Why Californians Say “Freeway” Instead of “Highway”

Californians favor “freeway” because, in state law and everyday practice, it precisely describes the controlled‑access roads that dominate the state’s urban network—roads without cross streets or driveways—whereas “highway” is a broader legal term that includes everything from small rural routes to multi-lane arterials. The word “freeway” took root through mid‑20th‑century planning, Caltrans nomenclature, and local media, and it remains the most accurate shorthand for the region’s big, limited‑access corridors.

What “Freeway” Means in California

In California, “highway” is a very broad category. The California Vehicle Code (Section 360) defines a highway as any publicly maintained road open to vehicular travel, which includes streets, rural routes, and multilane arterials. By contrast, state law and engineering practice define a “freeway” as a controlled-access facility where abutting property owners have no right of direct access; entry and exit occur only via ramps, with no at‑grade intersections. That definition appears in the Streets and Highways Code (commonly cited as Section 23.5) and underpins how planners and engineers design and label the network.

California also has a legally designated Freeway and Expressway System, created by statute in 1959, which helped standardize the term across official documents, maps, and projects. In short: all freeways are highways, but not all highways are freeways—and Californians generally travel the latter in urban areas, so that’s the word they use.

How the Word Took Hold

Postwar Building and Media Habits

Los Angeles and other metro areas built vast, limited‑access corridors from the 1940s through the 1970s. These roads were designed for uninterrupted flow—“free” from cross traffic—and, historically, free of tolls. Traffic reporters, road signs, and agencies adopted the term “freeway,” reinforcing it in daily speech. Naming conventions like “the 405” or “the 10,” widely used in Southern California, further tied the distinctive network to the distinctive word.

Regional Contrast Shapes Vocabulary

Elsewhere in the United States, different histories produced different labels. The Northeast favored “turnpike” and “parkway,” the Midwest often says “highway,” and Texas frequently uses “freeway” or “expressway.” In California, the dominant urban facilities were full controlled‑access roads—so “freeway” simply became the most precise, ubiquitous term.

Why Californians Prefer It in Daily Speech

The preference isn’t just cultural; it’s practical. Several factors make “freeway” the more useful word for Californians navigating their cities and regions.

• Precision: It distinguishes controlled‑access corridors (freeways) from surface state routes with lights and driveways (still legally highways).
• Consistency with agencies: Caltrans plans, signs, and project documents routinely use “freeway” for these facilities.
• Historic toll-free tradition: The core network was built without tolls, contrasting with Eastern “turnpikes,” which reinforced the term.
• Media reinforcement: Decades of traffic reports and pop culture cemented “freeway” in common usage.
• Urban identity: Metropolitan Los Angeles, in particular, is defined by its freeway grid, shaping how residents talk about travel.

Taken together, these factors make “freeway” the default for Californians when referencing major, limited‑access roads, especially in urban contexts.

Related Terms You’ll Hear in California

California’s road network includes several facility types and naming habits, which clarify why “freeway” persists while other terms appear in specific contexts.

• Expressway: Limited access but may include some at‑grade intersections (e.g., Central Expressway or Lawrence Expressway in Silicon Valley).
• Toll road: Segments like SR‑73, SR‑133, SR‑241, and SR‑261 in Orange County, or express lanes in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, charge tolls yet function as freeways. The presence of tolling doesn’t change their controlled‑access design.
• Numbering and “the”: Californians refer to Interstates (I‑5), U.S. Routes (US‑101), and State Routes (SR‑1). Southern Californians commonly say “the 5” or “the 101,” a convention popularized by traffic media; Northern Californians are more likely to say “I‑5” or “101.”

These variations reflect function and history rather than contradictions. “Freeway” remains the umbrella term for controlled‑access corridors, while other labels describe nuances like tolling or route designation.

Do Californians Ever Say “Highway”?

Yes. In rural areas and on surface corridors, people often say “highway”—for example, “Highway 1” along the coast or stretches of “Highway 101” where it isn’t fully controlled‑access. In cities, though, when the road has ramps and no cross streets, “freeway” is the natural choice.

Summary

Californians say “freeway” because it accurately names the controlled‑access roads that define the state’s urban mobility, a usage anchored in state law, mid‑century planning, and decades of media and signage. “Highway” remains the legal catch‑all for any public road, but in everyday California speech it’s the freeway—ramp‑to‑ramp, no cross traffic—that people mean when they talk about getting across town.

What is the difference between a highway and a freeway in California?

In California, a freeway is a type of highway with controlled access, meaning entry and exit are only via ramps and not at intersections or driveways. A highway is a more general term for any main road connecting cities, which may include traffic lights, stop signs, and cross-traffic, but can also refer to a freeway. Essentially, all freeways in California are highways, but not all highways are freeways; the key distinction is controlled access versus direct access.
 
What is a highway in California?

• General term: A public road that connects towns or cities. 
• Varying features: Highways can include intersections, stoplights, pedestrian crossings, and direct access to properties or businesses. 
• Design: They can be multi-lane roads for long-distance travel or smaller two-lane rural routes. 
• Purpose: Serves both local and long-distance travel. 

What is a freeway in California?

• Controlled access: A highway where access is limited to entry and exit ramps. 
• No conflict points: No stop signs, traffic lights, cross-traffic, or driveways are present. 
• Grade-separated: Traffic moving in opposite directions is separated by a median, and crossings are done via overpasses or underpasses. 
• Higher speeds: Designed for faster, uninterrupted travel with higher speed limits. 
• California specific: “Freeway” is the term commonly used in California and other parts of the western U.S. to describe limited-access highways. 

Key Takeaway

• If you’re driving on a road in California with ramps and no traffic lights, it’s a freeway. 
• If the same road has traffic lights, intersections, or allows direct access from nearby properties, it’s a highway that isn’t a freeway. 

Do Californians say highway or freeway?

In California, a highway is the general category for a major public road, while a freeway is a specific type of highway with controlled access, meaning it has no intersections at grade, traffic signals, or crossings, and vehicles can only enter or exit using ramps. Essentially, all freeways are highways, but not all highways are freeways. Highways that are not freeways may still be designed for high-speed travel but will include features like stop lights, cross-traffic, or pedestrian crossings.
 
Highways

• Definition: A broad term for a major road used for travel. 
• Characteristics:
  • Can be found in rural or urban areas. 
  • May have traffic lights, cross-traffic, and pedestrian or bike lanes. 
  • Can have varying speed limits and a mix of functions, connecting smaller roads. 

Freeways

• Definition: A specific type of highway with fully controlled access. 
• Characteristics:
  • Controlled access: No intersections at grade; entry and exit are only via ramps. 
  • No traffic lights: Traffic signals are not used on freeways. 
  • Separated directions: Traffic traveling in opposite directions is typically separated by a median. 
  • Overpasses and underpasses: Vehicles wanting to cross a freeway must use an overpass or underpass. 
  • High speed: Designed for high-speed, uninterrupted travel. 
  • Often numbered: In California, freeways are commonly referred to by their number, such as “the 101” or “the 405”. 

Key takeaway: A freeway offers a faster, uninterrupted travel experience due to its controlled access, while a highway is a broader term that can encompass various road types, including those with at-grade intersections and traffic signals.

Why do people say highway instead of freeway?

All freeways are highways, but not all highways are freeways. A Highway is a high-speed road of any type. A freeway is a specific type of highway with higher speed limits, turns/exits via ramps instead of intersections, and, most importantly, no stoplights.

What are highways called in California?

Each highway is assigned a Route (officially State Highway Route) number in the Streets and Highways Code (Sections 300–635). Most of these are numbered in a statewide system, and are known as State Route X (abbreviated SR X). United States Numbered Highways are labeled US X, and Interstate Highways are Interstate X.