The word highway goes back to the elevated Roman roads that had a mound or hill formed by earth from the side ditches thrown toward the center, thus high way. The word street originates with the Latin strata (initially, “paved”) and later strata via (“a way paved with stones”). On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The bill created a 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate and Defense Highways” that would, according to Eisenhower, eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes, traffic jams and all of the other things that got in the way of “speedy, safe transcontinental travel.”

1. Juvrianto CJ, S.Pd., M.Pd.
Highway
English for Civil Engineering

2. History of Highway
The word highway goes back to the elevated Roman roads that had a mound or hill
formed by earth from the side ditches thrown toward the center, thus high way. The
word street originates with the Latin strata (initially, “paved”) and later strata via (“a
way paved with stones”).
On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway
Act of 1956. The bill created a 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate and
Defense Highways” that would, according to Eisenhower, eliminate unsafe roads,
inefficient routes, traffic jams and all of the other things that got in the way of
“speedy, safe transcontinental travel.”

3. What is the difference between Road and
Highway?
'Highway' is a traditional term for a road constructed by the government. It came
about because when the roads were first being constructed, they were built on top of
the surrounding land - higher - so were referred to the high way, as compared to the
other surface roads.
All highways are roads, but not all roads are Highways. Highways are numbered
routes, designed to carry more traffic, greater distances with more controlled access
points (driveways or side streets). Highways are typically under jurisdiction of each
state. “Roads” usually have more driveway access points per mile, don't cover as
much distance, and are under local (city or county) jurisdiction.

4. Main parts of a Highway
The basic components of the highway are the road width,
cross slope, pavement, road margins, traffic separators,
and curbs

5. Main parts of a Highway
1. The Road Width
The road width is very necessary to construct a highway. Therefore, before designing
a highway, engineers must design road widening first.

6. Main parts of a Highway
2. Cross Slope or Camber
The cross slope helps to drain off the rainwater from the road surface. Inadequate
cross slope results in the flooding of water over the pavement, which results in
deterioration of the highway.

7. Main parts of a Highway
3. Carriageway or Pavement
The paved portion of the highway or the road over which the traffic is meant to move
is called the pavement or the carriageway. The pavement width is dependent on the
width of the traffic lanes and the number of lanes planned for construction.

8. Main parts of a Highway
4. Traffic Separators
Medians are traffic separators whose main function is to prevent the collision of the
vehicles that are moving in the opposite direction on the adjacent lanes.

9. Main parts of a Highway
5. Curbs
The boundary between the pavement and the shoulder is called as curbs. Curbs are
desirable to be constructed for urban roads.

10. Main parts of a Highway
6. Road Margins
Road margin includes:
 Shoulders
 Bus Bays
 Parking lanes
 Sidewalks or footpaths

11. The main role of a Highway
Highways are extremely important to a nations development in economical way.
The high quality highway networks construction directly leads to an increase in the
nation’s economy and its output by reducing the factors such as the journey times
and costs. Such advantages can make the country more economically attractive.

12. Questions..
1. Do your place have a highway?
2. If the answer is no, what do you think about making a
highway?

13. References
1. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-road-and-a-
highway
2. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/history.cfm
3. https://theconstructor.org/transportation/what-components-
highways/35489/