roadbed

American  

[rohd-bed] / ˈroʊdˌbɛd /

noun

1. Railroads.

   1. the bed or foundation structure for the track of a railroad.

   2. the layer of ballast immediately beneath the ties of a railroad track.

2. the material of which a road is composed.

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roadbed British  

/ ˈrəʊdˌbɛd /

noun

1. the material used to make a road

2. a layer of ballast that supports the sleepers of a railway track

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Etymology

Origin of roadbed

1830–40. road + bed

Example Sentences

With crews still working to clear debris from under the freeway, the wooden structure that will support the roadbed around the damaged columns is already being constructed.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2023

“The whole roadbed is gone in both places,” said Widner.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023

She believes raising the roadbed and installing a small wildlife underpass beneath it would significantly reduce the number of newts that die on Chileno Valley Road.

From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2023

In that area, the dirt roadbed is cut into a shelf on the mountainside.

From Washington Post • Oct. 15, 2021

In the three decades since construction ended, much of the roadbed has been obliterated by washouts, brush, and beaver ponds, but the bus is still there.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer