Interstate H-201
Overview
Interstate H-201 supersedes Route 78 along the Moanalua Freeway between the Halawa Interchange at Aiea and Kalihi by Fort Shafter Military Reservation. IH-201 lines all of the Moanalua Freeway with the exception of the western 0.7 miles between Kamehameha Highway (Route 99) and the Halawa Interchange.
The urban freeway constitutes a commuter route between Downtown Honolulu and points along Interstate H1. The freeway also serves Aliamanu Military Reservation, Tripler Army Medical Center and Fort Shafter in addition to the Salt Lake area. Connections at the west end also provide direct access to Aloha Stadium.
History
The easternmost portion of the Moanalua Freeway was completed in 1959-60 and signed as Hawaii Route 72. This stretch, between Puuloa Road (Exit 3) and Middle Street, was renumbered to Route 78 when Interstate H1 was designated. The remainder of Moanalua Road was upgraded to freeway standards during the 1980s.
This led to the Federal Highway Administration incorporating the freeway to the Interstate system on February 1, 1989.2 Hawaii submitted Interstate H-1A as the designation for the route to AASHTO on June 2, 1990. Action was withheld at that meeting. A subsequent application to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on December 8, 1990 resulted in the approval of Interstate H-201 instead of either Interstate H-1A or Interstate H-101.
Route Information
West End – Aiea, HI
East End – Honolulu, HI
Mileage – 4.10
Cities – Honolulu
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
The Halawa Interchange between I-H1, I-H3 and I-H201 was built partially in place of the U.S. Navy Halawa Housing area. Freeway construction also severed the route of Route 71 (Halawa Heights Road), with Kahuapaani Street replacing it as the through route south to Salt Lake Boulevard.
During a “superpave” project along Interstate H-201 (Route 78) in July 2004, night time closures resulted in the placement of new I-H201 signs in both directions of the Moanalua Freeway.2 Photo by Brian Galapin.
West End –
– Aiea, Hawaii
West at
East End
– Honolulu, Hawaii
East at
Sources:
- Voss, Oscar. “Interstate H-201 update.” Online posting, misc.transport.road, September 17, 2003.
- “Moanalua is actually part of interstate.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI), July 27, 2004.
Page updated July 8, 2015.