Interstate Highway System: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Interstate5incentralvalley.jpg|right|thumb|A rural stretch of [[Interstate 5 (California)|Interstate 5]] in [[California]], with two lanes in each direction separated by a large grassy [[median (highway)|median]], and with cross-traffic limited to overpasses and underpasses.]]

The '''Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways'''<!--that is the full, formal name; see the talk page or first citation-->, commonly called the '''Interstate Highway System''' or '''Interstate Freeway System''', and colloquially abbreviated "the '''Interstate'''", is a [[list of highway systems with full control of access and no cross traffic|network of limited-access roadways]] (also called [[freeway]]s or [[expressway]]s) in the United States. It is named for [[United States President|President]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], who championed its formation. {{As of|2006}}, the system has a total length of {{convert|46876|mi|km}},.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Interstate FAQ (Question #3) |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |year=2006 |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/faq.htm#question3 |accessdate=March 4, 2009}}</ref> making it both the largest highway system in the world and the largest [[public works]] project. The Interstate Highway System is a subsystem of the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]].

This freeway system serves nearly all major U.S. cities, with many Interstates passing through [[downtown]] areas. The distribution of virtually all goods and services involves Interstate Highways at some point.<ref name=caltrans_50>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dot.ca.gov/interstate/ |title=The Interstate Highway System Turns 50 |year=2006 |accessdate=January 10, 2008 |publisher=[[Caltrans]]}}</ref> Residents of American cities commonly use urban Interstates to travel to their places of work. The vast majority of long-distance ground travel, whether for vacation or business, uses the national road network.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=Bureau of Transportation Statistics |url=http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2002/html/table_01_36.html |title=Table 1-36: Long-Distance Travel in the United States by Selected Trip Characteristics |year=1995 |accessdate=December 21, 2006}}</ref> Of these trips, about one-third (by the total number of miles driven in the country in 2003) use the Interstate system.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=Federal Highway Administration |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs03/htm/vm1.htm|title=Annual Vehicle Distance Traveled in Miles and Related Data |year=2003 |accessdate=December 21, 2006}}</ref>