Arterial Roads - Definition and Classification

Arterial roads are the high-capacity urban roads that connect major centers of activity and provide continuous movement. They are the main routes for through traffic and provide access to land uses such as commercial, industrial, and residential areas within a city.

Classification of Arterial Roads

Arterial roads are classified based on their function, design, and capacity. The classification of arterial roads helps in the planning, design, and management of the road network. The classification of arterial roads is as follows:

1. Principal Arterials
Principal Arterials are the highest capacity roads that provide regional connectivity and serve major centers of activity. They are further classified as:
- Principal Arterial - Interstates (PAI)
- Principal Arterial - Other Freeways and Expressways (PAOE)
- Principal Arterial - Other (PAO)

2. Minor Arterials
Minor Arterials are the roads that provide connectivity between principal arterials and serve sub-regional centers. They are further classified as:
- Minor Arterial - Other Freeways and Expressways (MAOE)
- Minor Arterial - Other (MAO)

3. Collector Roads
Collector Roads are the roads that collect and distribute traffic from local streets to arterial roads. They are further classified as:
- Collector - Distributor (CD)
- Collector - Local (CL)

4. Local Roads
Local Roads are the roads that provide access to individual properties and serve the local traffic.

Conclusion

Arterial roads are the high-capacity urban roads that connect major centers of activity and provide continuous movement. They are classified based on their function, design, and capacity. The arterial roads are a classification of urban roads.