highway 17 Where it bypasses Fredericksburg.

  • From the interchange with SR 3 to the northern city limits of Shelton (half freeway with 2 way traffic on northbound side and no plans for the southbound half being constructed).
  • Pieces near Port Angeles, Washington.

  • U.S. Highway 14, south of the interchange with County MM at Oregon, to Wisconsin 138. This section is slated to be expanded to four-lanes in the near future.
  • Wisconsin 26 bypass of Fort Atkinson
  • The U.S. Highway 151 bypasses of Beaver Dam and Waupun were originally built as Super-2s during the 1970s to accommodate future expansion; these have since been upgraded as part of the highway's ongoing conversion to a four-lane facility through the entire state.
  • Portions of Interstate 39 / U.S. Highway 51, first near Westfield and later near Tomahawk, were built as a two-lane freeways; these were expanded in the late 1980s and 1990s respectively.

  • Autostrasse - the German equivalent of a two-lane freeway
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