traffic island

American  

noun

1. a raised or marked-off area between lanes of a roadway, used by pedestrians to get out of the flow of traffic, as a place for traffic signals, for separating lanes, etc.

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traffic island British  

noun

1. a raised area in the middle of a road, designed as a guide for traffic and to provide a stopping place for pedestrians

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Etymology

Origin of traffic island

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

As we neared the end of the tour, we stopped through Verdi Square, the irregularly shaped traffic island named for the Italian opera composer.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2023

A passenger drop-off point on the eastern side features a traffic island full of Seussian tree aloes surrounded by an arrangement of charcoal-colored slate that resembles the scales of a Mesozoic beast.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2022

First came a huge somersault when clattering into a traffic island during the gruelling Milan-San Remo.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2022

The bronze statue of Columbus, erected in 1877 atop a pedestal in a traffic island, had been defaced by protesters in the past, and officials took it down last year, amid threats of further damage.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2021

One man sat on a traffic island in the middle of the road holding a sign saying in Dutch “This is a dead end road,” while others parked a truck blocking the road.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 11, 2021