What does underpass mean?
An underpass is a route, roadway, or passage that crosses beneath another road, railway, or similar structure. It is commonly used for pedestrian routes, local roads, and major transport corridors where two routes must cross at different levels. The word is especially familiar in American English, where it appears on road signs and in descriptions of urban infrastructure, although it is also understood and used in British English. In ordinary usage, an underpass is usually a physical passage rather than merely an abstract crossing, and it often suggests a tunnel-like or enclosed section beneath a road or railway. The word has a practical, infrastructural tone and is frequently associated with traffic, access, and urban planning. Its direct contrast is the overpass, which carries a route above another.
nounA passage that runs beneath another road, railway, or similar route, allowing one route to pass below another. The term can refer either to the passage itself or to the portion of a road that passes beneath another route.
- A passage that runs beneath another road, railway, or similar route, allowing one route to pass below another.
"Traffic slowed near the pedestrian underpass while the traffic lights above it were red."
"The bus route continues through an underpass beneath the railway."
"The new pedestrian underpass will provide a safer crossing for students."
The standard plural is underpasses.
"The city has added lighting to several underpasses along the main road."
An underpass lets one road cross beneath another without ever sharing the same surface.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does underpass come from?
Underpass is an English compound formed from the established words under and pass. Its development parallels the formation of overpass: both names describe the vertical relationship between two routes that cross. The element pass has roots in the verb meaning to move across or beyond, and related English words include passage, bypass, and overpass.
How underpass is actually used
The term is especially common in American road signage and transport planning. It is also used in British English, although underbridge may be preferred in some British contexts.
Easily confused with underpass
An underpass carries one route beneath another, whereas an overpass carries one route above another.