Plural of expressway; high-speed highways designed for fast travel with limited stops and few traffic lights.
From 'express' (meaning fast, direct) plus 'way' (meaning road or path). The term was coined in the early 20th century for new divided highways that prioritized speed and efficiency over local access.
Expressways revolutionized American cities in the mid-1900s—they made commuting faster but also destroyed neighborhoods and contributed to urban sprawl, making them a fascinating example of how one technology solution creates new problems.
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