U.S. Virgin Islands Highway 66
Encyclopedia
U.S. Virgin Islands Highway 66 is a major east—west arterial on St Croix in the United States Virgin Islands
and is named the Melvin H. Evans Highway in honor of the territory's first elected governor
. It is one of the few divided highway
s in a territory with the distinction of being the only US jurisdiction to drive on the left. It is also the fastest road on the island—and in the territory—with a 55 mph speed limit for passenger vehicles (except busses) and a 40 mi/h limit for heavy trucks and busses. All junctions are at-grade, there are stoplights with connecting roads, and driveway
access is limited by default in the territory but the highway is not explicitly classified as an expressway
. It is an important intermediate link between locations on the southern coast, including an oil refinery of the Hess Corporation
and the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport
, and the island's principal towns Christiansted
and Frederiksted. The highway travels through areas of mostly lighter development
and has multiple spurs and other intersections connecting to parallel roads and smaller communities. St Croix has no single encircling route so the highway is one of the most heavily used.
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
and is named the Melvin H. Evans Highway in honor of the territory's first elected governor
Melvin H. Evans
Melvin Herbert Evans was the first elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, serving from 1969 to 1975. After serving as governor he was delegate from the United States Virgin Islands to the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1981.Evans was born in Christiansted in...
. It is one of the few divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
s in a territory with the distinction of being the only US jurisdiction to drive on the left. It is also the fastest road on the island—and in the territory—with a 55 mph speed limit for passenger vehicles (except busses) and a 40 mi/h limit for heavy trucks and busses. All junctions are at-grade, there are stoplights with connecting roads, and driveway
Driveway
A driveway is a type of private road for local access to one or a small group of structures, and is owned and maintained by an individual or group....
access is limited by default in the territory but the highway is not explicitly classified as an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
. It is an important intermediate link between locations on the southern coast, including an oil refinery of the Hess Corporation
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
and the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport
Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport is a public airport located six miles southwest of Christiansted on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. The airport is named after Henry E. Rohlsen, a St. Croix native who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.It is a small...
, and the island's principal towns Christiansted
Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Christiansted is a town on Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the United States Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is a former capital of the Danish West Indies and home to the Christiansted National Historic Site...
and Frederiksted. The highway travels through areas of mostly lighter development
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
and has multiple spurs and other intersections connecting to parallel roads and smaller communities. St Croix has no single encircling route so the highway is one of the most heavily used.