| AWM Table: | Carriageway, Carriageway View, MC Cyclic Cost, Traffic by Carriageway View, Treatment, Treatment Length and Treatment Length View |
| Attribute: | Urban / Rural |
| Purpose: | To provide road categorisation that differentiates the current level of service provided by the road section (carriageway). This closely aligns with accessibility, the type of vehicle that can be used and the comfort experience of the road users. |
| Value | Description | Photo Example |
|---|---|---|
| Urban | Purpose is to connect neighbourhoods, commercial districts, and major transportation hubs within a city or town. |  |
| Rural | Purpose is to connect villages, farms, and remote areas to markets, towns, and other rural communities. |  |
Speed vs. Urban / Rural
It is a sweeping generalisation to say that high speed open roads must be rural, and low speed must be urban roads.
However, the intent of this classification is to understand the broader surrounding environments so an open road that might slow down (speed signs) for a small village or shops, does not need to change to urban for that short stretch. The overall nature of the environment is still rural.
In the opposite situation, a high-speed motorway or expressway does not automatically become rural due to its speed limit. The surrounding environment is still urban.
