Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
HAWAII has an interstate highway system that stretches all across the state. Hawaii, which has no bordering states, still benefits from these roads. A common misconception is that interstate highways were created for the sole purpose of traveling from state to state. Hawaiis interstate highways were designed to help the state obtain supplies from one military base to another to protect the United States from a Soviet invasion. Not all interstates stretch from one state to another, in fact, the name simply suggests that federal funding is provided. These freeways, officially known as the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, are named after President Eisenhower. They stretch all across the United States in every direction, totaling over 47,000 miles. The Interstate Highway System was designed to be a reliable system for the economic development and defense of the United States. In case of a widespread emergency, these roads allow for simple evacuation and provide an easier and quicker way to move military troops and equipment around the country. Additionally, because these roads are long and wide, planes could land in case of an emergency. Most importantly, shipping goods and traveling from one part of the country to another is made much easier, enabling people to commute to work in a more efficient fashion. Because they are freeways, interstate highways do typically have the highest speed limits. Between 1975 and 1986, the maximum speed limit on a highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour but the speed limits are determined by each state individually. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 authorized the construction of freeways to start, which was completed in 35 years. The Interstate Highway System runs both north-south and east-west. Routes with odd numbers run north and south while routes with even numbers stretch east and west. The lower numbers are in the west and south. Three-digit numbers indicate a beltway or loop around cities.