Editing Ring road

{{Short description|Type of road encircling a settlement}}
{{Other uses|Ring Road (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Beltway|the term used in American politics|Inside the Beltway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
[[File:M25 London.jpg|thumb|[[M25 motorway|M25]], the primary ring road of London]]
A '''ring road''' (also known as '''circular road,''' '''beltline''', '''beltway''', '''circumferential''' ('''high''')'''way''', '''loop''' or '''orbital''') is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist in reducing traffic volumes in the urban centre, such as by offering an alternate route around the city for drivers who do not need to stop in the city core. Ring roads can also serve to connect suburbs to each other, allowing efficient travel between them.

==Nomenclature==
[[File:Москва-Сити и ТТК (вид от Кутузовского проспекта).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Third Ring Road (Moscow)|Third Ring Road]] in the area of the [[Moscow International Business Center]].]]
The name "ring road" is used for the majority of metropolitan circumferential routes in Europe, such as the [[Bundesautobahn 10|Berliner Ring]], the [[Brussels Ring]], the [[A10 motorway (Netherlands)|Amsterdam Ring]] and the [[Leeds]] [[Leeds Inner Ring Road|Inner]] and [[Leeds Outer Ring Road|Outer]] ring roads. [[Australia]], Pakistan, and India also use the term ring road, as in [[Melbourne]]'s [[M80 Ring Road, Melbourne|Western Ring Road]], [[Lahore]]'s [[Lahore Ring Road]] and [[Hyderabad]]'s [[Outer Ring Road (Hyderabad)|Outer Ring Road]]. In Canada the term is the most commonly used, with "orbital" also used, but to a much lesser extent.

In Europe and Australia, some ring roads, particularly longer ones of [[motorway]] standard, are known as "orbital motorways". Examples are the [[London Orbital]] (generally known as the M25; 188&nbsp;km), [[Sydney Orbital Network]] (110&nbsp;km), and [[Grande Raccordo Anulare|Rome Orbital]] (68&nbsp;km).

In the United States many ring roads are called '''beltlines''', '''beltways''' or '''loops''', such as the [[Capital Beltway]] around [[Washington, D.C.]] Some ring roads, such as Washington's Capital Beltway, use "Inner Loop" and "Outer Loop" [[inner/outer directions|terminology]] for directions of travel, since [[cardinal directions|cardinal (compass) directions]] cannot be signed uniformly around the entire loop. The term 'ring road' is occasionally – and inaccurately – used interchangeably with the term '[[Bypass (road)|bypass]]'.

==Background==
[[File:Sydney-orbital-black-line.png|thumb|alt=Map of the Sydney orbital network|The [[Sydney Orbital Network]], New South Wales, Australia]]
[[File:Tribiano - tangenziale est esterna.jpg|thumb|The [[Autostrada A58]], the [[Milan]] external east ring road, Italy. Together with the [[Autostrada A50]] (Milan west ring road), the [[Autostrada A51]] (Milan east ring road) and the [[Autostrada A52]] (Milan north ring road), it is the largest system of ring roads around a city in Italy, for a total length greater than {{convert|100|km}}.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.milanocittastato.it/evergreen/forse-non-sapevi-che/7-curiosita-sulla-tangenziali-di-milano/|title=7 cose che forse non sapevi delle TANGENZIALI di Milano|access-date=13 June 2024|language=it}}</ref>]]
[[Bypass (road)|Bypasses]] around many large and small towns were built in many areas when many old roads were converted to four-lane status in the 1930s to 1950s, such as those along the [[National Road|Old National Road]] (now generally [[U.S. Route 40|U.S. 40]] or [[Interstate 70]]) in the United States, leaving the old road in place to serve the town or city, but allowing through travelers to continue on a wider, faster and safer route.

Construction of fully circumferential ring roads has generally occurred more recently, beginning in the 1960s in many areas, when the U.S. [[Interstate Highway System]] and similar-quality roads elsewhere were designed. Ring roads have now been built around numerous cities and metropolitan areas, including cities with multiple ring roads, irregularly shaped ring roads and ring roads made up of various other long-distance roads.

[[London]] has three ring roads (the [[M25 motorway]], the [[A406 road|North]] and [[A205|South Circular]] roads and the [[London Inner Ring Road|Inner Ring Road]]). [[Birmingham]] also has three ring roads which consist of the [[Birmingham Box]]; the [[A4540]], commonly known as the Middleway; and the [[A4040]], the Outer Ring Road. Birmingham once had a fourth ring road, the [[A4400]]. This has been partially demolished and downgraded to improve traffic flow into the city. Other British cities have two: [[Leeds]], [[Sheffield]], [[Norwich]] and [[Glasgow]]. [[Cleveland, OH]] and [[San Antonio, TX]], in the [[United States]], also each have two, while [[Houston, Texas]] will have three official ring roads (not including the downtown freeway loop). Some cities have far more{{snd}} [[Beijing]], for example, has [[Ring roads of Beijing|six ring roads]], simply numbered in increasing order from the city center (though skipping #1), while Moscow has five, three innermost ([[Central Squares of Moscow]], [[Boulevard Ring]] and [[Garden Ring]]) corresponding to the concentric lines of fortifications around the ancient city, and the two outermost ([[MKAD]] and [[Third Ring Road (Moscow)|Third Ring]]) built in the twentieth century, though, confusingly, the Third Ring was built last.

Geographical constraints can complicate the construction of a complete ring road. For example, the [[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|Baltimore Beltway]] in [[Maryland]] formerly crossed [[Baltimore Harbor]] on a high arch [[Francis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore)|bridge]] prior to its collapse in 2024, and much of the partially completed [[Stockholm Ring Road]] in [[Sweden]] runs through tunnels or over long bridges. Some towns or cities on sea coasts or near rugged mountains cannot have a full ring road. Examples of such partial ring roads are Dublin's [[M50 motorway (Ireland)|ring road]]; and, in the US, [[Interstate 287]], mostly in [[New Jersey]] (bypassing New York City), and [[Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)|Interstate 495]] around [[Boston]], none of which completely circles these seaport cities.

In other cases, adjacent international boundaries may prevent ring road completion. Construction of a true ring road around [[Detroit]] is effectively blocked by its location on the border with Canada and the [[Detroit River]]; although constructing a route mostly or entirely outside city limits is technically feasible, a true ring around Detroit would necessarily pass through Canada, and so [[Interstate 275 (Michigan)|Interstate 275]] and [[Interstate 696]] together bypass but do not encircle the city. Sometimes, the presence of significant natural or historical areas limits route options, as for the long-proposed [[Washington Outer Beltway|Outer Beltway]] around Washington, D.C., where options for a new western [[Potomac River]] crossing are limited by a nearly continuous corridor of heavily visited scenic, natural, and historical landscapes in the [[Mather Gorge|Potomac River Gorge]] and adjacent areas.

When referring to a road encircling a capital city, the term "beltway" can also have a political connotation, as in the [[United States|American]] term "[[Inside the Beltway (terminology)|Inside the Beltway]]", derived [[metonymy|metonymically]] from the [[Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)|Capital Beltway]] encircling Washington, D.C.

== Impact ==
Ring roads have been criticised for [[Induced demand|inducing demand]], leading to more car journeys being taken and thus higher levels of pollution being created. By creating easy access by car to large areas of land, they can also act as a catalyst for development, leading to [[urban sprawl]] and car-centric planning.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Snell|first=Steven|date=7 November 2013|title=The Irony of Ring Roads|url=https://www.planetizen.com/node/65949|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111190541/https://www.planetizen.com/node/65949|archive-date=11 November 2020|access-date=2021-02-07|website=Planetizen|language=en}}</ref> Ring roads have also been criticised for splitting communities and being difficult to navigate for pedestrians and cyclists.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2014-04-05|title=Are these the worst ring roads in England?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-26036572|access-date=2021-02-07|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111180517/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-26036572|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Examples==
{{Further|List of ring roads}}
[[File:Leeds Inner Ring Road East Aug 2017.jpg|thumb|The [[Leeds Inner Ring Road]] in England was built in a series of tunnels to save space and avoid physically separating the city's centre from its suburbs.]]
[[File:Sardar Patel Ring Road Ahmedabad.png|thumb|[[Sardar Patel Ring Road]], Ahmedabad]]

Most orbital motorways (or beltways) are purpose-built major highways around a town or city, typically without either signals or road or railroad crossings.  In the United States, beltways are commonly parts of the Interstate Highway System.  Similar roads in the United Kingdom are often called "orbital motorways".  Although the terms "ring road" and "orbital motorway" are sometimes used interchangeably, "ring road" often indicates a circumferential route formed from one or more existing roads within a city or town, with the standard of road being anything from an ordinary city street up to motorway level. An excellent example of this is London's North Circular/South Circular ring roads, which are largely made up of (mainly congested) ordinary city streets.

In some cases, a circumferential route is formed by the combination of a major through highway and a similar-quality loop route that extends out from the parent road, later reconnecting with the same highway.  Such loops not only function as a [[bypass route|bypass]] for through traffic, but also to serve outlying [[suburb]]s. In the United States, an Interstate highway loop is usually designated by a three-digit number beginning with an even digit before the two-digit number of its parent interstate. Interstate spurs, on the other hand, generally have three-digit numbers beginning with an odd digit.

===United States===
[[File:2019-07-05 11 31 51 View north along Interstate 95 and Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) from the overpass for Maryland State Route 704 (Martin Luther King, Junior Highway) in Carsondale, Prince George's County, Maryland.jpg|thumb|The [[Capital Beltway]] around [[Washington, DC]]]]
[[File:I275 in Sharonville.jpg|thumb|I-275 passing through Sharonville (suburb of Cincinnati, OH)]]

Within the United States, even numbered three digit interstate highways act a circumferential route of the two digit parent interstate. Some instances (such as [[Interstate 495 (Beltway District of Columbia)|Interstate 495, DC]]) completely circle, while some (such as [[Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)|Interstate 495, MA]]) partially loop, either due to geographical or cancelled/non-completed highways. Within cities, ring roads sometimes have local nicknames; these include [[Washington, D.C.|Washington DC's]] Interstate 495 (The "Capital Beltway"), [[Interstate 270 (Ohio)|Interstate 270]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]] (The "Outerbelt"), and [[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|Interstate 285]] in [[Atlanta]] (The "Perimeter").

The longest complete beltway in the United States is the [[Texas State Highway Loop 1604|Charles W. Anderson Loop]], a {{convert|94|mi|km|adj=on}} loop in [[Texas]] that forms a complete loop around the [[Greater San Antonio]] area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State Highway, Loop, and Spur Facts |url=https://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/shfacts.htm |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=www.dot.state.tx.us}}</ref>

The longest complete belt road, or a beltway that is only two lanes, in the United States is [[Hawaii Belt Road]], a {{convert|260|mi|km|adj=on}} belt in [[Hawaii]] that forms a complete belt road around [[Hawaii Island]].
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/home/hawaii/state-roads-and-highways/ |title=Big Island State Roads and Highways |website=hidot.hawaii.gov |access-date=2022-08-10 |archive-date=26 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226022604/https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/home/hawaii/state-roads-and-highways/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other major U.S. cities with such a beltway superhighway:
* [[Atlanta, Georgia]]—[[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|Interstate 285]] (the Perimeter)
* [[Athens, Georgia]]—[[Georgia State Route 10 Loop (Athens)|Georgia State Route 10 Loop/Athens Perimeter]]
* [[Augusta, Georgia]]/[[North Augusta, South Carolina]]—[[Interstate 520]], and [[Interstate 20]]
* [[Baltimore]]—[[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|Interstate 695]] formerly including the [[Francis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore)|Francis Scott Key Bridge]]
* [[Boston]]—[[Massachusetts Route 128|Route 128]]/[[Interstate 95 in Massachusetts|Interstate 95]] and [[Interstate 93]]/[[U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 1]] form an inner beltway, and Interstate 495 (Massachusetts) forms an outer beltway.  Inside the inner Route 128/I-95 and I-95/US 1 beltway, there were proposals (sinced canceled) for another beltway (at the time called the "Inner Belt" that would have carried  [[Interstate 695 (Massachusetts)|Interstate 695]]; I-95 would have entered Boston via the [[Southwest Corridor (Massachusetts)|Southwest Corridor]] (Since redeveloped as part of the [[Northeast Corridor]] Mile Posts 217.3-228.7), while the rest of the belt would have carried Interstate 695.
* [[Birmingham, Alabama]]—[[Interstate 459]] and proposed/under construction [[Interstate 422]]
* [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]—[[Interstate 485]], and [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|Interstate 277]]
* [[Cincinnati]]—[[Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky)|Interstate 275]]
* [[Cleveland]]—[[Interstate 271 (Ohio)|Interstate 271]] and [[Interstate 480 (Ohio)|Interstate 480]]
* [[Columbia, South Carolina]]—[[Interstate 26]], [[Interstate 77]], and [[Interstate 20]]
* [[Columbus, Ohio]]—[[Interstate 270 (Ohio)|Interstate 270]]
* [[Dallas]]—[[Dallas#Transportation|Downtown Circulator]], [[Interstate 20]]/[[Interstate 635 (Texas)|Interstate 635]]/[[Loop 12]]/[[Texas State Highway Spur 408|Spur 408]], and [[President George Bush Turnpike]]
* [[Denver]]—(Partial) [[Colorado State Highway 470]] and [[E-470]]
* [[Des Moines, Iowa]]-[[Interstate 35]]/[[Interstate 80]], [[U.S. Route 69]], [[Iowa Highway 5]]
* [[Detroit]]—[[Interstate 275 (Michigan)|Interstate 275]] and [[Interstate 696]]
* [[Dothan, Alabama]]—[[Ross Clark Circle]]; [[U.S. Route 231]], [[U.S. Route 431]], [[U.S. Route 84]], and [[Alabama State Route 210]]
* [[El Paso, Texas]]—[[Loop 375]]
* [[Fort Wayne, Indiana]]—[[Interstate 69]] and [[Interstate 469]]
* [[Fort Worth, Texas]]—[[Interstate 20]]/[[Interstate 820]]
* [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]—[[Interstate 85 in North Carolina|Interstate 85]], [[Interstate 840 (North Carolina)|Interstate 840]], [[Interstate 73 in North Carolina|Interstate 73]]
* [[Hawaii Island]]—[[Hawaii Belt Road]]
* [[Houston]]—[[Interstate 610 (Texas)|Interstate 610]], [[Texas State Highway Beltway 8|Beltway 8]], and the [[Texas State Highway 99|Grand Parkway]].
* [[Indianapolis]]—[[Interstate 465]]
* [[Jacksonville, Florida]]—[[Interstate 295 (Florida)|Interstate 295]]
* [[Kansas City, Kansas]]/[[Kansas City, Missouri]]—[[Interstate 435]]
* [[Lansing, Michigan]]—[[Interstate 96]], [[Interstate 69 in Michigan|Interstate 69]], [[U.S. Route 127 in Michigan|U.S Route 127]] and [[Interstate 496]]
* [[Las Vegas]]—[[Interstate 215 (Nevada)|Interstate 215]]
* [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]]—[[New Circle Road|KY-4]]
* [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]]—[[Interstate 264 (Kentucky)|Interstate 264]], [[Interstate 265]]
* [[Lubbock, Texas]]—[[Texas State Highway Loop 289|Loop 289]]
* [[Memphis, Tennessee]]—[[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|Interstate 240]] and [[Interstate 40 (Tennessee)|Interstate 40]] (Inner Beltway); [[Interstate 269]] (Outer Beltway)
* [[Minneapolis]]/[[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]—[[Interstate 94]], [[Interstate 494]], and [[Interstate 694]]
* [[Nashville, Tennessee]]—Downtown Loop ([[Interstate 24]], [[Interstate 40]], and [[Interstate 65]]), [[Interstate 440 (Tennessee)|Interstate 440]], and [[Briley Parkway]]
* [[Oklahoma City]]—[[Interstate 44]], [[Kickapoo Turnpike]], [[Interstate 40 (Oklahoma)|Interstate 40]], [[Interstate 240 (Oklahoma)|Interstate 240]], [[Oklahoma State Highway 152|OK-152]] and [[John Kilpatrick Turnpike]]
* [[New York City]]—[[Interstate 287]]
* [[Norfolk, Virginia]]/[[Hampton Roads]]—[[Hampton Roads Beltway]]; [[Interstate 64]] and [[Interstate 664]]
* [[Philadelphia]]—[[Interstate 476]], [[Interstate 276]] and [[Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania|Interstate 95]] around Philadelphia
* [[Philadelphia]]/[[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]]—[[Interstate 676]] and [[Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey)|Interstate 76]] around Center City and Camden
* [[Philadelphia]]/[[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]]/[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]—[[Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania|Interstate 95 in PA]]/[[Interstate 95 in Delaware|DE]] and [[Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania)|Interstate 295]]
* [[Phoenix, Arizona]]—[[Arizona State Route 101]] and [[Arizona State Route 202]]
* [[Pittsburgh]]—[[Interstate 79]], the mainline [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] and the [[Allegheny County belt system]]. (all [[de facto]] or, in the case of the latter, largely on surface streets) The [[Pennsylvania Route 576|Southern Beltway]], which is currently under construction, will serve as a true beltway.
* [[Portland, Oregon]]—[[Interstate 405 (Oregon)|Interstate 405]] and [[Interstate 205 (Oregon)|Interstate 205]]
* [[Providence, Rhode Island]]—[[Rhode Island Route 10]] serves as a partial inner beltway, while [[Interstate 295 (Rhode Island)|Interstate 295]] serves as a partial beltway to the west of Providence.  Two different proposals (both since canceled) would have completed the outer I-295 beltway; the unbuilt sections were going to be designated [[Interstate 895 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)|Interstate 895]].
* [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]—[[Interstate 540 (North Carolina)|Interstate 540/North Carolina State Route 540]] (Raleigh Outer Loop) and [[Interstate 440 (North Carolina)|Interstate 440]] (Raleigh Beltline)
* [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]/[[Petersburg, Virginia]]—[[Interstate 295 (Virginia)|Interstate 295]]
* [[Sacramento]]—[[Interstate 80 in California|Interstate 80]], [[U.S. Route 50 in California|U.S. Route 50]], [[Interstate 80 Business (Sacramento, California)|Capital City Freeway]]
* [[Saint Louis, Missouri]]—[[Interstate 255]] and [[Interstate 270 (Illinois–Missouri)|Interstate 270]]
* [[Salt Lake City]]—[[Interstate 215 (Utah)|Interstate 215]]
* [[San Antonio]]—[[Downtown San Antonio#Transportation|Downtown Circulator]], [[Interstate 410]], and [[Loop 1604]]
* [[San Diego]]—[[California State Route 54]], [[California State Route 125]], [[California State Route 52]]
* [[San Francisco Bay Area]]—[[Interstate 280 (California)|Interstate 280]] and [[Interstate 680 (California)|Interstate 680]]
* [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]]—[[Interstate 81]] and [[Interstate 476]]
* [[Toledo, Ohio]]—[[Interstate 475 (Ohio)]], [[Interstate 75 (Ohio)|Interstate 75]], The [[Ohio Turnpike]] and [[Interstate 280 (Ohio)|Interstate 280]]

There are other U.S. superhighway beltway systems that consist of multiple routes that require multiple interchanges and thus do not provide true ring routes. Two designated examples are the [[Capital Beltway (Harrisburg)|Capital Beltway]] around [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] using [[Interstate 81]], [[Interstate 83]], and [[Pennsylvania Route 581]] and "The Bypass" around [[South Bend, Indiana]] using [[Interstate 80]], [[Interstate 90]], [[U.S. Route 31]], and [[Indiana State Road 331]].

===Canada===
[[File:AnthonyHendayDrive.JPG|thumb|The Anthony Henday Drive ring road in Edmonton]]
[[Edmonton]], Alberta, has two ring roads. The first is a loose conglomeration of four major [[arterial roads]] with an average distance of {{convert|6|km|mi}} from the downtown core. [[Yellowhead Trail]] forms the northern section, [[Wayne Gretzky Drive]]/75&nbsp;Street forms the eastern section, [[Whitemud Drive]] forms the southern and longest section, and [[170 Street, Edmonton|170&nbsp;Street]] forms the western and shortest section. Whitemud Drive is the only section that is a true [[controlled-access highway]], while Yellowhead Trail and Wayne Gretzky Drive have interchanges and intersections and are therefore both [[limited-access road]]s. Yellowhead Trail is currently being upgraded to full freeway standards. 170&nbsp;Street and 75&nbsp;Street are merely large arterial roads with intersections only.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.connect2edmonton.ca/forum/showthread.php?t%3D7701 |title=Inner Ring Road|website=Connect2Edmonton |access-date=12 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714221019/http://www.connect2edmonton.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=7701 |archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> The second and more prominent ring road is named [[Anthony Henday Drive]]; it circles the city at an average distance of {{convert|12|km}} from the downtown core. It is a freeway for its entire {{convert|78|km|mi|adj=on}} length, and was built to reduce inner-city traffic congestion, created a bypass of Yellowhead Trail, and has improved the movement of goods and services across Edmonton and the surrounding areas. It was completed in October 2016 as the first free-flowing orbital road in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.northeastanthonyhenday.com/|title=Northeast Anthony Henday Drive|website=www.northeastanthonyhenday.com|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=31 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731232507/http://www.northeastanthonyhenday.com/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=NEdone>{{cite web|url=http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/3787.htm|title=Northeast Anthony Henday Drive|publisher=Alberta Transportation|date=2016|access-date=2 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012233926/http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/3787.htm |quote=The northeast leg of Anthony Henday Drive opened on October 1, 2016, after five years of construction...|archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Stoney Trail]] is a ring road that circles the city of [[Calgary]], Alberta, for an entire length of {{convert|101|km|mi|adj=on}}.<ref>{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/50.8925504,-114.0541641/51.0883919,-114.232038/@51.0076755,-114.3541968,9.83z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-113.914815!2d51.1754976!3s0x5371618c25df390f:0xac8b1918bd6bf97c!1m0!3e0|title=Length of Stoney Trail|access-date=1 December 2016}}</ref>

[[Winnipeg]], Manitoba, has a ring road which is called the [[Perimeter Highway]]. It is designated as [[Manitoba Highway 101]] on the north, northwest and east sides and as [[Manitoba Highway 100]] on the south and southwest sides. The majority of it is a four-lane divided [[Limited-access road|expressway]]. It has a second ring road, planned since the 1950s and not yet completed, called the Suburban Beltway. It consists of several roads—[[Lagimodière Boulevard]], [[Winnipeg Route 165|Abinojii Mikanah]], the Fort Garry Bridge, the Moray Bridge, [[Winnipeg Route 96|William R Clement Parkway]], [[Winnipeg Route 17|Chief Peguis Trail]] and the [[Kildonan Bridge]].

[[Saskatoon]], Saskatchewan, has a ring road named Circle Drive. It is cosigned as [[Saskatchewan Highway 16]] and [[Saskatchewan Highway 11]] along the whole route since the 2013 opening of Circle Drive South.

[[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]], Saskatchewan has a partial ring road that is named [[Ring Road (Regina, Saskatchewan)|Ring Road]]; however, due to the city's urban growth since the road was originally constructed, it no longer functions as a true ring road and has instead come to be used partially for local arterial traffic. The [[Regina Bypass]], a new partial ring road, has replaced it, although Ring Road must still be used in the northeast quadrant of the city.

[[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], Ontario, has the [[Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway]], [[Ontario Highway 403|Highway 403]] and the [[Red Hill Valley Parkway]] which form a ring on three sides.

[[Greater Sudbury|Sudbury]], Ontario, has a partial ring road consisting of the [[Southwest and Southeast Bypasses]] segment of [[Ontario Highway 17|Highway 17]], and the Northwest Bypass segment of [[Ontario Highway 144|Highway 144]]. An unofficial northeast "bypass" route can also be completed on city arterial roads that largely bypass the urban core of the city, but are not fully controlled-access and must be shared with local traffic in the [[Nickel Centre]] and [[Rayside-Balfour]] districts of the city.

===Europe===
[[File:Autostrada A90 Italia 2011-by-RaBoe-122.jpg|thumb|[[Grande Raccordo Anulare]], the ring road of [[Rome]], Italy]]
Most major cities in Europe are served by a ring road that circles either the inner core of their metropolitan areas or the outer borders of the city proper or both. In major transit hubs, such as the [[Île-de-France]] region surrounding Paris and the [[Frankfurt]] area, major national highways converge just outside city limits before forming one of several routes of an urban network of roads circling the city. Unlike in United States, route numbering is not a challenge on European ring roads as routes merge to form the single designated road. However, exit and road junction access can be challenging due to the complexity of other routes branching from or into the ring road.

One of the most renowned ring roads is the [[Vienna Ring Road]] (''Ringstraße''), a grand boulevard constructed in the mid-19th century and filled with representative buildings. Due to its unique architectural beauty and history, it has also been called the "Lord of the ring roads", and is declared by UNESCO as part of Vienna's [[World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/travel/experts-guide-austria-ringstrasse/index.html|title=Vienna's Ringstrasse celebrates 150 years|last=Malathronas|first=John|date=24 April 2015|website=edition.cnn.com|publisher=CNN|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231145406/http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/travel/experts-guide-austria-ringstrasse/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1033|title=Historic Centre of Vienna|website=whc.unesco.org|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=2 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102143945/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1033|url-status=live}}</ref>

Major European cities that are served by a ring road or ring road system:
* [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands  – [[A10 motorway (Netherlands)|A10 motorway]]
* [[Antwerp]], Belgium – [[R1 ring road (Belgium)|R1]]
* [[Athens]], Greece – [[Attiki Odos]] (Motorway A6)
* [[Barcelona]], Spain – [[Ronda de Dalt]] and [[Ronda Litoral]] (inner city), B30 and B40 (metropolitan region)
* [[Belgrade]], Serbia – [[Belgrade bypass]]
* [[Berlin]], Germany  – [[Bundesautobahn 100]] (inner city), [[Bundesautobahn 111]] (city proper), [[Bundesautobahn 10]] (inner metropolitan region)
* [[Birmingham]], England – [[A4400]] (Birmingham Queensway); [[A4540]] (Birmingham Middleway); [[A4040]] (Birmingham Outer Circle)
* [[Bologna]], Italy – [[Tangenziale di Bologna]] (periphery half-ring road) and Viali di Circonvallazione (full and inner ring road: around the city center)
* [[Bordeaux]], France – [[Rocade de Bordeaux]]
* [[Bratislava]], Slovakia – [[D4 motorway (Slovakia)|D4 motorway]] (Bratislavsky okruch)
* [[Brussels]], Belgium – [[Small ring (Brussels)|Petite ceinture/Kleine ring]] (inner city), [[Greater ring (Brussels)|R22]] (outer districts), [[Brussels Ring]] (city proper)
* [[Bucharest]], Romania – [[A0 motorway (Romania)|A0 Motorway]]
* [[Budapest]], Hungary – [[M0 motorway (Hungary)|M0]]
* [[Caen]], France – [[Périphérique (Caen)|Périphérique de Caen]]
* [[Catania]], Italy – [[Tangenziale di Catania]]
* [[Charleroi]], Belgium – {{ill|R9 (Belgium)|lt=R9|fr|Ring belge R9|vertical-align=sup}} (inner city), [[R3 (ring road)|R3]] (inner metropolitan region)
* [[Cologne]], Germany – [[Cologne Ring]] (inner city), [[Cologne Beltway]] (metropolitan region)
* [[Copenhagen]], Denmark – [[Ring 2 (Copenhagen)|Ring 2]], {{ill|Ring 3 (Copenhagen)|lt=Ring 3|da|Ring 3 (København)|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Ring 4 (Copenhagen)|lt=Ring 4|da|Ring 4 (København)|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Motorring 3|da|vertical-align=sup}} and [[Motorring 4]]
* [[Coventry]], England – [[Coventry ring road|A4053 Coventry ring road]]
* [[Dublin]], Ireland – [[M50 motorway (Ireland)|M50 motorway]]
* [[Frankfurt]], Germany – [[Bundesautobahn 66]] and [[Bundesautobahn 661]] (city proper), [[Frankfurter Kreuz]] system (inner metropolitan region)
* [[Ghent]], Belgium – R4
* [[Glasgow]], Scotland – [[Glasgow Inner Ring Road]] (inner city)
* [[Hamburg]], Germany – [[Hamburg Wallring|Inner Ring]] (inner city)
* [[Helsinki]], Finland – [[Ring I]], [[Ring II]], [[Ring III]]
* [[Herning]], Denmark – {{ill|Messemotorvejen|da|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Messemotorvejens forlængelse|da|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Sindingvej|da|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Midtjyske Motorvej|da|vertical-align=sup}}
* [[Košice]], Slovakia – {{ill|Ring road 1 (MO 1)|sk|Mestský okruh číslo 1 (Košice)|vertical-align=sup}} {{ill|Ring road 2 (MO 2)|sk|Mestský okruh číslo 2 (Košice)|vertical-align=sup}}{{ill|I/16|sk|Cesta I. triedy 16 (Slovensko)|vertical-align=sup}} and {{ill|I/20|sk|Cesta I. triedy 20 (Slovensko)|vertical-align=sup}}
* [[Leeds]], England – [[Leeds Inner Ring Road]] (inner city), [[Leeds Outer Ring Road]] (suburbs)
* [[Leipzig]], Germany – [[Inner City Ring Road (Leipzig)]] (inner city), {{ill|Mitteldeutsche Schleife|de|vertical-align=sup}} (double ring road of the [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]]-[[Leipzig]] metropolitan region)
* [[London]], England – [[London Inner Ring Road]] (inner city), [[North Circular Road, London|North Circular Road]] and [[South Circular Road, London|South Circular Road]] (inner suburbs), [[M25 motorway]] (metropolitan region)
* [[Lisbon]], Portugal – 2ª Circular (Inner City), [[Roads in Portugal#Itiner.C3.A1rios complementares|IC17-CRIL]] (City Proper), [[Roads in Portugal#Autoestradas|IC18/A9-CREL]] (Metropolitan Region)
* [[Lyon]], France – [[A7 autoroute]] and [[A46 autoroute]] (city proper)
* [[Ljubljana]], Slovenia – [[Ljubljana Ring Road]]
* [[Madrid]], Spain – [[Autopista de Circunvalación M-30|M-30]] (inner city), [[Autopista de Circunvalación M-40|M-40]] (inner metropolitan region), [[M-50 (Spain)|M-50]] (outer metropolitan region, incomplete)
* [[Malmö]], Sweden – Inre ringvägen (inner city), [[European route E6|E6]] & [[European route E20|E20]] (outer city city)
* [[Manchester]], England – [[Manchester Inner Ring Road]] (inner city), [[M60 motorway (Great Britain)|M60 motorway]] (metropolitan region)
* [[Milan]], Italy – [[Autostrada A4 (Italy)|Autostrada A4]], [[Autostrada A50 (Italy)|Autostrada A50]] (West), [[Autostrada A51 (Italy)|Autostrada A51]] (East), [[Autostrada A52 (Italy)|Autostrada A52]] (North) and [[Autostrada A58 (Italy)|Autostrada A58]] (Outer Eastern) bypass roads (it is the largest system of ring roads around a city in Italy, for a total length greater than {{convert|100|km}}<ref name="auto"/>), Circolare Esterna (periphery ring road), Circonvallazione (ring road around the centre), Cerchia Interna (ring road in the city centre)
* [[Minsk]], Belarus – [[MKAD (Minsk)|M9]]
* [[Moscow]], Russia – [[Boulevard Ring]], [[Garden Ring]], [[Third Ring Road (Moscow)|Third Ring Road]], [[Moscow Ring Road]] (opened in 1961)
* [[Munich]], Germany – [[Altstadtring]] (inner city), [[Bundesstraße 2 R]] (middle ring), [[Bundesautobahn 99]] (inner metropolitan region)
* [[Naples]], Italy – [[Autostrada A56 (Italy)|Tangenziale di Napoli]]
* [[Oslo]], Norway – {{ill|Ring 1 (Oslo)|lt=Ring 1|nb|Riksvei 162|vertical-align=sup}} (city centre), [[Ring 2 (Oslo)|Ring 2]] (middle ring) and [[Ring 3 (Oslo)|Ring 3]] (city proper)
* [[Oxford]], England – [[Oxford Ring Road]]
* [[Paris]], France – [[Boulevard Périphérique]] (city proper), [[A86 autoroute]] (inner metropolitan region), [[Francilienne]] (tertiary ring road), [[Grand contournement de Paris]] (metropolitan region)
* [[Padua]], Italy – [[Tangenziale di Padova|GRAP]]
* [[Palma de Mallorca]], Spain – [[Autopista Ma-20|Ma-20]] (Vía de Cintura)
* [[Prague]], Czech Republic – outer – [[D0 motorway (Czech Republic)|D0]] and inner Městský okruh
* [[Poznań]], Poland – outer ring: [[Expressway S11 (Poland)|expressway S11]], [[A2 autostrada (Poland)|motorway A2]] ([[Concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with S5 and S11), [[Expressway S5 (Poland)|expressway S5]]; inner rings: 1st – partially completed, 2nd – completed, partially concurrent with [[National road 92 (Poland)|national road 92]] and [[voivodeship road]]s 196 and 433, 3rd – planned
* [[Reggio Calabria]], Italy – [[Raccordo autostradale RA4|Tangenziale di Reggio Calabria]]
* [[Rennes]], France – [[Rennes#Roads|Rocade de Rennes]]
* [[Rome]], Italy – [[Grande Raccordo Anulare]]
* [[Sofia]], Bulgaria – [[Sofia Ring Road]]
* [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia – [[Saint Petersburg Ring Road]]
* [[Stockholm]], Sweden – [[Norra länken|Nörra Länken]], [[Essingeleden]], [[Södra länken|Södra Länken]] (city proper) and [[European route E20|E20]] (outer city, under completion).
* [[Skopje]], North Macedonia – [[A2 motorway (North Macedonia)]] (part of [[European route E65|E65]])
* [[Tampere]], Finland – [[Tampere Ring Road]]
* [[Toulouse]], France – [[Périphérique de Toulouse]]
* [[Thessaloniki]], Greece – [[Thessaloniki Inner Ring Road]]
* [[Turin]], Italy – [[Autostrada A55|Tangenziale di Torino]]
* [[Venice]], Italy – [[Tangenziale di Venezia]]
* [[Vienna]], Austria – [[Vienna Ring Road]] (inner city), [[Vienna Beltway]] (outer districts)
* [[Vigo]], Spain – [[VG-20|VG-20 (Vigo Ring Road)]]
* [[Warsaw]], Poland – [[Expressway S2 (Poland)|Expressway S2]], [[Expressway S7 (Poland)|Expressway S7]], [[Expressway S8 (Poland)|Expressway S8]], [[Expressway S17 (Poland)|Expressway S17]] (planned stretch)
* [[Wrocław]], Poland – Outer ring: [[Autostrada A4 (Poland)|Autostrada A4]], [[Autostrada A8 (Poland)|Autostrada A8]], [[Expressway S8 (Poland)|Expressway S8]], {{ill|Wroclaw Eastern Bypass|pl|Obwodnica wschodnia Wrocławia}} (in construction). Inner ring: [[National road 5 (Poland)|National road 5]], {{ill|National road 94|pl|Droga krajowa nr 94}}
* [[Zagreb]], Croatia – [[Zagreb bypass]]
* [[Žilina|Zillina]], Slovakia  – {{ill|I/60|sk|Cesta I. triedy 60 (Slovensko)|vertical-align=sup}} Mestky okruch

In [[Iceland]], there is a 1,332&nbsp;km ring road, called [[Route 1 (Iceland)|the ring road]] (or Route 1), around most of the island (excluding only the remote [[Westfjords]]). Most of the country's settlements are on or near this road.

====Some maps of ring roads in Europe====
<gallery>
File:Autoroute R1 (BE).svg|[[Antwerp]], Belgium
File:Berlin BAB 10.svg|[[Berlin]], Germany
File:Sistema Autostradale Bologna.svg|[[Bologna]], Italy
File:Bordeaux motorway since 2017.svg|[[Bordeaux]], France
File:Bxl rocades.png|[[Brussels]], Belgium
File:Traffic Bukarest.svg|[[Bucharest]], Romania
File:M0 térkép.png|[[Budapest]], Hungary
File:Boulevard périphérique de Caen.svg|[[Caen]], France
File:Mappa RA15.svg|[[Catania]], Italy
File:Autoroute R3 (BE).svg|[[Charleroi]], Belgium
File:M50 motorway (Ireland).png|[[Dublin]], Ireland
File:Ljubljana-OpenStreetMap-Mapnik-100k.svg|[[Ljubljana]], Slovenia
File:Lyon Autoroutes.svg|[[Lyon]], France
File:M30 mapa.svg|[[Madrid]], Spain (Inner city)
File:Autopistam40.svg|[[Madrid]], Spain (Inner metropolitan region)
File:M50 madrid.svg|[[Madrid]], Spain
File:Milano - mappa tangenziali.svg|[[Milan]], Italy
File:Moscow MKAD.svg|[[Moscow]], Russia
File:Rocades de Paris (2024).png|[[Paris]], France
File:Svincoli GRA Roma.svg|[[Rome]], Italy
File:Sofia Ring Road map.svg|[[Sofia]], Bulgaria
File:Toulouse Autoroutes.svg|[[Toulouse]], France
File:Mappa A55.svg|[[Turin]], Italy
File:Sistema autostradale venezia.svg|[[Venice]], Italy
File:Zaobilaznica Zagreba.svg|[[Zagreb]], Croatia
</gallery>

===Asia-Pacific===
[[File:名二環タイトル画像.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Chūkyō metropolitan area]]([[Nagoya]])]]
Major cities that are served by a ring road or ring road system:
* [[Australia]]: Sydney ([[Sydney Orbital Network]]), Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne have ring roads.
* [[Afghanistan]], [[Highway 1 (Afghanistan)|Ring Road]], a 2200&nbsp;km long road circulating inside the country, and connects most of Afghanistan's major cities, such as [[Kabul]], [[Ghazni]], [[Kandahar]], [[Herat]] and [[Mazar-i-Sharif]].
* [[Ahmedabad]], India – [[Sardar Patel Ring Road]]
* [[Ankara]], Turkey – [[Otoyol 20]]
* [[Bandung]], Indonesia – [[Padalarang–Cileunyi Toll Road|Padaleunyi Toll Road]], Soekarno-Hatta Road
* [[Bangkok]], Thailand – [[Ratchadaphisek Road]] (Inner Ring Road) and [[Kanchanaphisek Road]] (Outer Ring Road)
* [[Beijing]], China – [[Ring roads of Beijing|ring roads]] encircling the city.<ref name=":025">{{Cite book |last=Hu |first=Richard |title=Reinventing the Chinese City |date=2023 |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |isbn=978-0-231-21101-7 |location=New York}}</ref>{{Rp|page=135}}
* [[Bengaluru]], India - [[Outer Ring Road, Bangalore|Outer Ring Road]]. The [[Peripheral Ring Road]] and [[Satellite Town Ring Road]] are upcoming ring roads around Bengaluru.
* [[Chiang Mai]], Thailand – Chiang Mai Outer Ring Road (National Highway 121)
* [[Christchurch]], New Zealand – [[Christchurch Ring Road]] includes parts of State Highways [[State Highway 1 (New Zealand)|1]], [[State Highway 74 (New Zealand)|74]], and [[State Highway 76 (New Zealand)|76]]. The "[[Four Avenues]]" (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue, and Deans Avenue) serve as an inner ring around the central city.
* [[Delhi]], India – [[Inner Ring Road, Delhi]], [[Outer Ring Road, Delhi]], and the Peripheral Expressway consisting of two halves, the [[Western Peripheral Expressway]] and the [[Eastern Peripheral Expressway]].
* [[Erbil]], Iraq – Four ring roads circulating through/around the city.
* [[Fukuoka]], Japan – [[Fukuoka Expressway Circular Route]]
* [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], Malaysia – [[George Town Inner Ring Road]], Penang Middle Ring Road
* [[Hanoi]], Vietnam – [[Ringway 3 (Hanoi)|Ringway 3]]
* [[Ho Chi Minh City]], Vietnam – Ringway 3
* [[Hawaii Island]], [[Hawaii]] – [[Hawaii Belt Road]]
* [[Hong Kong|Hong Kong, Hong Kong]] – [[Route 9 (Hong Kong)|Route 9]] (New Territories Circular Road)
* [[Hyderabad]], India – [[Outer Ring Road, Hyderabad]]
* [[Jakarta]], Indonesia – [[Jakarta Inner Ring Road]], [[Jakarta Outer Ring Road]], [[Jakarta Outer Ring Road 2]]
* [[Kalaburagi]], India – [[Kalaburagi Ring Road]]
* [[Kathmandu]], Nepal – [[Ring Road (Kathmandu)|Kathmandu Ringroad]]
* [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia – [[Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road]], [[Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1]], [[Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2]], [[East Klang Valley Expressway|Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road]]
* [[Lahore]], Pakistan – [[Lahore Ring Road]]
* [[Metro Manila|Manila]], [[Philippines]] – [[Circumferential Road 1]], [[Circumferential Road 2]], [[Circumferential Road 3]], [[EDSA]], [[Circumferential Road 5]], [[Circumferential Road 6]]
* [[Medina]], Saudi Arabia – King Faisal Road (1st Ring Road) and King Abdullah Road (2nd Ring Road)
* [[Mysuru]], India – [[Outer Ring Road, Mysore|Outer Ring Road]]
* [[Chūkyō metropolitan area|Nagoya]], Japan – [[Ring Route (Nagoya Expressway)|C1 Inner Ring Route Expressway]], [[Mei-Nikan Expressway|C2 Second Ring Route Expressway]], [[Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway|C3 Third Ring Route Expressway]], [[Japan National Route 302]], [[Nagoya Municipal Road Nagoya Inner Ring]]
* [[Nakhon Ratchasima]], Thailand – Nakhon Ratchasima Ring Route (National Highway 290)
* [[Nagpur]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]] - Inner Ring Road, [[Outer Ring Road, Nagpur | Outer Ring Road]]
* [[Osaka]], Japan – [[Loop Route]]
* [[Peshawar]], Pakistan – [[Peshawar Ring Road]]
* [[Ranchi]], India – [[Ranchi Ring Road]]
* [[Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area|Rawalpindi/Islamabad]], Pakistan = [[Rawalpindi Ring Road]] (under construction)
* [[Riyadh]], Saudi Arabia – Riyadh Ring Road
* [[Sendai]], Japan – Gurutto Sendai
* [[Seoul]], South Korea – [[Capital Region First Ring Expressway]]
* [[Shanghai]], China – [[Inner Ring Road (Shanghai)|Inner Ring Road]], [[Middle Ring Road (Shanghai)|Middle Ring Road]], [[Shanghai Outer Ring Expressway|S20 Outer Ring Expressway]], [[G1501 Shanghai Ring Expressway]]
* [[Singapore]], Singapore – [[Outer Ring Road System]]
* [[Suphan Buri]], Thailand – Suphan Buri Ring Route (National Hightway 357)
* [[Tianjin]], China – [[Inner Ring Road (Tianjin)|Inner]], [[Middle Ring Road (Tianjin)|Middle]] and [[Outer Ring Road (Tianjin)|Outer]] Ring Roads
* [[Greater Tokyo Area|Tokyo]], Japan – [[Inner Circular Route (Shuto Expressway)|C1 Inner Circular Expressway]], [[Central Circular Route (Shuto Expressway)|C2 Central Circular Expressway]], [[Tokyo Gaikan Expressway|C3 Gaikan Expressway]], [[Ken-Ō Expressway|C4 Ken-Ō Expressway]], [[Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line|CA Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line]]/[[Bayshore Route|B Bayshore Route]], [[Yokohama Ring Expressway]], [[Japan National Route 16]], [[Japan National Route 298]], [[Japan National Route 357]], [[Japan National Route 468]]

===Africa===
* [[Addis Ababa]], Ethiopia – Addis Ababa Ring Road
* [[Bloemfontein]], South Africa – [[Bloemfontein Ring Road]]
* [[Cairo]], Egypt – [[Ring Road (Cairo)]]
* [[Durban]], South Africa – [[Durban Outer Ring Road]]
* [[Johannesburg]], South Africa – [[Johannesburg Ring Road]]
* [[Polokwane]], South Africa – [[Polokwane Ring Road]]
* [[Pretoria]], South Africa – [[Pretoria Ring Road]]

==See also==
* [[Circumferential Highway]]
* [[Downtown circulator]]
* [[Link road]]
* [[List of ring roads]]
* [[Circle route]], a public transport route forming a circle

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Road types}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Types of roads]]
[[Category:Ring roads| ]]