In the US, an interstate is one of the kinds of highways we have. They’re part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate And Defense Highways of post-WWII. Interstates are controlled access divided freeways that, unless local terrain renders it impossible, have barriers, medians, breakdown lanes, on/off ramps, and no traffic lights. They’re designed for long distance, high speed travel. They are designed to be standardized across the nation in highway design, signage and markings, so that drivers will find them familiar and predictable no matter where they are in the union, under the assumption that predictable = safe. As the name suggests, most, but not all, interstates allow travel between the states, though there are interstate highways in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, these being non-contiguous with most of the nation (two of them are islands) they don’t connect to the rest of the interstate system. Also, Interstate 45 begins and ends in Texas.
This is in contrast to the older Federal Highway System which by the 1950’s when they began construction of the interstates consisted of anything from dirt roads to divided freeways that already conformed to the Interstate system standards in all but name, or the state route systems which are their own can of 50 worms, the design of the signage varies per state.
Interstate highways are marked by red white and blue shield signs, and are numbered I-##. Federal highways are marked with black and white shield signs, and are numbered US-##. I am within an hour’s drive of where US-1 crosses I-40, south of Raleigh, North Carolina. It is common for the same corridor, the physical strip of asphalt, to carry several routes of both systems. For example, through much of North Carolina, US-15 and US-501 share a corridor, such that locals consider it one road they call “fifteen-five-oh-one.” There is a new major interstate under construction called I-73, and through most of North Carolina from its beginning in Rockingham to just outside of Greensboro it shares a corridor with US-220. Which is why signage such as this:
A “highway” is anything that isn’t a local street. Every state or federally maintained road* is a “highway,” whether it’s a controlled-access freeway or just a two-lane road.
Is an interstate a highway? Because not in my head.
In the US, an interstate is one of the kinds of highways we have. They’re part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate And Defense Highways of post-WWII. Interstates are controlled access divided freeways that, unless local terrain renders it impossible, have barriers, medians, breakdown lanes, on/off ramps, and no traffic lights. They’re designed for long distance, high speed travel. They are designed to be standardized across the nation in highway design, signage and markings, so that drivers will find them familiar and predictable no matter where they are in the union, under the assumption that predictable = safe. As the name suggests, most, but not all, interstates allow travel between the states, though there are interstate highways in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, these being non-contiguous with most of the nation (two of them are islands) they don’t connect to the rest of the interstate system. Also, Interstate 45 begins and ends in Texas.
This is in contrast to the older Federal Highway System which by the 1950’s when they began construction of the interstates consisted of anything from dirt roads to divided freeways that already conformed to the Interstate system standards in all but name, or the state route systems which are their own can of 50 worms, the design of the signage varies per state.
Interstate highways are marked by red white and blue shield signs, and are numbered I-##. Federal highways are marked with black and white shield signs, and are numbered US-##. I am within an hour’s drive of where US-1 crosses I-40, south of Raleigh, North Carolina. It is common for the same corridor, the physical strip of asphalt, to carry several routes of both systems. For example, through much of North Carolina, US-15 and US-501 share a corridor, such that locals consider it one road they call “fifteen-five-oh-one.” There is a new major interstate under construction called I-73, and through most of North Carolina from its beginning in Rockingham to just outside of Greensboro it shares a corridor with US-220. Which is why signage such as this:
Makes immediate sense to Americans.
Every interstate is a highway, but not every highway is an interstate.
Idk. But I know we drive on the parkway and park on the driveway.
A “highway” is anything that isn’t a local street. Every state or federally maintained road* is a “highway,” whether it’s a controlled-access freeway or just a two-lane road.
(* except Forest Service roads, obviously)