Which type of highways serves as the main route for large volume traffic?

Arterial highways are designed to accommodate the main flow of traffic over longer distances and are typically characterized by higher speed limits and limited access points. They are strategically planned to connect major urban centers, facilitate regional travel, and support significant volumes of vehicles. These highways are critical in an area’s transportation network, as they help to reduce congestion on local roads by directing a larger share of traffic onto routes that can handle it effectively.

In contrast, local roads primarily serve residents and provide access to homes and businesses, often featuring lower speed limits and frequent intersections. Collectors serve as a middle layer, gathering traffic from local streets and funneling it onto arterial highways but do not handle the heavy volume of traffic that arterial highways do. Service roads, on the other hand, are designed specifically to provide access to adjacent properties and often run parallel to public highways, focusing on local access rather than through traffic.

Thus, the defining purpose of arterial highways is to facilitate the efficient movement of large volumes of traffic, which is why this choice is the most appropriate answer to the question.