Editing Lane (section)

== Types ==
[[File:The Basketweave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The [[Ontario Highway 401]] in the [[Greater Toronto]] area, with 17 travel lanes in 6 separate carriageways visible in the midground ]]
[[File:Rodovia BR-101, Santa Catarina, Brasil - Retorno.JPG|thumb|upright=0.9|Turning lane on the [[Rodovia]] [[BR-101]], Brazil]]
[[File:Leveäkaistatie VT9 Aura.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Special, wide two-lane road used at some stretches in [[Aura, Finland|Aura]], Finland]]
[[File:Changing lanes in Gothenburg ubt.ogv|thumb|upright=0.9|Changing lanes, [[Gothenburg]], Sweden]]
[[File:Karlsruhe Kriegsstr.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Transfer lanes, connecting surface collector lanes with through lanes between two tunnels]]
[[File:Einfädelspur-in-Fahrbahnmitte.jpg|thumb|An unusual left-turn merging lane in Germany, explained with signage]]
[[File:A38(M) Aston Expressway.jpg|thumb|The [[A38(M) motorway|A38(M) Aston Expressway]], showing tidal flow/reversible lanes controlled via overhead gantries, in [[Aston]], [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. This motorway has seven lanes, with the one lane always kept as a buffer in the center – in the morning peak time, there are 2 lanes leaving central Birmingham (northbound) and 4 lanes in (southbound). In the evening, there are 4 lanes leaving central Birmingham and 2 lanes coming inwards. At all other times there are three lanes on each side.]]

===Basic types===
* A '''traffic lane''' or '''travel lane''' is a lane for the movement of vehicles travelling from one destination to another, not including [[Shoulder (road)|shoulders]].
* A '''through lane''' or '''thru lane''' is a traffic lane for through traffic (traffic continuing on a road or highway). At intersections, these may be indicated by arrows on the pavement pointing straight ahead. In some jurisdictions (Arizona) through lanes require straight directional lanes for at least two or more intersections to qualify as a proper through lane.
* An '''auxiliary lane''' is a lane other than a through lane, used to separate entering, exiting or turning traffic from the through traffic.
* An '''only lane''' prohibits or requires certain movements, often designated with the word "ONLY" on a sign or roadway, with arrows indicating allowed movements. Most require a specific turning movement, but some require straight-ahead travel or allow two out of three possible movements (such as turning right or going straight ahead). It can thus be either a through lane or a turn lane.
* A [[Reversible lane#Turn lanes and flush medians|two-way center turn lane]] allows drivers travelling in either direction to stop before turning across oncoming traffic, safely waiting for a gap without blocking through traffic and risking a [[rear-end collision]]. Drivers are expected to check for oncoming traffic before entering.

===Passing lanes===
{{excerpt|Passing lane|paragraphs=1,2,3|bold=yes}}

===Climbing lanes===
{{excerpt|Climbing lane|bold=yes}}

===Physically separated lanes===

Some high-volume limited-access highways use a [[local–express lane]] system. This physically separates '''express lanes''' for long-distance travel (closer to the median) from '''local lanes''' which have access to more frequent exits and entrances. Express lanes may have their own shoulders for safety, and sometimes dedicated entrance and exit ramps. (The term "express lane" is also used for HOV and toll lanes, which may or may not be physically separated.)

A '''[[frontage road]]''' is a similar arrangement, were one or more lanes are physically separated from a higher-speed road in order to provide safe and frequent access to local homes and businesses.

===Entering and exiting===

*{{anchor|turn lane}}Dedicated '''turn lanes''' can be used to allow through traffic to avoid waiting for turning traffic at intersections, at the expense of increased roadway width for pedestrians to hazard. Some turn lanes have signals that prevent turns when pedestrians or bicycles are allowed to proceed. On high-speed roads, turn lanes can improve safety by providing a separate lane for traffic that needs to slow down.
* A '''[[slip lane]]''' (UK: '''filter lane''') allows vehicles to bypass an intersection and take an unsignalized turn when crossing traffic is not required (for example a right-hand turn for right-hand traffic). Yielding to traffic on the cross street is typically required.
* An '''acceleration lane''' or '''merge lane''' allows traffic entering a highway to accelerate to the speed of through traffic before merging with it.
* A '''deceleration lane''' is a lane adjacent to the primary road or street used to improve traffic safety{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} by allowing drivers to pull out of the through lane and decelerate before turning off a surface street or exiting a highway or motorway.
* An '''operational lane''' or '''auxiliary lane''' combines an acceleration and deceleration lane, running the entire length between an entrance and exit. The lane is created when an entrance ramp meets the highway, and drops out (with an "exit only" sign) to become the ramp at the next exit.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

===Non-travel lanes===
In some areas, the lane adjacent to the curb is reserved for non-moving vehicles.
* A '''parking lane''' is reserved for parallel parking of vehicles.
* A '''[[fire lane]]''' is the area next to a [[Curb (road)|curb]], which is reserved for firefighting equipment, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles. Parking in these areas, often marked by red lines, is usually prohibited.
* A '''loading lane''' ('''loading zone''' in the United States) is an area next to a curb, which is reserved for loading and unloading passengers or freight. It may be marked by a sign ("LOADING ONLY" or "LOADING ZONE") or by a yellow or white-painted curb.
* A [[hard shoulder]] is sometimes called an '''emergency lane''' or a '''breakdown lane''', when it is reserved for vehicle breakdowns, and for [[emergency vehicle]]s. On some roads, the shoulder is used as a vehicle lane during peak travel hours. "Hard" refers to the fact that the shoulder is paved, not "soft" dirt.

===Managed lanes===
{{main|Managed lane}}
A '''[[reversible lane]]''' ('''[[contraflow lane reversal|contraflow lane]]''') is a lane where the direction of traffic can be changed to match the peak flow. They are usually used where there are periods of high traffic, especially [[rush hour]] where the traffic is predominantly in one direction, and on roads that may be geographically constrained, such as over bridges. One or more lanes are removed from the opposing flow and added to the peak flow – this technique is known as '''tidal flow.'''

'''Dedicated lanes''' are traffic lanes set aside for particular types of vehicles:
* A '''[[HOV lane|high occupancy vehicle]]''', '''2+ lane''' or '''carpool lane''' is reserved for [[carpool]]ing. In the UK, such lanes are not extremely common, although they do exist in many places—they are usually marked "2+ LANE", referring to the fact that cars with two or more occupants may drive in the lane. In the US, they may be marked with a diamond icon every few hundred feet (hence the nickname "[[diamond lane]]"), or separated from other lanes by double broken white lines, a continuous pair of double yellow lines, or just a single broken white line.
* A '''[[high-occupancy toll lane]]''' is a combination of an HOV lane and [[Toll road#Toll collection technology|toll collection technology]] that allows drivers without passengers to use the HOV lane by paying a premium price for the privilege
* A '''[[Segregated cycle facilities: Official definitions and legislation#On road: bicycle facilities|designated bicycle lane]]''' is a portion of the roadway or shoulder designated for the exclusive or preferential use of bicyclists. This designation is indicated by special word or symbol markings on the pavement and "BIKE LANE" signs.
* A '''[[motorcycle lane]]''' is provided at certain roads and highways such as the [[Federal Highway, Malaysia|Federal Highway]] in Malaysia to segregate the motorcycle traffic from the main roadways to reduce motorcycle-related accidents. The motorcycle lane may form a part of the hard shoulder, or may be one or more completely separated lanes.
* A '''[[bus lane]]''' is reserved for buses providing public transportation on a fixed route, sometimes with overhead [[overhead lines|catenary]] for [[trolleybus]]es. In some countries, such as in the UK when signposted, bus lanes may also be used by some other traffic, such as taxis, bicycles and motorbikes.
* A '''tram lane''' is a lane reserved for the use of buses, trams and taxicabs. It is usually encountered in cities with curbside tram network, such as [[Zagreb]].
* A '''truckway''' is a dedicated lane for longer length trucks; for instance, the [[Florida Turnpike]] allows 96-foot long double trailer combinations,<ref>{{cite web|title=Rule 14–61 Tandem Trailers on Florida's Turnpike|url=http://www.floridasturnpike.com/Permits/Forms/RULE%2014-61%20TANDEM%20TRAILERS%20ON%20FLA%20TURNPIKE.doc|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105142342/http://www.floridasturnpike.com/Permits/Forms/RULE%2014-61%20TANDEM%20TRAILERS%20ON%20FLA%20TURNPIKE.doc|archive-date=November 5, 2012|access-date=January 2, 2016|work=www.floridasturnpike.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref> in contrast to normal Florida highways' 53-foot limit. Compare to crawler lane above.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 2015 Florida Statutes, 316.515(3)(b)2.|url=http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.515.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210064010/http://leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399%2F0316%2FSections%2F0316.515.html|archive-date=December 10, 2015|access-date=January 2, 2016|work=www.leg.state.fl.us|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Since the major cost of trucking is the fixed cost of the same trailer with its driver the cost per ton of operating with truckway size and weight allowances is 35 to 40 percent below the cost of operations on the non-truckways.<ref>{{cite book|author=Samuel, Peter|title=Street Smart: Competition, Entrepreneurship and the Future of Roads|pages=516–517|chapter=The Way Forward to the Private Provision of Public Roads}}</ref>
* A '''[[haul road]]''' only has lanes intended for freight traffic, and non-commercial traffic may be prohibited.

Some jurisdictions generally prohibit trucks from faster lanes on motorways, or from the express lanes in an express-local system. Some lanes have restrictions based on [[vehicle weight]], for example to prevent overloading certain parts of a [[bridge]]. A small number of jurisdictions have truck-only lanes, intended to increase reliability of freight deliveries.<ref>[https://dot.ca.gov/programs/traffic-operations/legal-truck-access/truck-only-lanes Truck-Only Lanes] (Caltrans)</ref><ref>[https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/novemberdecember-2004/managed-lanes Managed Lanes] (USDOT)</ref> Different lanes can also have different height restrictions, depending on the shape of overpasses.