Interstate H-201
Routing
Interstate H-201 was the secret designation for Hawaii 78, the Moanalua Freeway, west of downtown Honolulu. The Federal Highway Administration added the freeway to the Interstate system on February 1, 1989.2 The designation applies to all of the Monanalua Freeway except the western 0.7 miles of freeway (near Aloha Stadium, west of Interstate H-1 exit 13).1 That segment remains signed as Hawaii 78. Interchanges are numbered 1A through 4 on the 4.10-mile freeway.
During July of 2004 during a "superpave" project of Interstate H-201 (Hawaii 78), night time closures resulted in the placement of new signs in both directions of the former secret freeway. New signs now display Interstate H201 instead of Hawaii 78.2
Interstate H-201 is signed as of 2004, per this photograph taken by Brian Galapin and courtesy of www.hawaiihighways.com by Oscar Voss.
History
Hawaii initially submitted this route (Hawaii 78) for AASHTO approval on June 2, 1990, as Interstate H-1A. It was not approved with that designation. A subsequent application by Hawaii to AASHTO on December 8, 1990, resulted in the designation of Interstate H-201 instead of either Interstate H-1A or Interstate H-101 (both of these designations were submitted to AASHTO for approval). Hawaii 78 remained hidden Interstate H-201 for over a decade, until signs appeared along the route in 2004.
Highway Guides
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| Perspective from Westbound Interstate H-201
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| Exit 2 serves Moanalua Valley, Salt Lake, and Red Hill. The next two exits along eastbound Interstate H-201 are Exits 1D-E, which serve Interstate H-3 and Halawa Heights. Photo taken by Jeff Royston, 02/01/06.
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| Westbound Interstate H-201 approaching its end at Interstate H-1 near Aiea. Hawaii 78 continues as a freeway for short distance to end at Hawaii 99, the Kamehameha Highway. Photo taken by Oscar Voss, 11/01.
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| Perspective from Eastbound Interstate H-201
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| Eastbound Interstate H-201 approaches Exit 3, Junction Hawaii 7310. The freeway merges into Interstate H-1 about three miles east of here. Photo taken by Jeff Royston, 02/01/06.
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| Continuing east, Interstate H-201 approaches its end at Interstate H-1 in Honolulu. Photo taken by Oscar Voss, 11/01.
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For more see Oscar Voss's Hawaii Interstate Ends Page. Thanks to Oscar for his commentary and photos.
Sources:
- Voss, Oscar. "Interstate H-201 update." Online posting, misc.transport.road, September 17, 2003.
- "Moanalua is actually part of interstate." Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 27, 2004.
Page Updated March 25, 2006.
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