Sentence:  Contrary to what one might expect of an essay on <WSD>freeways</WSD>, this one is neither a diatribe nor a paean. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A road designed for safe, high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections, usually divided and having at least two lanes in each direction; a dual carriageway with no at-grade crossings, a motorway.