Urban express roads are the backbone of the road network throughout the urban area. Today, the issues associated with the development and management of these roads are numerous in the context of optimizing existing infrastructures, prioritizing transportation alternatives to single-occupant car use, lowering speed limits and greatly reducing the environmental impacts of road transport.

The desirability of a project for, or on an urban express road must certainly be assessed against the objectives in terms of urban planning and the expected impact on traffic and the environment. Current thinking, conducted on the basis of recent examples shows that the development and management of these carriageways is changing. The issues translated into objectives need to be included as of preliminary study stage by the contracting authorities, in order to put forward innovative technical solutions.

Today, the term "urban express road" tends to be outmoded and one speaks more of "urban structuring roads”, a name that better reflects the functions performed by these roads.