highway v. expressway v. freeway v. parkway v. turnpike

A highway is a main public road.

An expressway is a limited-access divided highway designed for high-speed traffic, with few at-grade intersections and traffic lights.

Freeways are engineered for higher speeds than expressways. Freeways usually lack intersections, traffic lights, and stop signs. Access is only provided at grade-separated interchanges. In some regions, the terms freeway and expressway are used interchangeably. The free in freeway implies freedom from traffic, but may also be used to mean ‘at no cost’, in which case a freeway is a toll-free highway.

A parkway is a scenic divided highway with a landscaped median and roadsides. Commercial vehicles are prohibited from driving on some parkways.

A turnpike is a highway on which tolls are collected.

The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange in Los Angeles, California.