A road shoulder is the paved or unpaved strip along the edge of a roadway beside the travel lanes. Shoulders serve multiple purposes: providing space for emergency stops, accommodating disabled vehicles, allowing emergency vehicle passage, supporting the road structure, and providing a buffer between traffic and ditches or barriers. Paved shoulders can also function as bicycle routes in some areas. Shoulder width varies based on road classification—highways typically have wider shoulders than urban streets. Municipalities and provincial transportation departments maintain shoulders as part of road maintenance programs. During winter, shoulders may be used for snow storage from plowing operations.