Gore (road)

In road and highway construction, a gore (US) or nose (UK)^[1] is a triangular plot of land, not to be driven on, where a road forks at the intersection with a second road, or merges on and off from a larger one. Gores at exit ramps occasionally have impact attenuators, especially when an obstruction such as a bridge abutment follows the gore.

Highway exit gore in Gdańsk, Poland, with a transversely lined "theoretical gore", followed by a grass-covered physical one

Two diverging white lines demarcate the theoretical gore of this highway exit on Interstate 40 in Arkansas, with a grass-covered physical gore following it. In this instance, the theoretical gore contains no markings.

Exit gore on Interstate 95 in Connecticut. Note the theoretical gore has been marked with chevrons.

The US term gore (describing a space) historical, representing a characteristically triangular piece of land, often designated incidentally when two surveys failed to meet. Etymologically it is derived from gār, meaning spear.^[2]

A "virtual" (or theoretical) gore is a triangular shaped paved space, which may lead to the unpaved area of a larger physical gore. A theoretical gore is commonly marked with transverse or chevron painted lines to discourage being driven on.

In the US, at the "theoretical gore point", a dotted white line becomes a wide solid white channelizing line and another wide solid white line angles off along the edge of the diverging road, forming an elongated white triangle in front of the gore. This as a "neutral area" with white chevron markings optionally added.^[3]

See also

• Intersection (road)