National Highway System (United States) Information
The National Highway System (NHS) of the United States comprises approximately 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads, which are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
The system, which was developed by the United States Department of Transportation in cooperation with the states, local officials, and metropolitan planning organizations was approved by the United States Congress in 1995.
It encourages individual states to focus on strategic routes support these with federal funds where the States can incorporate design and construction improvements that address their traffic needs safely and efficiently.
It is intended to be a unified system where each transport mode can complement each other. Increasingly, intermodal carriers rely on all forms of transportation to deliver goods and services to consumers in the most efficient manner possible.
NHS supports this goal by serving 198 ports, 207 airports, 67 Amtrak stations, 190 rail/truck terminals, 82 intercity bus terminals, 307 public transit stations, 37 ferry terminals, 58 pipeline terminals, and 20 multipurpose passenger terminals.
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History
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 provided that certain key routes such as the Interstate Highway System, be included.[citation needed]
The Federal Highway Administration identified key routes for the NHS in conjunction with state and local transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations.[citation needed]
The United States Congress approved the NHS in 1995 by passing the National Highway System Designation Act.
Components
A map of the Strategic Highway Network, one component of the NHS.The National Highway System includes the following subsystems of roadways (note that a specific highway route may be on more than one subsystem):
- Interstate - The Interstate Highway System of highways retains its separate identity within the NHS.
- Other principal arterials - These are highways in rural and urban areas that provide access between an arterial and a major port, airport, public transportation facility, or other intermodal transportation facility.
- Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) - This is a network of highways that are important to the United States' strategic defense policy and that provide defense access, continuity and emergency capabilities for defense purposes. The Interstate Highway System is a part of STRAHNET, and also includes major STRAHNET connectors, highways that provide access between major military installations and other highways that are part of the Strategic Highway Network.
- Intermodal connectors - These highways provide access between major intermodal facilities and the other four subsystems, which make up the National Highway System.
Status and statistics
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The NHS consists mostly of existing two-lane roads. About 98% of all roads in NHS have been built. The 160,000 miles (260,000 km) of NHS include only 4% of the nation's roads, but they carry more than 40% of all highway traffic, 75% of heavy truck traffic, and 90% of tourist traffic. About 90% of America's population lives within 5 miles (8.0 km) of an NHS road. All urban areas with a population of more than 50,000 and 93% with a population of between 5,000 and 50,000 are within 5 miles (8.0 km) of an NHS road. Counties that contain NHS highways also host 99% of all jobs in the nation, including 99% of manufacturing jobs, 97% of mining jobs, and 93% of agricultural jobs.
See also
| U.S. Roads portal |
References
- Note: This article was adapted from public domain Federal Highway Administration web sites.
- National Highway System
- Slater, Rodney E., 1996, The National Highway System: A Commitment To America's Future, Public Roads, Spring, Vol. 59, No. 4.
- STRAHNET description at US military's Transportation Engineering Agency's website.
- STRAHNET article at the GlobalSecurity.org website.
- Weingroff, Richard F. "Backbone: Creation Of The National Highway System"
Categories: Interstate Highway System | Roads in the United States | U.S. Highway System
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