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

thumb|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.

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

In road and highway construction, a gore (US) or nose (UK) 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.

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.

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.

A very old example of a gore surviving as a street name in London is Kensington Gore, long completely built over and reshaped, where now stands the Albert Hall.

See also

  • Intersection (road)

References

de:Fahrbahnmarkierung#Flächenmarkierungen