Parkway

Parkway
 

What is the difference between
parkway, turnpike, highway, freeway, expressway?

You need a response from the other side of the Atlantic for that. Apart from highway, these are not BrE.

This is my understanding of the terms. There could be some more technical details that I do not know. But in general they are all "high speed roads."

Turnpike - This is a highway or freeway with a toll. It is just a name for a freeway that costs money to use. For instance the Florida Turnpike costs a certain amount based on the distance you use it.

Expressway - Divided road for high speed travel, but it can have traffic lights and intersections. There is also some method of limited access control. This can sometimes have tolls as well.

Highway - In many cases, this means the same as freeway. Highways can be inside cities though with stoplights and intersections or be a full up divided road system just like a freeway. A lot of times this is because the city grew around the highway, so the lights and stop signs came later.

Freeway - A freeway is a limited access divided highway with grade separated junctions and without traffic lights or stop signs. I think the is a "Motorway" in UK terms.

Interstate Highway (abbr. "The Interstate" or "Interstate I-4") - This is a freeway that connects two US States. This is a US only term of course.

Parkway — (North American English) — as a broad landscaped highway thoroughfare; or a roadway in a park or a landscaped thoroughfare connecting parks from which trucks and other heavy vehicles are excluded. "A pretty highway."

They are all different technical names for high speed roads. The difference being whether it has tolls, traffic lights, or stop signs. Also what type of access it has, but that is more technical.

Warning: I had to read up on this just to answer with some knowledge, so knowing the technical differences aren't that big of deal here at least :)

Freeway is a term never used on the east coast of the United States.
We use expressway instead. Generally(though not always) there is no toll for expressways and never on freeways. Parkways, turnpikes, thruways generally have a toll though not always.

Haha. I agree it is regional for sure. I used "freeway" with my wife who is from DC and she had no idea what I was talking about. We used the term in TN though.

Thank you guys, what about local roads ?
Like in Spain Carretera nacional, provincial, local , comarcal.
primary and secondary road maybe?

We use highways. state highways, (sometimes) interstate--although interstate may may also be a major highway like a freeway or turnpike like
I 80 or I 95.

PS: Parkways are often pretty roads

In general we would just use the term "road," "street," or "highway." There are roads that are labeled "County Road 1" or "State Road 5" which may be similar to what you are speaking about.