Backroad

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Backroad found in Yorkshire Dales. 2014 Yorkshire Dales country road Swaledale Askrigg.jpg
Backroad found in Yorkshire Dales.

A backroad is a secondary type of road usually found in rural areas.

Contents

Safety

Backroads are less safe than other roads, with much higher fatality rates. A 2015 study by TRIP (a national transportation research group) in the United States found that backroads have a traffic fatality rate of 2.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, while the average across all US roads is 0.38. Of all vehicle miles traveled in the United States, 22% are driven on backroads, but 43% of vehicle collisions in 2015 (15,132 out of 35,092) occurred on backroads. In 2015, Texas had the highest number of rural non-interstate traffic deaths at 1,259, with California in second place at 1,219 deaths. [1] Backroads tend to have narrow lanes, limited or non-existent shoulders, inconsistent pavement with gravel patches, sharp curves, steep slopes, and poor visibility. The majority of American backroads were built early in US road history, prior to modern safety standards and vehicle designs. [2]

In the United States

In North Carolina, where they are also referred to as "blue roads", backroads are one- or two-laned roads off of larger roads such as parkways, and are often constructed of gravel. [3]

In Vermont, the Natural Resources Conservation Service has established a Better Backroads program to help towns and organizations deal with road-related soil erosion problems through grants. Both paved and unpaved backroads are eligible for these grants, which seek to protect water quality from sediment accumulation caused by road and ditch erosion. [4]

Many back-roads in North Carolina were created when the state's rural transportation system began investing in urban factories to relocate to rural areas. This created a system of back-roads that allowed for factories to disperse away from busy urban areas. This was done in the late 1940s under Governor Kerr Scott and was known as the states rural farm-to-market road system. The idea for the farm-to-market road system was to connect farms out in rural areas to the markets in which they sold their produce, which would allow for easy transportation for those who transported their goods to market places. Ultimately these types of roads became state highways or nice quality roads, but the importance of their beginnings is that they began as rural back-roads for agricultural purposes. [5]

Examples

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road</span> Land route for travel by vehicles

A road is a thoroughfare for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles and pedestrians. Unlike streets, whose primary function is to serve as public spaces, the main function of roads is transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoulder (road)</span> Reserve lane by the verge of a roadway

A shoulder, hard shoulder (British) or breakdown lane is an emergency stopping lane by the verge of a road or motorway, on the right side in countries which drive on the right, and on the left side in countries which drive on the left. Many wider (U.S.) freeways, or expressways elsewhere have shoulders on both sides of each directional carriageway — in the median, as well as at the outer edges of the road, for additional safety. Shoulders are not intended for use by through traffic, although there are exceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-track road</span> One-lane road that permits two-way travel

A single-track road or one-lane road is a road that permits two-way travel but is not wide enough in most places to allow vehicles to pass one another. This kind of road is common in rural areas across the United Kingdom and elsewhere. To accommodate two-way traffic, many single-track roads, especially those officially designated as such, are provided with passing places or pullouts or turnouts, or simply wide spots in the road, which may be scarcely longer than a typical car using the road. The distance between passing places varies considerably, depending on the terrain and the volume of traffic on the road. The railway equivalent for passing places are passing loops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rumble strip</span> Road safety feature

Rumble strips are a road safety feature to alert inattentive drivers of potential danger, by causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the vehicle interior. A rumble strip is applied along the direction of travel following an edgeline or centerline, to alert drivers when they drift from their lane. Rumble strips may also be installed in a series across the direction of travel, to warn drivers of a stop or slowdown ahead, or of an approaching danger spot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirt road</span> Unpaved road made from the lands native material

A dirt road or track is a type of unpaved road not paved with asphalt, concrete, brick, or stone; made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 143</span> 20-mile-long (32 km) state highway in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Route 143 (PA 143) is a 20-mile-long (32 km) state highway in Pennsylvania. It runs from PA 662 in Richmond Township, Berks County northeast to PA 309 near New Tripoli in Lehigh County. The route passes through rural areas, intersecting Interstate 78 (I-78)/U.S. Route 22 (US 22) in Lenhartsville, PA 737 near Kempton, and PA 863 in Lynnport. What is now PA 143 north of Lenhartsville was originally designated Legislative Route 285 in 1911. PA 143 was designated to in 1928 to run from PA 43 in Lenhartsville to PA 29 near New Tripoli. The route was extended slightly east through New Tripoli by 1940 following a realignment of PA 29. PA 143 was extended south to PA 662 in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravel road</span> Type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel

A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as Canada and the United States. In New Zealand, and other Commonwealth countries, they may be known as metal roads. They may be referred to as "dirt roads" in common speech, but that term is used more for unimproved roads with no surface material added. If well constructed and maintained, a gravel road is an all-weather road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runaway truck ramp</span> Safety feature, used on steeply-graded down-hill roads

A runaway truck ramp, runaway truck lane, escape lane, emergency escape ramp, or truck arrester bed is a traffic device that enables vehicles which are having braking problems to stop safely. It is typically a long, sand- or gravel-filled lane connected to a steep downhill grade section of a main road, and is designed to accommodate large trucks or buses. It allows a moving vehicle's kinetic energy to be dissipated gradually in a controlled and relatively harmless way, helping the operator stop it safely.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota State Highway 74</span>

Minnesota State Highway 74 (MN 74) is a 34.956-mile-long (56.256 km) highway in southeast Minnesota that runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 52 and State Highway 30 in Chatfield and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 61 at Weaver along the Mississippi River. It is the only remaining road in the state highway system that is still partially unpaved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Types of road</span>

A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places that has been surfaced or otherwise improved to allow travel by foot or some form of conveyance, including a motor vehicle, cart, bicycle, or horse. Roads have been adapted to a large range of structures and types in order to achieve a common goal of transportation under a large and wide range of conditions. The specific purpose, mode of transport, material and location of a road determine the characteristics it must have in order to maximize its usefulness. Following is one classification scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana Highway 26</span>

Louisiana Highway 26 (LA 26) is a state highway located in southwestern Louisiana. It runs 75.86 miles (122.08 km) in a northwest to southeast direction from a junction with the concurrent U.S. Highways 171 and 190 southeast of DeRidder to LA 14 in Lake Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Highway 30</span> State highway in Pitt County, North Carolina, US

North Carolina Highway 30 (NC 30) is a 15-mile-long (24 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. NC 30 runs from US 13 and NC 11 near Bethel to NC 33 near Pactolus. While signed east-west, the highway physically travels along a southeast-northwest alignment. NC 30 is primarily a two-lane rural highway which serves communities northeast of Greenville entirely in Pitt County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 270</span>

State Route 270 (SR 270) is a state highway in Whitman County, Washington, United States. It connects the city of Pullman to U.S. Route 195 (US 195) at its west end and Idaho State Highway 8 near Moscow, Idaho, at its east end. The 10-mile-long (16 km) highway is one of the main roads in Pullman and connects the campuses of Washington State University and the University of Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Highway 157</span> State highway in North Carolina, US

North Carolina Highway 157 (NC 157) is a 29.3-mile-long (47.2 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway runs in a north–south direction from Interstate 85 (I-85), U.S. Route 15 (US 15), US 70, and US 501 in Durham, to US 158, US 501, and NC 57 in Roxboro. The highway serves the cities of Durham and Roxboro, along with the communities of Caldwell and Hurdle Mills. NC 157 is named Guess Road between its southern terminus and Hurdle Mills, and Hurdle Mills Road between Hurdle Mills and the Roxboro city limits. NC 157 does not directly parallel US 501, however, the two highways generally follow a similar alignment between Durham and Roxboro. NC 157 serves the counties of Durham, Orange, and Person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 6 in Indiana</span> Highway in Indiana

U.S. Route 6 (US 6) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In Indiana, it is part of the Indiana state road system that enters the state concurrent with the Borman Expressway between Lansing, Illinois, and Munster, Indiana. The 149 miles (240 km) of US 6 that lie within Indiana serve as a major conduit. Some sections of the highway is listed on the National Highway System. Various sections are rural two-lane highway and urbanized four-lane divided highways. The easternmost community along the highway is Butler at the Ohio state line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 33 in Indiana</span> Highway in Indiana

U.S. Route 33 (US 33) is part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Richmond, Virginia, to Elkhart of the US state of Indiana. In Indiana, it is a state road that enters the state at the Ohio state line between Willshire, Ohio, and Pleasant Mills, Indiana. The 106.217 miles (170.940 km) of US 33 that lie within Indiana serve as a major conduit. All of the highway is listed on the National Highway System. Various sections are rural two-lane highway, urbanized four-lane divided expressway and the Lincoln Highway. The northernmost community along the highway is Elkhart. The highway ends at an interchange in southern Elkhart after serving the northeastern region of Indiana. US 33 passes through farm fields and urban areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 136 in Indiana</span>

U.S. Route 136 (US 136) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway that runs from Edison, Nebraska to Speedway, Indiana. In Indiana, it is part of the Indiana State Road system that enters between Danville, Illinois, and Foster, Indiana. The 75.30 miles (121.2 km) of US 136 that lie within Indiana serve as a major conduit. Some sections of the highway is listed on the National Highway System. Various sections are rural two-lane highway and urbanized four-lane divided highways. The easternmost community along the highway is Speedway, near Indianapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country lane</span>

A country lane is a narrow road in the countryside.

References

  1. "TRIP". www.tripnet.org. Retrieved 2018-06-03.
  2. "TRIP". www.tripnet.org. Retrieved 2018-06-03.
  3. Sheila Turnage and Jim Hargan, Compass American Guides North Carolina', (Edition 5, Random House, 2009) ISBN   1-4000-0904-9, ISBN   978-1-4000-0904-6, p. 273, found at Google Books. Accessed February 15, 2010.
  4. Vermont NRCS. "Better Back Roads". Official website. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  5. Greene, Tyler Gray (2018-05-07). "Farm to Factory: Secondary Road Building and the Rural Industrial Geography of Post–World War II North Carolina". Journal of Southern History. 84 (2): 277–310. doi:10.1353/soh.2018.0086. ISSN   2325-6893. S2CID   135215978.