Difference Between Avenue and Boulevard

Avenue vs Boulevard
 

Avenue and Boulevard are two kinds of pathways or roads between which we can find some differences when it comes to their nature and appearance. However, they are often confused as one and the same when, strictly speaking, there is some difference between the two. In fact, since there are a number of names that are used for roads such as street, lane, drive, trail, alley, etc., it is a bit troublesome to understand what each stands for. What most people do is simply remember the road name without giving much interest to what each term means. However, in this article we are going to see what types of roads are named avenues and boulevards.

What is an Avenue?

An avenue is a type of a road mostly seen in urban areas. It is not a multi-lane thoroughfare. An avenue, in fact, is one straight road, which is lined with lovely trees on both sides. There can also be shrubs running along the sides of an avenue. You also can find houses on either side and hence, there cannot be many parking areas in an avenue.

When it comes to traffic, vehicles can move fast since there are no roadways on either side in the case of an avenue. Furthermore, an avenue can be used by any vehicle, and since it is one single road all the vehicles move on unimpeded. Also, public can walk across or alongside the avenue.

What is a Boulevard?

A boulevard is also a type of road that you find in an urban area. A boulevard is usually wide in appearance when compared to an avenue. A boulevard is normally a multi-lane thoroughfare. When it comes to the appearance, a boulevard may or may not have trees on both the sides. Most of the time, it does have trees on both sides. However, a boulevard at least has a grass patch as the median to separate the two directions of lanes. A median in a boulevard is the section that is built in the middle of the road separating the two directions. A boulevard has shops and other stores on either side. A boulevard is meant to be traversed slowly, and hence, there are parking areas on either side.

When you consider the traffic, since there are roadways along each side, vehicles are bound to move slowly and carefully. One of the principal features of a boulevard is that the main road is meant for traffic, whereas the peripheral roads are meant for public to move or walk about. The public can also use their bicycles across the peripheral roads in a boulevard.

What is the difference between Avenue and Boulevard?

• Location:

• Both avenue and boulevard are roads that you find in an urban setting.

• Lanes:

• A boulevard is normally a multi-lane thoroughfare.

• An avenue is one straight road.

This is the main difference between the two words.

• Median:

• A boulevard has a median.

• An avenue may or may not have a median.

• Width:

• A boulevard is usually wide in appearance as it has multi lanes.

• An avenue is narrow when compared to an boulevard.

• Trees:

• A boulevard is most of the time lined with trees on both sides. At least a grassy patch is there as the median in a boulevard.

• An avenue is a road that is lined with lovely trees on both sides. There can also be shrubs running along the sides of an avenue.

• Traffic Speed:

• Traffic moves slowly in a boulevard.

• Traffic can move unimpeded in an avenue as there are no roadways on either side.

• Houses:

• You cannot see many houses lining a boulevard.

• You can see a number of houses lining an avenue.

• Road Use:

• Main road in a boulevard is for the vehicles. Peripheral roads are for pedestrians or bicycles.

• Avenues are for vehicles to travel. The pedestrians have to walk alongside the avenue, if they want to walk.

This is another important difference between avenue and boulevard.

These are the differences between avenue and boulevard. Now, that you know the difference, may be next time when you see the road you can decide what type of a road that is.

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