Parkway
In the United States the term Parkways stands for:
Since the late 20th century, many places have taken buses, taxis and limousines to the list of approved vehicles to promote public transport. The difference between Parkway and freeways has been softened by this change.
History
Over the years, many different types of roads are described as Parkway. The first parkways in America were created in the 19th century by Frederick Law Olmsted as separate streets for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and carriages. The best known are the Eastern Parkway and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, NY. Roads like Commonwealth Avenue in Boston and Bidwell Parkway and Lincoln Parkway in Buffalo (New York) have broad, with separate carriageways and a large, landscaped median strip. These older Parkwys often serve as access to a large city park, such as Boston Common in Boston or the Delaware Park in Buffalo. They are lined with houses. Some have separate lanes for fast traffic and city driving, but that's not always the case.
During the early 20th century, the term has been extended to highways for weekend excursions. The new Parkway enabled the access to destinations without obstruction by pedestrians or slow vehicles. This Parkways made for a stronger development of the suburbs, which eventually their value was limited as recreational areas.
For some of these parkways were local main roads or cross- country freeways, nevertheless it retained the designation Parkway. These parkways were built primarily for through traffic and are usually classified as a freeway or toll highway.
Historically, the term " Parkway " was often connected to a road with a naturalistic or manicured landscaped median strip, the surrounding areas should be tempted by a comfortable driving style, free from commercialism and advertising, even if the route went through populated areas. For this reason, it was also blocked to commercial traffic. Parkway system was a precursor of highway systems, such as German autobahns and the American interstate highways.
The beginnings: New York City
The term " Parkway " as road type was coined by the designers of New York's Central Park, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, as a connecting road between downtown and the parks in the suburbs. The Eastern Parkway and Ocean Parkway were built during this period. A short time later similar Parkways were built in and around Boston as part of a comprehensive street and park system. At the beginning of the 20th century were built in the New York City parkways that the later freeways already came very close in appearance and equipment. The work on the Bronx River Parkway began in 1907, and on Long Iceland Motor Parkway ( also known as the Vanderbilt Parkway ) started in 1906. During the 1920s the Parkwaysystem has been around New York City under the leadership of Robert Moses, president of the Long Iceland State Park Commission, greatly expanded. Moses saw a good opportunity to offer the people of the crowded cities to access the untapped areas in the parkways.
One of the most famous parkways in the New York Area is the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut, which was opened in the 1930s. Just as this road runs through the woods of southern Connecticut, she is an example of the Parkway aesthetic, each bridge of the Parkways is unique and highlights the beauty of this Parkways. Another example in New York City is the Sprain Brook Parkway, which leads not only to travelers heading north from the Bronx. He goes to the Taconic State Parkway and connects the metropolitan area with Albany in upstate New York. The Saw Mill River Parkway connects Yonkers and the Bronx, where it merges into the Henry Hudson Parkway.
United States
At the beginning of the 20th century, the landscape architect George Kessler designed comprehensive Parkwaysysteme for Kansas City (Missouri ), Memphis (Tennessee ) and other cities.
In the 1930s, the federal government took over the concept of Parkway and built several National Parkways for excursions and to commemorate historic trails. On these two-lane parkway relatively low speeds are usually prescribed. The National Parkways are operated by the National Park Service. Examples of this are built by the CCC Blue Ridge Parkway / Skyline Drive in North Carolina and Virginia, the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, and the Colonial Parkway in the east " Historic Triangle" in Virginia. A number of other Parkways was planned at this time, but not built. From this time the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Clara Barton Parkway along the Potomac River originate in the vicinity of Washington DC.
Parkways in modern times
In Kentucky Parkway are toll motorways. In the 1960s and 1970s, nine parkways were built. A law in Kentucky requires that the Parkways must be converted to freeways, if construction costs are covered by the toll revenue. Since 2006, now all nine streets freeways, but have the designation Parkway reserve.
The Arroyo Seco Parkway from Pasadena to Los Angeles, from 1940, the first segment of large südkalifonischen Freeway system. It is now called " Pasadena Freeway and is part of the California Route 110
In Greater New York Parkways are usually, but not always, highways for non- commercial traffic, trucks and tractor-trailers must not be driven these roads.
In New Jersey is also the Garden State Parkway north of the New Jersey State Route 18 to the non-commercial vehicles operate. Nevertheless, it is the busiest toll road in the United States. It connects the north-eastern metropolitan area of New Jersey with the surrounding area, including Atlantic City.
In the area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the two major Interstates are informally referred to as parkways. The Parkway East, (actually, Penn - Lincoln Parkway ), officially Interstate 376, connects downtown Pittsburgh Monroeville. The Parkway West, also officially Interstate 376 and U.S. Highway 22/30, leading from downtown to the Pittsburgh International Airport. The Parkway North, officially Interstate 279, connects Pittsburgh with Franklin Park.
In Minneapolis, the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway includes 80 km as a Parkway designated roads. Here, however, is not to highways, as applies to them a speed limit of 25 miles per hour and there are crosswalks and intersections.
See also
- National Scenic Byway