Puerto Rico Interstates

Overview

According to the Federal Highway Administration Interstate Highway Route Log and Finder List, Puerto Rico has three Interstate highways that creates a 249.77 mile system in this American territory. Even though these routes are designated as Interstate highways, some routes are constructed to Interstate standards as toll roads, but they are signed as primary Puerto Rico routes.

Route Southern/Western Terminus Northern/Eastern Terminus
Interstate PR-2 – Ponce Interstate PR-2 – San Juan (Primary Route 22/Primary Route 18 interchange)
Interstate PR-1 – Ponce Interstate PR-3 – San Juan (Primary Route 1/Primary Route 26 interchange)
Ceiba/Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station Interstate PR-2 – San Juan (Primary Route 1/Primary Route 26 interchange)

History

At the April 19, 1998, AASHTO Special Committee on Highways – Route Numbering subcommittee meeting, the routings of all three Puerto Rican Interstates were altered. The specific actions (exactly transcribed from the meeting minutes) taken were:

  • Elimination of a portion of PRI-1: Eliminate the PRI-1 designation between the present terminus at Ponce and the intersection with PR 52.
  • Extension of PRI-1: Beginning at the newly designated terminus of PRI-1 in the southeast of Ponce, then southerly and easterly over PR 52 to the intersection of PRI-2 in the southwest of Ponce.
  • Relocation of PRI-2: Beginning at the intersection of present PRI-2 and PR-22 in San Juan, then westerly over PR-22 to the intersection of present PRI-2 in Arecibo.
  • Elimination of a portion of PRI-3: Eliminate the PRI-3 designation between the present terminus at Ceiba and the intersection with PR 194 south of Fajardo.
  • Extension of PRI-3: Beginning at the newly designated terminus of PRI-3 south of Fajardo, then southerly over PR 53 to the intersection of Gate “B” of the Roosevelt Roads Naval Base.

On April 7, 2000, the Route Numbering subcommittee of AASHTO approved the extension of Interstate PRI-3 from the terminus of PRI-3 and a newly constructed facility in Ceiba, then southwesterly and southerly over the facility to the intersection of PR-30 in Humacao.

* Regarding Interstate PR-3, the eastern endpoint and routing via Primary Route 3 or Primary Route 53 are ambiguous. Either it follows Primary Route 3 from Carolina to Ceiba via Fajardo, or it follows Primary Route 3 from Carolina to Fajardo, then Primary Route 53 from Fajardo to Humacao. The FHWA route log reflects mileage for the former routing, but an equally authoritative FHWA document on toll facilities has Interstate PR-3 ending at Humacao and including all of Primary Route 53 north of there (while carefully refraining from including the autopista segments open south of Humacao in Interstate PR-3).

Route Information

PR Interstate 1

  • Mileage – 71.08

  • Cities – Ponce, Caguas, San Juan

  • Junctions –  in Ponce,  in San Juan

  • Primary Routes –  from Ponce to  via Juana Diaz, Salinas, Cayey, and Caguas;   into Downtown San Juan

PR Interstate 2

  • Mileage – 138.13

  • Cities – Mayaquez, Arecibo, San Juan

  • Junctions –  in Ponce,  in San Juan,  in San Juan

  • Primary Routes –  from Ponce to Hatillo via Guayanilla, Yauco, Hormigueros, Mayaguez, and Aguadilla;  from Hatillo to San Juan via Arecibo, Manati, Vega Baja, and Bayamon

PR Interstate 3

  • Mileage – 40.56

  • Cities – San Juan

  • Junctions –  in San Juan

  • Primary Routes – through San Juan; from San Juan to Fajardo via Carolina, Canovanas, Rio Grande, and Luquillo; from Fajardo to Ceiba*

Total Mileage – 249.77

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

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Special thanks go to Oscar Voss for assisting AARoads with compiling this page.

Page updated March 25, 2006.