Bundesstraße
One distinguishing characteristic between German "Bundesstraßen" and "Autobahnen" is that there usually is a general 100 km/h (62 mph) speed limit on federal highways out of built-up areas, as opposed to the merely advisory speed limit ("Richtgeschwindigkeit") of 130 km/h (83 mph) in unmarked sections of the autobahns. However, a number of "Bundesstraßen" have been extended as expressways (dual carriageways) (colloquially called "Yellow Autobahns"). Many of these have speed limits of usually 100–120 km/h, others have only an advisory speed limit like autobahns. Most sections of the federal highways are only single carriageway with one lane for each direction and no hard shoulder pull-out area.
Speed limits in Germany
In December 1952 the West German legislature voted to abolish "all" speed limits, reverting to State-level decisions. However, rising traffic fatalities led to a partial reversal: an urban speed limit of became effective 1 September 1957, despite resistance by the German Auto Club. By 1970, fatalities had climbed to over 19,000; in 1972 a general rural speed limit of went into effect—except on motorways. At 14 November 1983 the Hamburg suburb of Buxtehude had the first implementation of limits in residential areas, a concept that became popular.