A multi-lane highway designed for high-speed traffic, with controlled access and no traffic lights or stop signs.
Coined in 1930s California from 'free' + 'way,' but 'free' didn't originally mean 'no cost' — it meant 'free-flowing' traffic without interruptions from traffic lights, intersections, or stops. The term was invented by transportation engineers to distinguish these new limited-access highways from regular streets. Ironically, many freeways now charge tolls, making the 'free' part confusing, but the name stuck because it originally described the free flow of traffic, not free travel.
California invented the word 'freeway' in the 1930s, but it never meant free to drive on! It meant traffic could flow 'freely' without stopping for red lights or intersections. So when you're stuck in freeway traffic, you're experiencing the opposite of what the name promised — which is probably why some places switched to calling them 'expressways' instead.
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