what defines a street, road, lane, avenue ?

Question

Is there any reason for the name of a traffic route being called a street, avenue or a road.
For example : london street, london road, london avenue what would be the difference in apperance or use.

Answer 1

Check this out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road

Answer 2

In UK these days it will be the local council, sometimes in consultation with the developers. This will account for some of the silly names.
A road is a through road out of the city
A Street is a city thoughfare
They are often interchangable, because street is often considered "Not very posh"
An avenue should be lined with trees on either side but in many cases is just considered to be more posh than road

Answer 3

A road has 2 lane traffic. A street is usually narrower. A lane is a no through road and an avenue is long with trees either side! (not sure on that one actually)

Answer 4

There is NO definition of what defines a road, street, avenue, lane - just what name is available next when naming it.

I live in a lane, which is a single track with passing places. But the 'road' that passes the secondary school I went to has also got lane in the title but is fast moving and has got two tracks (one going each way).

Answer 5

In my province in Canada (Alberta), the words "street" and "avenue" determine direction. For example all throughfares such as Ross Street, 49th Street, Main Street, etc. run east and west.
Any thoroughfares such as 30th Avenue, Johnston Avenue, Smith Avenue, etc. run north and south.
This is used quite often in any community using a grid system, or squares of streets and roads. It gives people an idea of which direction this particular "route"travels.
Any throughfare called a "road" is usually a connecting link, sometimes rural.
Other names are used simply to sound appealing.........Abbey "Close", Sunset "Boulevard".....although "boulevards" usually refer to one or two lanes in each direction separated by a grassy or concrete island in the middle.

Answer 6

A road for me is always a main route, slightly wider than normal so that buses and lorries can occupy one of the lanes comfortably.

A street is more for commercial or residential use, ie there are buildings nearby.

A lane would be secluded with barely enough room for two cars to pass - may be one -way.

and an Avenue is like a street except it should be tree lined.

Answer 7

A road is usually a wide thoroughfare, a street is a road with houses, and an avenue has trees. A lane is a connecting walk. Not a cul-de-sac.
These are loose definitions, and there are loads of different ones.

Answer 8

Just a preference from the namer. Blvd. is usually 2 lanes divided by a median.

Answer 9

The developer of the area decides. as far as I can see, no other reason