roadway
n. countablen. the part of a road that vehicles drive on. It usually refers to the hard surface between the sidewalks or edges.
n. the specific portion of a road intended for vehicular traffic, excluding shoulders and sidewalks.
The car pulled over to the side of the roadway.
Heavy rain caused several large branches to fall onto the roadway, blocking traffic in both directions.
Engineers must ensure that the roadway is constructed with a slight curve to allow water to drain away from the center during storms.
From Middle English rodeway, radewey (attested in radewey-stile (literally “roadway-stile”)), equivalent to road + way; road had the early sense of "riding" when the compound was formed, thus originally "a way for riding on".
Often used in technical or formal contexts like traffic reports and engineering rather than casual conversation.