>>17781355 (OP)I think you should imagine that it was a much more specialized thing to travel on each part of a road.
Usually it was focused on getting things point to point. Individuals wouldn't be going to tons of different points, respectively, so each could prepare himself accordingly with the right people, equipment, animals, etc.
Only a few would have the balls to see the long distances which included bandit heavy areas or total wilderness. This perspective also gives more meaning to the biblical exodus where routes outside control of the kingdom are a bad idea but have reward for those who survive.