Home›Infrastructure›Mode›Road TransportModeRoad TransportAlso Known As Road TransportationRoad ModeRoad to a Dashed Vanishing LineReference and ClassificationDevelopingThe movement of people and goods by vehicle over a prepared surfaced way. Roads long predate the automobile, from ancient trackways to the paved networks of Rome and Persia, but this entry covers the engineered road surface and the modern road vehicle era it enabled, unconstrained by fixed track and dependent on point to point routing rather than a shared schedule. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/FactsRoad TransportConnectionsSourcesOpen Questions (1 open question)Comments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsCore ConcernWell-attestedPoint to point movement over a shared, unscheduled surfaced network. 1Origin YearWell-attested3807 BCE 2The Sweet Track in Somerset, England, built in 3807 or 3806 BC and precisely dated by dendrochronology, is among the oldest engineered trackways yet discovered. Informal paths and trails for transport on foot and with pack animals predate any constructed roadway by an unknown margin.Road TransportFilter Results23 entriesInfrastructure TypeAllAncient Roads and Trade Routes (5)Arch, Cantilever and Girder Bridges (3)Cable-Stayed Bridges (2)Modern Highway Systems (4)Road Tunnels (4)Suspension Bridges (5)Completion EraAll-264 (1)-114 (1)1826 (1)1883 (1)1894 (1)1913 (1)1927 (1)1932 (2)1937 (2)1956 (1)1962 (1)1964 (1)1965 (1)1997 (1)1998 (1)2000 (2)2004 (1)Invented ByAllJohn Augustus Roebling (1)Thomas Telford (1)Operated ByAllCity Bridge Foundation (1)Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (1)Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company (1)MTA Bridges and Tunnels (1)New York City Department of Transportation (1)Norwegian Public Roads Administration (1)Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (2)Transport for NSW (1)Pioneered ByAllClifford Milburn Holland (1)John Augustus Roebling (1)John Bradfield (1)Joseph Strauss (1)Othmar Ammann (1)Thomas Telford (1)StatusAllAbandoned (1)Decommissioned or Closed (1)Operational (18)MaterialAllConcrete (2)Masonry or Stone (2)Steel (5)Heritage DesignationAllInternationally Recognized (World Heritage) (2)Locally or Regionally Designated (1)Nationally Designated Heritage Site (4)Not Formally Designated (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 23Akashi Kaikyo BridgeRoad TransportAppian WayRoad TransportAutobahnRoad TransportBrooklyn BridgeRoad TransportConfederation BridgeRoad TransportGolden Gate BridgeRoad TransportGrand Trunk RoadRoad TransportHolland TunnelRoad TransportInterstate Highway SystemRoad TransportLaerdal TunnelRoad TransportLincoln HighwayRoad TransportLincoln TunnelRoad TransportMenai Suspension BridgeRoad TransportMillau ViaductRoad TransportMont Blanc TunnelRoad TransportØresund BridgeRoad TransportPersian Royal RoadRoad TransportRoman RoadsRoad TransportSilk RoadRoad TransportSydney Harbour BridgeRoad TransportTower BridgeRoad TransportTrans-Canada HighwayRoad TransportVerrazzano-Narrows BridgeRoad TransportConnectionsExemplified ByAlaska Highway, Routes and Services Well-attested Amber Road, Routes and Services Well-attested Benz Patent Motorwagen, Vehicles Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Benz Patent-Motorwagentier 2California State Route 1, Routes and Services Well-attested Source Wikipedia: California State Route 1tier 2Fire Engine, Vehicles Well-attested Ford F-150, Vehicles Well-attested Ford Model T, Vehicles Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Ford Model Ttier 2Great Ocean Road, Routes and Services Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Great Ocean Roadtier 2International Harvester Scout, Vehicles Well-attested Karakoram Highway, Routes and Services Well-attested Pan-American Highway, Routes and Services Well-attested Pickup Truck, Vehicles Well-attested U.S. Route 66, Routes and Services Well-attested Open QuestionsWhich civilization first built engineered, standardized long distance roads: Persia, Rome, or an earlier network?, Open Questions Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Silk Roadtier 2Pioneered ByJohn Loudon McAdam, Figures Well-attested Source Wikipedia: John Loudon McAdamtier 2Sources1. Wikipedia: John Loudon McAdamtier 2WikipediaOverviewJohn Loudon McAdam (23 September 1756 - 26 November 1836) was a Scottish civil engineer and road-builder.Pioneered By: John Loudon McAdamView the Source2. Sweet Track (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead sectionBuilt in 3807 or 3806 BC, the track was a walkway consisting mainly of planks of oak laid end-to-end, supported by crossed pegs of ash, oak, and lime, driven into the underlying peat.View the SourceRoad Transport (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead sectionRoad transport or road transportation is a type of transport using roads.View the SourceWikipedia: Pony Expresstier 2WikipediaHas Part: Pony ExpressView the SourceWikipedia: Benz Patent-Motorwagentier 2WikipediaExemplified By: Benz Patent MotorwagenView the SourceWikipedia: Ford Model Ttier 2WikipediaExemplified By: Ford Model TView the SourceWikipedia: Interstate Highway Systemtier 2WikipediaHas Part: Interstate Highway SystemView the SourceWikipedia: Golden Gate Bridgetier 2WikipediaHas Part: Golden Gate BridgeView the SourceWikipedia: Brooklyn Bridgetier 2WikipediaHas Part: Brooklyn BridgeView the SourceWikipedia: Silk Roadtier 2WikipediaHas Part: Silk Road, OverviewOpen Questions: Which civilization first built engineered, standardized long distance roads: Persia, Rome, or an earlier network?, OverviewView the SourceØresund Bridge (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)Has Part: Øresund BridgeView the SourceCongestion Pricing (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)Has Part: Congestion PricingView the SourceWikipedia: Roman Roadstier 2WikipediaHas Part: Roman Roads, PurposeQuote, Has Part: Roman Roads, PurposeThe public road system of the Romans was thoroughly military in its aims and spirit...designed to unite and consolidate the conquestsView the SourceWikipedia: Bus Rapid Transittier 2WikipediaHas Part: Bus Rapid TransitView the SourceWikipedia: Trolleybustier 2WikipediaHas Part: TrolleybusView the SourceWikipedia: Menai Suspension Bridgetier 2WikipediaHas Part: Menai Suspension Bridge, InfoboxQuote, Has Part: Menai Suspension Bridge, InfoboxCarries A5 (London to Holyhead)View the SourceWikipedia: Induced Demandtier 2WikipediaHas Part: Induced DemandView the SourceWikipedia: Right-of-way (Transportation)tier 2WikipediaHas Part: Right of Way, Lead sectionQuote, Has Part: Right of Way, Lead sectionRights-of-way in the physical sense include controlled-access highways, railroads, canals, hiking paths, bridle paths for horses, bicycle paths, the routes taken by high-voltage lines (also known as wayleave), utility tunnels, or simply the paved or unpaved local roads used by different types of traffic.View the SourceWikipedia: Common Carriertier 2WikipediaHas Part: Common Carrier, History sectionQuote, Has Part: Common Carrier, History sectionCarriers were very common in rural areas prior to motorised transport. Regular services by horse-drawn vehicles would ply to local towns, taking goods to market or bringing back purchases for the village.View the SourceWikipedia: Great Ocean Roadtier 2WikipediaExemplified By: Great Ocean Road, Lead sentenceQuote, Exemplified By: Great Ocean Road, Lead sentenceThe Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage-listed 240-kilometre (150 mi) stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia, between the Victorian towns of Torquay and Allansford.View the SourceWikipedia: California State Route 1tier 2WikipediaExemplified By: California State Route 1, Lead sentenceQuote, Exemplified By: California State Route 1, Lead sentenceState Route 1 (SR 1) is a major north-south state highway that runs along most of the Pacific coastline of the U.S.View the SourceGolden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (Wikipedia)Has Part: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, LeadQuote, Has Part: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, Leadowns and operates three regional transportation assets in the San Francisco Bay AreaView the SourceNew York City Department of Transportation (Wikipedia)Has Part: New York City Department of Transportation, LeadQuote, Has Part: New York City Department of Transportation, Leadresponsible for the management of much of New York CityView the SourceHonshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company (Wikipedia)Has Part: Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company, LeadQuote, Has Part: Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company, Leadand their respective bridges between the islands of Honshu and ShikokuView the SourceTransport for NSW (Wikipedia)Has Part: Transport for NSW, LeadQuote, Has Part: Transport for NSW, Leadbuild transport infrastructure and manage transport services in New South WalesView the SourceNorwegian Public Roads Administration (Wikipedia)Has Part: Norwegian Public Roads Administration, LeadQuote, Has Part: Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Leadresponsible for national and county public roads in NorwayView the SourceMTA Bridges and Tunnels (Wikipedia)Has Part: MTA Bridges and Tunnels, LeadQuote, Has Part: MTA Bridges and Tunnels, Leadoperates seven toll bridges, two tunnelsView the SourceOpen Questions (1 open question)Which civilization first built engineered, standardized long distance roads: Persia, Rome, or an earlier network?The Roman road network is the most famous engineered ancient road system and the one this atlas most often names by reflex, but it was neither the first nor necessarily the most extensive. The Persian Royal Road, built under the Achaemenid Empire and described by Herodotus, predates the major Roman roads by roughly two centuries and connected Sardis to Susa with a maintained relay postal system. Earlier still, evidence exists for engineered roadways in the Indus Valley Civilization and in Bronze Age Anatolia. Which of these counts as the first depends on how strictly the road must be engineered, standardized and centrally maintained rather than simply a well used route.What would resolve this A settled archaeological and textual consensus on the earliest confirmed centrally engineered and maintained long distance road network, which current evidence does not yet provide with confidence beyond the Persian Royal Road as the earliest well documented case.Archaeology, ancient historyWikipedia: Silk RoadComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? 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