The
cant of a
railway track (also referred to as
superelevation) or a
road (sometimes referred to as
cross slope or
camber) is the difference in elevation (height) between the two edges. This is normally done where the railway or road is curved; raising the outer rail or the outer edge of the road providing a
banked turn, thus allowing vehicles to maneuver through the curve at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible if the surface was flat or level.