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Twenty five soil samples located nearby highways and streets of Caracas, Venezuela were collected and chemical, physical and mineralogical analysis were done to characterize them. The soils have light textures, neutral or slightly alkaline pH, medium to high organic matter content, and all of them have carbonate. Kaolinite and mica were the dominant clay minerals in all soil samples. Lead and Zn were extracted with 1N-₃ to investigate the levels of these polluting heavy metals in these roadside soils. A very high level of Pb was found in the soils (average enrichment factor of 151.4), while Zn levels were much lower (average enrichment factor of 5.25), but still higher than normal soils' levels. These results are indication of strong metal pollution (especially by Pb) of Caracas' roadside soils, due to heavy transit of motor vehicles as well as to the exclusive use of highly leaded gasoline in Venezuela …