Mexican Federal Highway
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Mexican Federal Highways, are roads maintained and built by the federal government of Mexico, thorough the Communications and Transportation Department (SecretarÃa de Comunicaciones y Transportes, SCT). There are three classes of Federal Highways in Mexico: four-lane restricted access road, four-lane undivided road, and two-lane road. However, there is another classification of Federal Highways used within the country, as roads can be toll roads (autopista de cuota) and free roads (autopista libre).
Four-lane restricted access road
Full freeways with interchanges and, most of the time, high tolls. These roads are comparable to the U.S Interstate Highway System. Generally, access to these roads is restricted to pedestrians and animals, as fences are located at a side of the road for most of the length. Vehicles can access the road by using the established points-of-access, as interchanges. Some of these roads convert to two-lane highways in mountain areas. Most of these roads classify as toll roads, and tolls can be very high, at a level of 2-3 MXN (0.19-0.28 USD) per kilometer. Due to their speed and quality, these freeways are by far the safest roads in Mexico.
Four-lane undivided road
Most of these roads were two-lane roads converted into four-lane by constructing another road body at a side of the existing one. They have interchanges at major roads, but most intersections are at-grade. Some of them are toll roads, with tolls being much lower than in the restricted access roads.
Undivided two lane road
The most common form of federal highway, these roads crisscross the country. These roads often have huge potholes, police checkpoints, and bandits. Many of these go deep into the countryside, and are not very safe. These roads are free, and often become secondary or frontage roads after being replaced by a larger toll road.
Numbering system
North-south highway numbers are odd, and east-west highway numbers are even. The lowest numbers are located to the north and west of the country.
See also
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