Australia Distance-based exit numbering is used in Queensland, although there is not a consistent approach for defining the datum. For example, exit numbers may increase from south to north or north to south. Victoria and New South Wales have partially implemented sequential exit numbering on selected urban motorways. For instance, the M31 Hume Motorway in New South Wales has exit numbering between Prestons and Campbelltown.
Europe Most European countries use sequential numbering schemes. Spain uses distance-based numbering on its Autovias, but not on its Autopistas. Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia use distance-based schemes. A number of European countries (including the Netherlands, Belgium and France) do not number motorway intersections, apparently because one cannot "exit" the motorway there. Countries like Germany and Switzerland number interchanges, but instead of the usual exit symbol, they are given a specific interchange symbol. (
E8/
E75) in
Oulu, Finland Italy uses sequential numbering on the ring roads for some cities, including the ring road of Rome (
GRA) and Milan (
Tangenziali). At one time, it referred to junctions on the
Autostrada del Sole by number, and published same on toll tickets; though these may not have been posted on signs. Both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland use sequential numbering systems, with the junction number indicated by a white number in a black square in the corner of signs. In the United Kingdom they are frequently referenced in the media as the number with "J" prefixed to it, with for example Junction 58 being referred to as "J58"; as such this abbreviated term has entered popular usage. If a junction is newly constructed between two existing junctions, it is normally allocated the number of the lower of the two junctions, with the letter "A" attached, followed by "B", then "C" (and so on). For example, a new junction opened between Junctions 86 and 87 would become Junction 86A, and if a new junction opened between Junctions 86A and 87, it would be Junction 86B. In the Republic of Ireland, junction numbers have existed since the opening of the first section of the
M50 motorway in 1990. Since 2005 have been given greater prominence on road signs. With the development of the
inter-urban motorway network in the 2000s, the
National Roads Authority adopted a numbering scheme for the inter-urban roads that saw Junction 1 be designated as that road's junction with the M50 in most cases. This has meant renumbering of existing junctions on some motorways, most notably the
M7 motorway. Non-motorway dual carriageways forming part of major inter-urban roads also have junction numbers; however, only grade-separated interchanges are numbered. Countries like Germany and Denmark do not number exits on single carriageway routes that are open only to motorised traffic.
Canada Of the provinces that have numbered exit signs on their highways, the majority either use distance based or have switched to using distance based systems. Some highways may also supplement their roads with kilometer-based distance markers at specific intervals on the side of the road. •
Ontario has the oldest exit number system, having started posting exit numbers sequentially in the 1960s along
Highway 401; it switched to mile-based (distance) numbering before Canada went metric. Most short freeways do not have exit numbers, and until about 2000 (with Highways
11 and
69/
400), incomplete freeways also lacked exit numbers. Interchanges with multiple exits are lettered
A-B. On some highways, Ontario uses KM markers on the side, such as the 401 in Northumberland County. •
Quebec has the second oldest system; it began sequential but switched to mile-based (distance) junction numbering before the Canadian metric conversion in the mid-1970s. Unlike Ontario, Quebec uses cardinal directions for multiple exits:
E ("est"),
N ("nord"),
S ("sud"), and
O ("ouest"); an example of the latter is
20-O (with a hyphen) to avoid confusion with the number. •
British Columbia uses distance-based exit numbers on its freeways. Some highways, such as Highway 91, have kilometer marker signs on the side. •
Manitoba has the fewest posted exit numbers.
Highway 1 has three numbered exits. Exit numbers were first posted on the
Perimeter Highway in 2001. •
Alberta has the newest exit number system. The province started posting exit numbers on
Highway 2 in 2004, and has since extended the system to Highways
1,
16,
201, and
216. In 2006, Alberta started building roadside kilometer markers in a few highways. Spacing is typically every four kilometers. •
Saskatchewan has recently switched to using the distance based system. This started with the Regina Bypass project where distance based exits are now used on the freeway. It uses distance-based exit numbers along with exits lettered A-B for interchanges with multiple exits. On a section of
Highway 11 from
Regina to
Lumsden, letters "A", "B", and "C" are used sequentially as "exit letters" instead, making Saskatchewan mainly a distanced-based system that utilizes a bit of sequential lettering as well. •
New Brunswick originally started out using sequential numbering but has switched to using distance based exit signs. Sequential numbers are used only in
Nova Scotia, and
Newfoundland and Labrador. •
Nova Scotia also numbers level junctions on designated express highways. Multiple exits at an interchange use
N-S, or
E-W. (Nova Scotia also uses
exit 0 where an interchange is opened "before" Exit 1.) In some instances, exit numbers are skipped, usually as the result of new sections of 4-lane divided highway opening while the old arterial highway is downgraded to a collector highway. On Highway 104, exits 2, 9, 14, 16 and 34 are skipped. •
Newfoundland and Labrador uses sequential numbering for exit signs. Controlled access freeways in the province only exist around the St John's metropolitan area. The territories of
Yukon,
Nunavut, and
Northwest Territories use no exit numbers, as there are no
freeways or
expressways in the territories.
Prince Edward Island does not use exit numbers. The only limited access highway runs between New Haven and North River (part of the Trans Canada Highway), which features two interchanges, both unnumbered. The Albany Corner interchange near
Borden-Carleton is the only other grade-separated exit.
Hong Kong Exit numbers using a sequential numbering scheme were introduced to major Hong Kong routes in 2004, in conjunction with the reorganization of the route numbers.
Japan The main expressway system uses sequential numbering; Metropolitan Expressway systems also use sequential junction numbering, usually appended with the expressway number expressed thus: 5–1; 5–2, etc. There are multiple toll expressways not operated by the major national syndicates or the Metropolitan Expressway Authorities that have no junction numbering scheme.
New Zealand New Zealand began introducing exit numbers in the Auckland region in 2005. It uses a distance-based numbering system. The distance to the exit is measured from the origin of the highway. That is: • State Highway 1 (Northern and Southern Motorways) measured from the origin of SH1 at
Cape Reinga • State Highway 16 (Northwestern Motorway) measured from the origin at the Port • State Highway 18 (Upper Harbour Motorway) measured from the origin at SH1 • State Highway 20 (Southwestern Motorway) measured from the origin at SH1 There is no exit zero. If there is an exit within 1.499 km of the origin, Exit 1 is used. Exit 2 would be between 1.500 and 2.499 km of the origin. Subsequent 'exit zones' are at 1 km intervals. Letter suffixes are added at multi-exit interchanges, or where two or more exits exist within the same exit zone. For example, State Highway 1 (Southern Motorway) has an Exit 429A (Symonds St), Exit 429B (Wellesley St) and Exit 429C (Port). Instead of replacing existing ramp and link signs, the exit numbers were added as supplementary information. Thus drivers can navigate either by exit number or name. Exit numbers are only used for exits that may be used by all vehicle types. Bus- or emergency vehicle-only exits would not be numbered. Exit numbers are not used outside the Auckland region. There is a proposed exit number system for Wellington.
Philippines sign in the Philippines Metric distance-based numbers are used on the tollways radiating from Manila. Supplemental "A" and "B" designations are appended to signage at the ends of slip roads.
South Africa Uses distance based numbering (in kilometers) on main motorways. Letter suffixes are added at multi-exit interchanges, an example being the Buccleuch interchange in
Johannesburg. Exit numbers are reset on the borders of the provinces as they were until 1994. This means that exit numbering may change in the middle of a province. One exception to the usual distance based numbering is the southern portion of the M4 in
Durban, which uses sequential numbering.
Taiwan Taiwan uses distance-based exit numbers in kilometers. If two exits are located within the same kilometer mark, the Roman letters are appended to differentiate the exits. Taiwan did experiment with sequential exit numbers on National Freeway No. 1 for a couple of years, but abandoned the experiment in 2004. Prior to 2006, Taiwan exit signs generally resembled near replicas of their US counterparts. However, the exit signs now indicate not only the distance number but also the Chinese code-name for the interchange.
United States ==See also==