A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, partial controlled-access highway, and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway (also known as a freeway or motorway), including limited or no access to adjacent property; some degree of separation of opposing traffic flow (often being dual carriageways); use of grade separated interchanges to some extent; prohibition of slow modes of transport, such as bicycles, horse-drawn vehicles or ridden horses, or self-propelled agricultural machines; and very few or no intersecting cross-streets or level crossings. The degree of isolation from local traffic allowed varies between countries and regions. The precise definition of these terms varies by jurisdiction.Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Section 1A.13 Definitions of Words and Phrases in This Manual: "Expressway—a divided highway with partial control of access." and "Freeway—a divided highway with full control of access."
History The first implementations of limited-access roadways in the United States were the Bronx River Parkway and Long Island Motor Parkway in New York, in 1907. The New York State Parkway System was constructed as a network of high-speed roads in and around New York City. The first limited access highway built is thought to be the privately built Long Island Motor Parkway in Long Island, New York. The Southern State Parkway opened in 1927, while the Long Island Motor Parkway was closed in 1937 and replaced by the Northern State Parkway (opened in 1931) and the contiguous Grand Central Parkway (opened in 1936).
Regional implementations In the United States, the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) uses "full control of access" only for freeways. Expressways are defined as having "partial control of access" (or semi-controlled access). This means that major roads typically use interchanges and commercial development is accessed via cross roads or frontage roads, while minor roads can cross at grade and farms can have direct access, some may be two lanes. It also states that freeways and expressways have to be divided highways. This definition is also used by some states, some of which also restrict freeways only to motor vehicles capable of maintaining a certain speed. (enclosed within frames in http://www.peoriatomacomb.com). "Expressways are constructed as partial access controlled facilities. This means direct access is allowed for single family residence and field entrances and public roads may be at-grade intersections. Also, interchanges are constructed or planned at most marked routes or high-volume county highways. Commercial properties are not allowed direct access and are brought in off of public or frontage roads."; "Farm machinery is not allowed to be driven on a freeway. Farm machinery would need to be driven on side roads or frontage roads to access fields. With an expressway, farm machinery is allowed to be driven on the highway and field access is generally allowed along the main highway." Some other states use "controlled access" to mean a higher standard than "limited access", while othersFlorida Department of Transportation, : "Limited access highways (freeways) are multilane divided highways having a minimum of two lanes for exclusive use of traffic in each direction and full control of ingress and egress; this includes freeways and all fully controlled access roadways."; "Controlled access highways are non-limited access arterial facilities where access connections, median openings and traffic signals are highly regulated." reverse the two terms.
Oceania Australia
While Australia's larger capital cities feature controlled-access highway networks, the smaller metropolitan areas mostly rely on limited-access highways for high-speed local traffic.
In South Australia the terms "expressway" and "freeway" can be synonymous. The Southern and Northern Expressways are both controlled-access highways. However, perhaps confusingly, the Port River Expressway is a limited-access highway.
Dual carriageways that connect capital cities and regional centres, such as the M31 Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne, are almost all limited-access highways. In spite of this, 'freeway' terminology is used on signage for most regional limited access highways in the state of Victoria.
New Zealand: Expressway, Motorway
The terms Motorway and Expressway in New Zealand both encompass multi-lane divided freeways as well as narrower 2 to 4-lane undivided expressways with varying degrees of grade separation; the difference being that in New Zealand a Motorway has certain additional legal traffic restrictions.Manual of Traffic Signs and Markings (MOTSAM) Part 3: Motorways and Expressways, NZ Transport Agency, June 2009
Asia China
The China National Highways (CNH/Guodao) (simplified Chinese: 中华人民共和国国道; traditional Chinese: 中華人民共和國國道; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guódào) is a network of trunk roads across mainland China.
As of 2024, the network encompasses over 1.9 million kilometers of highways, making it one of the most extensive in the world. Key milestones include the completion of major expressways by 2008 and ongoing expansions to enhance connectivity, especially in western and less developed areas.
Apart from the expressways of China that were planned and constructed later, most of the CNH are not controlled-access highways.
Pakistan
The Expressways of Pakistan are a network of multiple-lane, high-speed highways in Pakistan, which are owned, maintained and operated federally by Pakistan's National Highway Authority. They are one class lower than the country's motorways and are usually upgraded versions of the national highways. The total length of Pakistan's expressways is as of November, 2016. Around of expressways are currently under construction in different parts of country. Most of these expressways will be complete between 2017 and 2020.
India
The national highways in India are a network of limited access roads owned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. National highways have flyover access or some grade-separation. However, they should be distinguished from expressways in that they are not completely grade-separated.
Expressways in India make up more than of the Indian National Highway System on which they are the highest class of road. The National Highways Development Project is underway to add an additional of expressways to the network by the year 2023.
Iran
Expressways in Iran are one class lower than freeways and are used in large urban areas such as Isfahan, Mashhad, or Tehran and between other important cities (Usually two province capitals) in rural and desert areas. The speed limit in Urban areas is between and in rural and desert areas between .
Japan
The term expressway as used in English in Japan refers to both freeway-style highways and narrower, more winding, often undivided Regional High-Standard Highways . Both types of expressways have a combined length of as of April 2012.
Malaysia Limited-access roads in Malaysia usually, but not always, take the name ( – this is also the name for expressways). Highways normally have a lower speed limit than expressways (but still higher than the rest of the local road network), and permit at-grade intersections and junctions to residential roads and shopfronts, although grade separation is still typical. Highways are normally toll-free and are owned and operated by the federal government. Notable examples of limited-access roads are the Federal Highway, Skudai Highway, Gelugor Highway, Kuantan Bypass and Kuching Bypass.
Philippines
Limited-access roads in the Philippines are called expressways, which can refer to both highways built to freeway standard and are often tolled, as well as lower-standard highways with partial grade separation. The former are designated controlled-access highways (HSH-1), while the latter are designated regional high-standard highways (HSH-2). The Philippine expressway network as of 2025 is entirely formed of tolled controlled-access highways, with no HSH-2 expressways being implemented yet.
Singapore
Limited-access roads in Singapore are formally known as (in contrast to controlled-access highways which are known as expressways). While still functioning as high-speed roads, semi-expressways may still have at-grade intersections with traffic lights, and speed limits are not uniform. Grade separation is, however, still typical at major junctions. Five roads have been designated as semi-expressways: Bukit Timah Road, Jurong Island Highway, Nicoll Highway, Outer Ring Road System and West Coast Highway.
South Korea Motorways in South Korea (자동차 전용 도로, jadongcha jeonyong doro, literally 'motor vehicle-only road') include various grades of highways other than expressways. Contrary to the expressway in South Korea, the status of motorway is a measure of traffic control rather than a class of road. For example, Jayu-ro is a segment of national route 77 as well as a motorway. As of June 2011, 1,610 km of highways in total were designated as motorways. (1,052 km national highways, 351 km metropolitan highways, 185 km regional highways and 20 km municipal highways)
Like on expressways, motorcycles are not permitted.
Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Expressways in Taiwan may be controlled-access highways similar to National Freeways or limited-access roads. Most have Provincial (as opposed to National) Highway status, although some are built and maintained by cities. All provincial expressways run east–west except for Provincial Highway No. 61, which runs north–south along the west coast. Some provincial expressway routes are still under construction.
Europe Austria: Schnellstraße
In Austria the speed limit on a Schnellstraße is . Schnellstraßen are very similar to Austrian Autobahnen (freeways/motorways); the chief difference is that they are more cheaply built with smaller curve radius, often undivided and have fewer bridges and tunnels.Austrian State Route Law
Belgium: Autoweg
In Belgium an autoweg is a public road, the beginning of which is indicated by the first signboard (F9) and the end by the second sign (F11).
An important difference with an autosnelweg is that crossroads as well as traffic lights can be on an autoweg.
In Belgium there is no specific speed regulation for an autoweg.
Only motor vehicles and their trailers (with the exception of mopeds), agricultural vehicles and the towing of fairground vehicles, as well as four-wheelers (without passenger compartment), are allowed to drive on an autoweg.
An autoweg can consist of two or more lanes. The driving directions can be separated by a roadmarking, or by a central reservation. If a public road (autosnelweg, autoweg, weg) consists of two or more lanes that are clearly separated from each other by a roadside or a space that is not accessible to vehicles, the drivers may not drive on the lane opposite to them.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Brza cesta/Brzi put
Croatia: Brza cesta