Interstate H-201
Encyclopedia
Interstate H-201 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway located on the island of O‘ahu
in the U.S. state
of Hawaii
. The H-201 is also known as the Moanalua Freeway. The 4 miles (6.4 km) loop route connects exits 13 and 19 on Interstate H-1
, passing Fort Shafter
, Tripler Army Medical Center
, and Red Hill.
Despite being designated an Interstate in 1989, until recently the route was a hidden Interstate signed only as Route 78. Interstate signs started appearing in mid-2004. The section of the Moanalua Freeway between Route 99 (Kamehameha Highway) and the western Interstate H-1 interchange remains designated as Route 78. Because this roadway was formerly an unsigned Interstate designation, it was commonly thought to be the only segment of freeway in Hawaii to not have an Interstate designation.
The length of H-201 was originally designated as Route 78.
The Federal Highway Administration approved the addition of Interstate H-201 to the Interstate Highway System on November 1, 1989. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation asked that the Moanalua Freeway be reclassified as an Interstate so that the interchange with H-1 at the eastern end could conform to federal highway standards. The highway was initially designated H-1A, but federal highway policy does not allow alphabetic suffixes in Interstate numbers. The final designation, H-201, conforms to the general rules for three-digit Interstate "loop" routes.
Until 2004, the state Department of Transportation chose not to sign H-201 as such, instead retaining the designation Route 78. Reasons given included the following:
In July 2004, in conjunction with a major resurfacing of both sides of the freeway, it was decided to bring the signage in line with the official designation.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!#
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=8|Halawa
|0.0
|
|
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|
|
|Aloha Stadium
, Aiea
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|
|colspan=3 align=center|Eastern terminus of Route 78; western terminus of H-201
|-
|0.5
|1A
|
|No westbound exit
|-
|
|
|
|No eastbound exit
|-
|0.9
|1B
|Halawa Valley
, Aloha Stadium
, Halawa Heights, Camp Smith, Halawa
|Signed as exit 1E westbound
|-
|1.4
|1C
|
|Signed as exit 1D westbound
|-
|2.4
|2
|Aiea, Hawaii, Salt Lake
, Moanalua Valley
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Honolulu
|3.7
|3
| - Tripler Army Medical Center
, Honolulu International Airport
|
|-
|4.5
|4
|Ahua Street-Pearl Harbor – Fort Shafter
|
|-
|
|
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The H-201 is also known as the Moanalua Freeway. The 4 miles (6.4 km) loop route connects exits 13 and 19 on Interstate H-1
Interstate H-1
Interstate H-1 is the busiest Interstate Highway in Hawaii, United States, located on the island of O‘ahu. Despite the number, this is an east–west highway—the 'H'-series numbering reflects the order in which routes were funded and built. H-1 goes from Route 93 in Kapolei to Route 72 in...
, passing Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific Command, the MACOM of U.S. Army forces in...
, Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center is the headquarters of the Pacific Regional Medical Command of the armed forces administered by the United States Army in the State of Hawaii. It is the largest military hospital in the Asian and Pacific Rim region and serves a military sphere of jurisdiction that spans...
, and Red Hill.
Despite being designated an Interstate in 1989, until recently the route was a hidden Interstate signed only as Route 78. Interstate signs started appearing in mid-2004. The section of the Moanalua Freeway between Route 99 (Kamehameha Highway) and the western Interstate H-1 interchange remains designated as Route 78. Because this roadway was formerly an unsigned Interstate designation, it was commonly thought to be the only segment of freeway in Hawaii to not have an Interstate designation.
History
The Federal Highway Administration approved the addition of Interstate H-201 to the Interstate Highway System on November 1, 1989. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation asked that the Moanalua Freeway be reclassified as an Interstate so that the interchange with H-1 at the eastern end could conform to federal highway standards. The highway was initially designated H-1A, but federal highway policy does not allow alphabetic suffixes in Interstate numbers. The final designation, H-201, conforms to the general rules for three-digit Interstate "loop" routes.
Until 2004, the state Department of Transportation chose not to sign H-201 as such, instead retaining the designation Route 78. Reasons given included the following:
- inability to render the new route number in a legible manner (it is necessary to use the thinnest font to render the number, as seen above, and the shield is wider than the standard interstate shield)
- encouraging motorists to use the newer and better designed H-1
- avoiding confusion with Interstate H-2Interstate H-2Interstate H-2 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located on the island of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i, USA. H-2 is also known as the Veterans Memorial Freeway. Despite the number, this is a north–south interstate—the 'H'-series numbering reflects the order in which routes were funded and built...
In July 2004, in conjunction with a major resurfacing of both sides of the freeway, it was decided to bring the signage in line with the official designation.
Exit list
The entire route is in Honolulu CountyHonolulu County, Hawaii
The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated city–county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The municipality and county includes both the urban district of Honolulu and the rest of the island of Oahu, as well as several minor outlying islands, including all of the Northwestern Hawaiian...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!#
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=8|Halawa
Halawa, Hawaii
Halawa is a census-designated place in the ‘Ewa District of Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. Halawa Stream branches into two valleys: North and South Halawa; North Halawa is the larger stream and fluvial feature. Their confluence is within the H-3/H-201 highways exchange. Most of Halawa...
|0.0
|
|
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|
|
|Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
, Aiea
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|
|colspan=3 align=center|Eastern terminus of Route 78; western terminus of H-201
|-
|0.5
|1A
|
|No westbound exit
|-
|
|
|
|No eastbound exit
|-
|0.9
|1B
|Halawa Valley
Halawa, Hawaii
Halawa is a census-designated place in the ‘Ewa District of Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. Halawa Stream branches into two valleys: North and South Halawa; North Halawa is the larger stream and fluvial feature. Their confluence is within the H-3/H-201 highways exchange. Most of Halawa...
, Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
, Halawa Heights, Camp Smith, Halawa
Halawa, Hawaii
Halawa is a census-designated place in the ‘Ewa District of Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. Halawa Stream branches into two valleys: North and South Halawa; North Halawa is the larger stream and fluvial feature. Their confluence is within the H-3/H-201 highways exchange. Most of Halawa...
|Signed as exit 1E westbound
|-
|1.4
|1C
|
|Signed as exit 1D westbound
|-
|2.4
|2
|Aiea, Hawaii, Salt Lake
Salt Lake, Hawaii
Salt Lake is a suburban neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of O‘ahu. The area is also known as Āliamanu after a nearby crater, although Salt Lake itself is in a crater called Ālia pa‘akai — meaning "salt pond" in the Hawaiian language...
, Moanalua Valley
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
|3.7
|3
| - Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center is the headquarters of the Pacific Regional Medical Command of the armed forces administered by the United States Army in the State of Hawaii. It is the largest military hospital in the Asian and Pacific Rim region and serves a military sphere of jurisdiction that spans...
, Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
|
|-
|4.5
|4
|Ahua Street-Pearl Harbor – Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific Command, the MACOM of U.S. Army forces in...
|
|-
|
|
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance