The hidden code behind how roads are named

This article was first published on November 30, 2018. We thought the piece was fun and informative and wanted to share it with you again.

Do you know what makes a street a street, a boulevard a boulevard, or an avenue an avenue? Turns out, there’s a hidden code behind how roads are classified and named.

Boulevards are often wide streets with medians and trees and buildings on both sides, while lanes are almost the opposite—narrow and often located in rural areas. But don’t get that confused with a drive or a terrace.

This Vox video lays it all out: