Term for road that is higher in the middle

JoNightshade · Jul 2, 2009

I'm almost positive I heard a word or phrase used to describe this before. What I'm trying to refer to is a road that is built up so that it's higher in the middle and then slopes down on either side to the sidewalk or drain. I assume this facilitates runoff, etc. Lots of neighborhoods in my home town have roads like this, not so much where I live now (it doesn't rain often).

smcc360 · Jul 2, 2009

'Cambered'. More specifically, 'normal crown camber' (the center of the road being higher than the edges).

Aquilegia · Jul 2, 2009

ETA: Oops. SMCC posted while I was typing, but I'll leave this just in case:

Could it be a "crowned road?"

"A crowned road means that the outside/right hand side of the lane is lower than the left side of the lane. This improves the drainage of the road but adversely affects vehicle handling."
http://aligncraft.com/terms/terms.html

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anoldent/2449142117/

ETA: Yup, cambered is better.
"A slightly arched surface, as of a road, a ship's deck, an airfoil, or a snow ski."
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cambered

Can you tell I have work to avoid?

JoNightshade · Jul 2, 2009

Thank you SOOOOOOOO much!

Puma · Jul 2, 2009

In the old days, when roads were only the width of one vehicle, the wear from the wheels made them crowned in the middle. Puma

Prawn · Jul 3, 2009

Running on roads of this sort is bad for your knees, especially your ilo-tibial band.

mscelina · Jul 3, 2009

Ohio highway.

What? It's true...It's not intentional. It only happens because the ODOT mentality is basically 'throw some more asphalt on it and no one will notice the potholes big enough to swallow a Buick.'

stephenf · Jul 3, 2009

Superelevation,is the word you are looking for.

Term for road that is higher in the middle

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

smcc360

I've Got An MFA In LEO

Aquilegia

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

Puma

Retired and loving it!

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

stephenf