Geography · Ch 7 — Transport and Communication
Highways
Highways
Highways are metalled roads that connect distant places. They are built to allow unobstructed movement of vehicles. A typical highway is about 80 metres wide and includes separate traffic lanes, bridges, flyovers, and dual carriageways — all designed to keep traffic flowing without interruption.
In developed countries, every city and port town is linked by highways. North America has a very high highway density — about 0.65 km per sq km — meaning almost every place is within 20 km of a highway. Cities on the Pacific coast (west) are well connected with those on the Atlantic coast (east), and cities in Canada (north) are linked with those in Mexico (south).
Some major highways of the world include:
- Trans-Canadian Highway — links Vancouver (British Columbia, west coast) to St. John’s City (Newfoundland, east coast).
- Alaskan Highway — connects Edmonton (Canada) to Anchorage (Alaska).
- Pan-American Highway — a large portion is already built; it will connect the countries of South America, Central America, the USA, and Canada.
- Trans-Continental Stuart Highway — connects Darwin (north coast) to Melbourne via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in Australia.
Europe has a large number of vehicles and a well-developed highway network, but highways there face strong competition from railways and waterways.
In Russia, a dense highway network exists in the industrialised region west of the Urals, with Moscow as the hub. The important Moscow-Vladivostok Highway serves the region to the east. However, because of Russia’s vast geographical area, highways are not as important as railways. …
The photograph in Figure 7.3 shows a stretch of the Dharmavaram–Tuni National Highway in India. It is a black-and-white image of a multi-lane dual carriageway — meaning the road has two separate carriageways, one for traffic in each direction, divided by a central median. Lane markings are clearly visible on the road surface, and street lighting poles line the sides or median, indicating this is a well-constructed, high-standard highway designed for fast, uninterrupted vehicular movement. In the background, the road appears to run toward a low, forested hill, giving a sense of the terrain through which the highway passes.
This image directly illustrates the textbook's definition of a highway: a metalled road, about 80 m wide, with separate traffic lanes, dual carriageways, and features like lighting and lane markings that facilitate smooth, unobstructed flow. The Dharmavaram–Tuni highway is a real example from India, showing how such roads are built to connect distant places efficiently. The photograph reinforces the idea that highways are not just ordinary roads but engineered infrastructure — with a central median to separate opposing traffic, multiple lanes for higher capacity, and lighting for safety and night travel. …