Show us some maps of your country's motorway network (controlled access roads with at least two lanes in each direction with a separator plus emergency lanes).

Here's Portugal:

Red-Yellow-Red lines (tolls) and Blue-Yellow-Blue lines (no tolls)

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_small.jpg

Northern Lisbon area

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_Faixas_NET_Distritos_A4_LSB.jpg

Souther Lisbon area

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_Faixas_NET_Distritos_A4_STB.jpg

Oporto province

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_Faixas_NET_Distritos_A4_PRT.jpg

Aveiro province

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_Faixas_NET_Distritos_A4_AVR.jpg

Leiria province

http://www2.iestradas.pt/images/PRN2000_Faixas_NET_Distritos_A4_LRA.jpg

I must say that not all the motoways shown on the first map are built, but the majority of them are, and the others are either in constructions, or in an advance planning stage.
I would say that all the motorways shown on the map will be built by 2007. :D

The Netherlands has quite a lot for such a small country!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/nl/3/3b/SnelwegenNederland.png

I must say that not all the motoways shown on the first map are built, but the majority of them are, and the others are either in constructions, or in an advance planning stage.
I would say that all the motorways shown on the map will be built by 2007. :D

Yeah...but the vast majority have already been built. Only a few in the interior are still under construction. :)

We don't really build freeways outside of our cities. The Hume Freeway, which connects Melbourne and Sydney is almost completed to a 4 lane dual carriageway. There's less than 150Km of a 600Km road left to upgrade. The Pacific Highway, between Sydney and Brisbane, only has about 300Km of 1000Km left to upgrade. The Federal and Barton Highways, which connect Canberra to the Hume Highway are the only completed dual carriageways. But they're only about 100Km long each.

They Hume and Pacific Highways are Australia's two busiest interstate highways. In a decade or so, the Dukes Highway, and Princes Highway between Melbourne and Adelaide might be upgraded to a dual carriageway.

Australia doesn't really need many dual carriageways outside of our major cities. We're the 6th largest country on Earth, but we only have 20 million people. There's no point.

just the eastern half
blue = free-limited access
green = toll-limited access
red = other highways
http://200mphmedia.net/REAL/Mapping/US-interstate-2.jpg

Toggie, i just have a doubt: are all those blue interstates dual carrigeways motorways? I guess so, but just to be sure.

yes, interstates have a minimum of two lanes in each direction and no at-grade crossings with other roads. most of the red roads have just one lane in each direction.

Yes, all the blue lines are freeways (motorways, whatever you care to call them :))with dual carriageways and full access control. However, some of them are not technically Interstate Highways, but they function the same way. The green lines are toll highways that are access controlled like interstates. The Western half of the map would be a bit more spartan :)

I didn't post it because I wanted to be kind to people with slow connections but here is the link to the western US if anyone is curious.
http://200mphmedia.net/REAL/Mapping/US-interstate-1.jpg

The Eisenhower Interstate system really has no equal anywhere else in the world when it comes to its sheer capacity for traffic and expansiveness. You can drive from New York City to Los Angeles or from Seattle to Miami without going through a single traffic light. It also carries 25% of all American vehicular traffic at any given time and was built over a course of 35 years, from the late 1950's to the late 1980's. It's still under expansion today. The sheer amount of cars and trucks that use it, most of it toll-free is just staggering, yet the vast majority of it is traffic-jam free. Using the interstates, I can drive from my hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, which is near Decatur in northern Alabama to Chicago in about 8 hours. That's about 600 miles (1000 km) driving straight north on I-65. The only major cities I go through are Nashville, Louisville (the halfway point), and Indianapolis, each with populations between 1.3 and 1.8 million.

Interstates get more lanes as they get closer to bigger cities and metros. Usually anywhere from 6 to 14 lanes total, sometimes more. The speed limits are usually 65 or 70 mph (100-110 km/h) in rural areas, up to 75 mph in the rural western states. Of course, most people exceed these speed limits since traffic-law enforcement cameras are basically non-existent throughout most of the US. You do have to be careful about radar set up by police cars or state troopers every once in a while though. Some states are more anal about speed enforcement than others.

In France in 2004 :
http://img126.exs.cx/img126/2064/carteautoroute20041rx.gif
Grey lines with lighted grey central lines are national freeways (like in Bretagne with speed limited to 110kph), grey lines with white central line are free motorways (like in Massif Central, speed limited to 130kph).

Germany's Autobahn-System

(the red-yellow ones are U/C)

http://www.yourtours.org/bild_autobahn/karte_autob_d.jpg

There are further motorways planned.

In general there are no speed limits on the german Autobahn, unless it is signposted. But sometimes (especially after terrible accidents) there is a discussion about introducing a general speed limit of 130 KM/H. From january 2005 Trucks have to pay toll fares for the use of the motorways. Cars can drive toll-free.

Here is Campinas Region - São Paulo State - Brasil.
BR are Federal Highways and SP are State Highways.

2 lines red: 4 or 6 lanes - Max. speed: 80 to 110 km/h
1 line red (bold): 2 lanes - Federal or State higways - Max. speed: 80 km/h
1 line red (thin): 2 lanes - Municipal Highways - Max. speed: 80 km/h

http://img119.exs.cx/img119/8931/35-Mapaararas.jpg

Belgium:

http://www.autosnelwegen.net/kaart-be.gif

Spain´s system of motorways:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/cellete/Mapadecarreterasdefomento.bmp

What is the total length of dual carriageway freeways with limited access in U.S and in Canada?

I have always thougt that U.S was the country with most freeways per citizen in the world, but after looking at the U.S freewaymap I doubt it.

xx

This is a map showing the NHDP. This network connects the four major metros of the country(The red one). The blue line indicates the east west link. The green line shows the north south link.
http://www.nhai.org/august/nhdpf-eng.jpg

This map shows the connection of major ports to the main network shown above.
http://www.nhai.org/august/port.jpg

JUST the major interstate Highway System:

http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/31/32716/figures/DIVI626.jpg

It doesnt even begin to show the extensiveness of freeway/highway in America

http://www.home.fh-karlsruhe.de/~scpa0023/Autobahnkarte.pdf

It´s a big pdf. file (4.4Mb) which shows the map in full detail.


Here is a smaller preview :)

http://www.arcor.de/palb/alben/91/834191/1024_3435616630643939.jpg

Wow thats very impressive.

^ Great map!

CHILE motorways sistem! north-south !

http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/A.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/B.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/C.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/D.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/E.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/F.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/G.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/H.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/I.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/J.jpg
http://www.turistel.cl/mapas_ruteros/K.jpg

the green zones are national parks!! :)

Germany's Autobahn-System

In general there are no speed limits on the german Autobahn, unless it is signposted. But sometimes (especially after terrible accidents) there is a discussion about introducing a general speed limit of 130 KM/H. From january 2005 Trucks have to pay toll fares for the use of the motorways. Cars can drive toll-free.

@DiggerD21: It seems to be a world-wide myth that you can go as fast as you want on the Autobahn system in Germany, but on various TV shows I've seen, they've shown it is almost impossible to go very fast. There are generally only two lanes in each direction on the Autobahn, and because there is so much traffic it is very difficult to go fast.

From what I understand, the only country in Europe where you are allowed by law to go as fast as you want and are actually have space on the highway to go extremely fast is in certain parts of Italy.

@DiggerD21: It seems to be a world-wide myth that you can go as fast as you want on the Autobahn system in Germany, but on various TV shows I've seen, they've shown it is almost impossible to go very fast. There are generally only two lanes in each direction on the Autobahn, and because there is so much traffic it is very difficult to go fast.

From what I understand, the only country in Europe where you are allowed by law to go as fast as you want and are actually have space on the highway to go extremely fast is in certain parts of Italy.

While its true that you can't drive very fast in urban areas do to the traffic, there are no speed limits in rural areas and traffic is often light. And you don't need 8 lane freeways to drive fast.

@DiggerD21: It seems to be a world-wide myth that you can go as fast as you want on the Autobahn system in Germany, but on various TV shows I've seen, they've shown it is almost impossible to go very fast. There are generally only two lanes in each direction on the Autobahn, and because there is so much traffic it is very difficult to go fast.


Were have you seen this. It`s true that most Autobahns are overcrowded, but there is still enough space for fast drivers. I think there are less than 50% with 2 lanes in each direction, most of the network today has 3 or more lanes, especially in urban areas. There are speed limits in some areas, but nobody really cares. I used to drive about 180-200 kmh when i`m in a hurry and never get problems... In Italy you might have more space, but i think the generall speed limit is 130 kmh and there`s much more police on the streets.

This is the actual dutch highway-network (2005):
http://www.autosnelwegen.nl/asw/netw/w2005.png

If you want to see the network grow from 1933 to now, you can look at my site. This subject is also available in German and English. Go to www.autosnelwegen.nl, and click on the German or English flag in the navigationbar.

I`s it true that some parts of the dutch "snelwegen" network is made of cheese, or like the dutch use to say chääääse... :runaway:

Were have you seen this. It`s true that most Autobahns are overcrowded, but there is still enough space for fast drivers. I think there are less than 50% with 2 lanes in each direction, most of the network today has 3 or more lanes, especially in urban areas. There are speed limits in some areas, but nobody really cares. I used to drive about 180-200 kmh when i`m in a hurry and never get problems... In Italy you might have more space, but i think the generall speed limit is 130 kmh and there`s much more police on the streets.

I heard the police don't enforce the speed limit outside of urban areas in Italy.

My Island;
Blue are 3 or more lanes each direction. Green Yellow Green are 2 lanes each direction controlled access. Some are not shown ie M6 toll road around birmingham.

http://www.multimap.com/map/gif.cgi?&client=print&file=b6X1200Y3200S2000W600H500.gif&units=&lang=&cookie=2005030513957312765
http://www.multimap.com/map/gif.cgi?&client=print&file=b6X1200Y2400S2000W600H500.gif&units=&lang=&cookie=2005030513896412721
http://www.multimap.com/map/gif.cgi?&client=print&file=b6X2000Y1600S2000W600H500.gif&units=&lang=&cookie=2005030513938313084
http://www.multimap.com/map/gif.cgi?&client=print&file=b6X2000Y800S2000W600H500.gif&units=&lang=&cookie=2005030513896412650

The Manchester-Liverpool region

http://www.multimap.com/map/gif.cgi?&client=print&file=b6X1400Y1600S500W600H500.gif&units=&lang=&cookie=2005030513899012819

Here's a map of the Danish motorway network. The blue parts have 110 km/h limit and the yellow ones 130 km/h. The black parts are smaller roads (not motorways):

http://www.trafikken.dk/imageblob/image.asp?type=image&id=78732

Denmark currently has 973 km motorways. There are some 70 km under construction, and more planned.

More about Danish highways and infrastructure in general, can be found in my Danish Infrastructure (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=186107) thread. :)

Besides the United States there are interstate highways in Puerto Rico.

http://www.imgcity.net/server/primary/USA_Map2_on_Flag.jpg
Major US highways (not including loops around cities, spurs into or around cities)

Just made a map of it, showing the Swedish motorway network. Well, it became so huge, I decided to link to it instead of showing it here:

Link to the map (http://img209.echo.cx/my.php?image=swemotorvag3qk.jpg)

Spanish Highways in 2004 (more or less 9,000 km):
Red: Spanish National Highways (7,000 km)
Black: Spanish National Toll Highways (2,000 km)
Green: Spanish Autonomic Toll Highways
Blue: Spanish Autonomic Highways
Grey: Other Spanish National Roads (16,000 km)
Total Spanish National Roads: 25,000 km

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/DaDvD/Espaa2004-2.jpg

Spanish Highways by 2020 (15,000 km)
Red: National Highways
Green: Autonomic Highways
Grey: national secondary Roads
- All Spanish provincial capitals will have at least one highway conexion.
- 94% of the population will be at less than 30 minutes from a highway.
- 60% of Spanish National Roads will be Highways

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/DaDvD/Espaa2020-2.jpg

i'll just post one of my state:


http://www.wiw.uscourts.gov/images/wisc_road_map.gif

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/refreshmap.adp?z=4&rand=495

Not very clear...there are other to each departament, but they're too large
http://www.invias.gov.co/info/mapas/xRed_Departamentos_1.jpg

Pakistan

http://www.nha.gov.pk/Info/HWMWMap.jpg

My Island;
Blue are 3 or more lanes each direction. Green Yellow Green are 2 lanes each direction controlled access.

Not true - blue simply denotes motorways, some sections of which are 2 lanes in each direction (e.g. the A1(M) near Doncaster) and green-yellow-green denotes dual-carriageway A roads, which do not have "controlled access".

Mexico's Motorways
Most highways that pass through the rural areas are two lanes on each side. However once they reach urban areas they range from being 3lanes+. Theres 1 in mexico City that has two levels! The First map is of the entire country. The second is of my homestate Nuevo Leon.

http://www.virtualmex.com/mainhigh.gif
http://www.virtualmex.com/nuevoleon_sct.jpg
Heres a 12 lane one in Monterrey.
http://img152.exs.cx/img152/5055/imss1eb.jpg

What is the total length of dual carriageway freeways with limited access in U.S and in Canada?

I have always thougt that U.S was the country with most freeways per citizen in the world, but after looking at the U.S freewaymap I doubt it.

Dunno if we still have more per capita than anywhere else, but do keep in mind that the map you see is national, and numerous freeways/expressways in major metropolitan areas are not shown due to the map scale. Also, many of the US highways (the ones you see in red) are being upgraded to either limited-access, new interstates, or just being 4-laned from their original two.

Poland :D

http://www.gddkia.gov.pl/html/img/mapy/siec.drog.2005.jpg

Lithuania

http://www.tavoauto.lt/maps/makel.gif

@ pablonis

What does "Magistraliniai kaliai" mean?

Click to enlarge
http://www.kgm.gov.tr/asps/bolunmus/bol_files/image004.gif (http://www.kgm.gov.tr/asps/bolunmus/bol_files/buyuk3.gif)

Red roads- Motorway
Green roads- u/c motorways
Blue roads- 2x3 & 2x2 lane highways
Light blue roads- 2 & 3 lane highways

Polish highways and expressways by 2013

http://www.startbilder.de/einzelbild.php?id=322081&quality=100&identifier=411d37b536

http://www.startbilder.de/einzelbild.php?id=322083&quality=100&identifier=30ee327fef

@DiggerD21: It seems to be a world-wide myth that you can go as fast as you want on the Autobahn system in Germany, but on various TV shows I've seen, they've shown it is almost impossible to go very fast. There are generally only two lanes in each direction on the Autobahn, and because there is so much traffic it is very difficult to go fast.

From what I understand, the only country in Europe where you are allowed by law to go as fast as you want and are actually have space on the highway to go extremely fast is in certain parts of Italy.

Actually, it's a "counter-myth" as well that you can't drive as fast as like on the autobahns in Germany.

Basically, there are speed limits on the "urban" autobahns - the ones right in the city urban area's, but on the autobahns outside of the direct urban area's either in the city's metro area or between cities, there are no speed limits - unless there are roadworks, or heavy congestion.

It is certainly possible to drive as fast as you like in these stretches, and for most of your travel, you really do have this freedom. When I drive between cities, I rarely drop below 180km/h and have often pushed the car to it's limits (of cause, this depends on weather, I would drive a lot slower during wet or rainy days)

It is true that on sections while driving you may hit a Stau (traffic jam) and must slow down to crawling speed, and there are always sections under road works where you must slow down, but for the majority, the speed is only limited by your car. I have often crossed above 200km/hr and are always passed by faster cars.

Croatia (56 000km2)

http://www.marina-tribunj.com/slike/hrvatska_autoceste.jpg

Green and red are allready built and blue ones are u/c

Well, that's really very few. :-s

Toggie, i just have a doubt: are all those blue interstates dual carrigeways motorways? I guess so, but just to be sure.

yes all of the blue lines are divided unidirectional limited access highways with no at-grade crossings. and typically on those maps the blue ones are toll-free.

Well according to Gov of Canada and wikipedia, Canada has 16,000km of freeway/expressway/motorway........highspeed, divided, limited access.
That is deceptive as that is 2 lane equivalencies. In other words, a reg freeway of 4 lanes going 10km equals 10km but if that freeway had 8 lanes it would count as 20km.
because much of Canada urban freeways can be up to 18lanes wide and all in the cities are atleast 6, Canada has its about 6,000km in terms of what is usually counted.
Quite a bit for a country of 32million.

Well, that's really very few. :-s

croatia has 4mil population and these highways are more than enough for so small country. There is really no need for any new ones.

French Motorways Network in 2005:
http://www.2x2voies.com/Images/cartes/Reseau2005.jpg
Note: ther is a 7 km Motorway in Martinique between Fort de France and the Airport.

French Motorways Network in 2015:
http://www.2x2voies.com/Images/cartes/Projets2004.jpg

Italy's actual motorways system:

http://www.edidomus.it/auto/servizi/infotrafic/immagini/cartina_italia.gif

@Pampero: do you like Rum??

@Pampero: do you like Rum??

I'm half italian and half venezuelan :) My mother is from Caracas!

Pakistan Motorway

The total length of roads in Pakistan is approximately 188,000 kilometres. This includes 7,112 kilometres of federalised roads, including nine National Highways and one Motorway (M-2). An investment of about Rs.100 billion is earmarked for improvement of existing roads and construction of new highways and motorways during the 9th five year plan.

The work on the 1,265 km. Indus Highway Project is in progress with OECF assistance. Works were taken in hand over staggered reaches of total 757 km. of length out of which 707 km. road length is complete and balance length of 50 km. is near completion under phase-I and II of the project. Remaining length of 428 km. will be taken up under phase-III. It is expected to be completed by the year 2001. The Indus Highway, an alternate North-South route on the west bank of river Indus, links Karachi and Peshawar through some less developed areas of the country and reduces the distance between Karachi and Peshawar by 300 km.

The work on the dualisation of 1,762 km. National Highway (N.5) – an historical highway from Karachi to the Torkham border through Lahore - is in progress. A section of around 600 km. has already been dualised and work is in progress on another 900 km. The contracts for the remaining sections of the road are being processed to enable the complete dualisation of N-5 by the year 2001.

The construction of the Pakistan Motorway connecting the northern and southern parts of the country with a link at Gawadar has been initiated. The first 333 km. phase of the project, the Lahore, Islamabad Motorway - M-2, has been constructed with the assistance of a South Korean firm at a cost of US $ one billion. Along this motorway, industrial estates of 800 to 1,000 hectares at or near the interchanges are planned. The work the on Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway (M-1) has been initiated. The work has been awarded to a Turkish firm, Bayindir, which is providing 50% of the loan in the form of a supplier’s credit. Two additional motorway projects, Pindi Bhattian–Faisalabad (M-3) and Karachi–Hyderabad (M-9), have been awarded on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis.

The main Karakaram-Highway (N-35), which is the historic silk route, is being improved, with 713 km. of the road being rehabilitated under Phase-I by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to enhance road safety. Under Phase-II, the road will be upgraded to International Standards to eventually allow faster flows of traffic from the sea ports of Karachi and Gawadar to the Central Asian States when the motorway network linking these areas is completed.

M2: Islamabad/Lahore
http://www.cybercity-online.net/Travel%5FMaps%5Fof%5FPakistan/images/m2.jpg
http://www.cybercity-online.net/yp/assets/images/motorway-view.gif
http://photos3.worldisround.com/photos/3/319/276.jpg

M3 and M4: Lahore/Faisalabad/Multan
http://www.cybercity-online.net/yp/assets/images/autogen/a_map-faisalabad-multan-motorway.gif

M1: Islamabad/Peshawar
http://www.cybercity-online.net/yp/assets/images/autogen/a_map-islamabad-peshawer-motorway.gif

Motorway System
http://www.cybercity-online.net/Travel%5FMaps%5Fof%5FPakistan/images/map-national-motorways.jpg

I'm half italian and half venezuelan :) My mother is from Caracas!

:) :okay:

Concerning Poland: there is still a motorway not classified as motorway from Elblag to the Russian Border. This motorway was built in the thirties as these areas were a part of Germany. Is it not planned to rebuild this section as motorway again?

http://www.adm.co.ma/images/carte.jpg

orange: already completed
green: under construction
blue: planned, but has to be completed in 2010


Some pictures of Moroccan motorways

http://www.adm.co.ma/ADM/IMG_0007.jpg
Motorway linking the capital Rabat (1.7 million inhabitants) with the economic metropole Casablanca (3.5 million inhabitants). This section will soon be extended to 2x3.

http://www.adm.co.ma/ADM/2%20SAY%20-Asilah.jpg
The newly constructed motorway near Larache, linking Rabat with the northern important harbour of Tangiers.

http://www.adm.co.ma/generalite/Copie%20de%20IMG_0358.jpg
http://www.adm.co.ma/generalite/image1.jpg
Two pictures of the motorway between Rabat and Fès.

http://www.adm.co.ma/services/IMG_0103%20fav.jpg
To use the moroccan motorways you have to pay toll.

http://www.adm.co.ma/services/Restau.jpg
SO these motorways are also equipped with relax-facilities.

El Salvador highway system.
website (PDF format)
http://www.cityofnanaimo.com/CAmerica/ElSalvador/ElSalvadorRd.pdf

Some pictures of Moroccan motorways

Hi, Ali B
You should come on SARA forum and post your pictures in.
http://forum.sara.free.fr