roadbed
noun
road·bed ˈrōd-ˌbed 
1
a
: the bed on which the ties, rails, and ballast of a railroad rest
b
: the ballast or the upper surface of the ballast on which the ties rest
2
a
: the earth foundation of a road prepared for surfacing
b
: the part of the surface of a road traveled by vehicles
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The roadbed swings upward and is balanced by a counterweight. 
Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2022 At the Dyckman Street station in the Bronx, the third rail -- which provides electrical power to subway trains -- was impacted as the roadbed was flooded by up to 14 inches of water on Monday, the MTA reported. Kyla Guilfoil, ABC News, 19 July 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Amy Beth Hanson, BostonGlobe.com, 20 June 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Wire Reports, oregonlive, 20 June 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Matthew Brown And Amy Beth Hanson, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2022 The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped. Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2022 The Florida highway department finished removing old roadbed and raising a stretch of the Tamiami Trail, a highway across southern Florida that has long impeded the flow of water into Everglades National Park. Richard Mertens, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2022 The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped. Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2022 See More
Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2022 At the Dyckman Street station in the Bronx, the third rail -- which provides electrical power to subway trains -- was impacted as the roadbed was flooded by up to 14 inches of water on Monday, the MTA reported. Kyla Guilfoil, ABC News, 19 July 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Amy Beth Hanson, BostonGlobe.com, 20 June 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Wire Reports, oregonlive, 20 June 2022 Muddy water now courses through where the roadbed had been only a week ago. Matthew Brown And Amy Beth Hanson, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2022 The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped. Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2022 The Florida highway department finished removing old roadbed and raising a stretch of the Tamiami Trail, a highway across southern Florida that has long impeded the flow of water into Everglades National Park. Richard Mertens, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2022 The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped. Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1a