Interstate H-2
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Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Hawaii | |||
Counties | Honolulu | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate H-2 (H-2, named the Veterans Memorial Freeway) is an intrastate
The Interstate System was expanded to Hawaii in 1960 along several corridors, with H-2 assigned to the north–south connection between the Honolulu area and Wahiawa. Construction began in 1971, and the first section opened to traffic on October 3, 1974. The rest of H-2 was completed on February 21, 1977.
Route description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/2021-10-06_16_58_34_View_south_along_Interstate_H-2_%28Veterans_Memorial_Freeway%29_just_south_of_Exit_9_%28Hawaii_State_Route_99%29_in_Wahiaw%C4%81%2C_Oahu%2C_Hawaii.jpg/220px-2021-10-06_16_58_34_View_south_along_Interstate_H-2_%28Veterans_Memorial_Freeway%29_just_south_of_Exit_9_%28Hawaii_State_Route_99%29_in_Wahiaw%C4%81%2C_Oahu%2C_Hawaii.jpg)
H-2 begins at the Waiawa Interchange with
The freeway is maintained by the
History
Planning and funding
A set of Interstate Highways on O‘ahu were approved for funding by the U.S. Congress in 1960, a year after Hawaii was admitted as a state.
The freeway would be built parallel to a section of the
Following the partial restoration of federal funding,[16] HDOT opened bids in November 1967 on construction of the Waiawa Interchange with H-1.[17] The remainder of H-2 remained indefinitely deferred, along with funding for H-3.[18] The federal government allocated $51 million (equivalent to $348 million in 2023[13]) for the entire H-2 project in October 1968,[19] allowing for bidding on other construction contracts to open.[20] The original embankment design of crossings for the Kipapa and Waikakalaua streams near Mililani was later replaced in 1971 with bridges to reduce costs and potential erosion issues.[21] H-2 was described as "Hawaii's forgotten freeway" by local newspapers, as its planning was generally uncontroversial compared to other projects, such as H-3, and did not attract the attention of anti-highway activists.[22][23]
Construction and later projects
Construction on the southernmost section of H-2 began in early 1971 with work on the Waiawa Interchange.
The southernmost section of the freeway, traveling two miles (3.2 km) from the Waiawa Interchange with H-1 to the Mililani Cemetery, was completed in early 1974.[23] It was opened to traffic on October 3, 1974, after a temporary road through the cemetery was finished, connecting H-2 to the Kamehameha Highway near the Mililani Town development.[31][32] Part of the freeway's northern terminus at the Wahiawa Interchange opened in October 1975 to allow traffic to bypass a congested left turn on the Kamehameha Highway.[33] The final section of the freeway, including the Kipapa Gulch bridge, opened to traffic on February 21, 1977, after a delay while awaiting delivery of a transformer to control its lights.[34][35] The entirety of H-2 cost an estimated $43 million (equivalent to $169 million in 2023[13]) to construct.[35] The freeway's HOV lanes also opened at the same time, having been added to replace an earlier plan for exclusive bus lanes,[36][37] but were eliminated in January 1979 due to low use.[38]
Construction of the freeway allowed for residential development in the Waipio Valley and around Mililani, which had been designed in conjunction with H-2 in the late 1960s.[35][39] A pair of sites along the highway were also considered in the 1970s for the second Oʻahu campus of the University of Hawaiʻi, which was ultimately located at Kapolei.[40] A new interchange with Ka Uka Boulevard was opened in July 1989 to serve new development in Waipio.[41] The Mililani Mauka development opened in the 1990s after development closer to the freeway was approved.[42][43] The Meheula Parkway interchange was rebuilt in 1993 to accommodate expected traffic and H-2 was widened to readd the HOV lanes, which opened in December 1994.[44][45]
H-2 was designated as the Veterans Memorial Freeway in 2002 by the state government.[46]
Exit list
The entire route is in Honolulu County.
Location | mi[3] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Honolulu, Waianae | Signed as exits 1A (east) and 1B (west); exit 8 on H-1 | ||||
Waipio | 2.4 | 3.9 | 2 | Ka Uka Boulevard | |
Mililani | 5.5 | 8.9 | 5 | Mililani Mauka, Mililani Town | Access via Meheula Parkway; signed as exits 5A (Mauka) and 5B (Town) northbound |
Wheeler AAF | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
Route 80 | |||||
8.3 | 13.4 | 9 | ![]() ![]() Route 99 south (Kamehameha Highway) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
— | ![]() ![]() Route 99 north | Continues north as Wilikina Drive | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
References
- ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- Pacific Business News. Archivedfrom the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Google (November 15, 2021). "Interstate H-2" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (October 1, 2020). National Highway System: Urban Honolulu, HI (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ "Special Use Lanes". Hawaii Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "HIDOT Highways Program Status". Hawaii Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ Routes 83, 84, 84A, 96, 98, 98A, PH2, PH3, and 99 (PDF) (Map). TheBus. September 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Weingroff, Richard. "Interstates in Hawaii: ARE WE CRAZY???". Ask the Rambler. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sigall, Bob (January 3, 2020). "Rearview Mirror: Kamehameha Highway possesses storied history". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. p. B6. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Marks Kam Highway To Block Lane Leaners". The Honolulu Advertiser. September 5, 1962. p. B4. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Freeway: Leeward Hearing Set For Tuesday". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. October 7, 1962. p. A7. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ "Route C Favored As Freeway Path". The Honolulu Advertiser. October 10, 1962. p. A2. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lund, Kay (February 23, 1967). "Federal cutback throws H-1 plans into slow gear". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. C1. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lund, Kay (May 11, 1967). "Road plan zips into high". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. B4. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "$4.5 Million HD&C Bid Lowest on H-1 Section". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 8, 1967. p. B6. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lund, Kay (May 16, 1968). "State pressing for H-1 completion". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. E8. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "U.S. funds for Pearl City to Wahiawa road". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. October 31, 1968. p. F1. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "One Bidder For Road Project". The Honolulu Advertiser. November 24, 1968. p. E4. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "High speed bridges to span 2 gulches". The Honolulu Advertiser. May 7, 1971. p. D2. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hostetler, Harold (November 29, 1973). "Nobody complains about H-2". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. C2. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Smollar, David (June 16, 1974). "'Forgotten' freeway proceeds smoothly". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "H-2 Hearing Tomorrow". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. April 13, 1971. p. C12. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Freeway work going smoothly". The Honolulu Advertiser. June 26, 1973. p. A10. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Everything's Booming on H-2 Improvements". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. August 21, 1973. p. C2. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Work to begin soon on H-2". The Honolulu Advertiser. October 25, 1973. p. A16. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "H-2 Bridge Work to Begin". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. December 18, 1973. p. A21. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tune, Jerry (April 7, 1976). "New Building Process Cuts Cost of Bridge". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. C7. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Nelson, Lyle (September 8, 1976). "WWII Footnote Frozen in Stone". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. C5. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ribbon cutting on H-2". The Honolulu Advertiser. October 4, 1974. p. B6. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "H-2 ceremony slated Monday". The Honolulu Advertiser. February 16, 1977. p. A2. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Part of Wahiawa Interchange Open". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. October 3, 1975. p. D16. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Imig, Joanne (January 13, 1977). "The Kokua Line". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Long-Awaited H-2 Freeway Opens". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. February 21, 1977. p. 2. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harpham, Anne (February 22, 1977). "New restricted lanes: destination mass transit". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. A1. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tune, Jerry (July 19, 1973). "State Proposes H-2 Bus Lane". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. B4. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Will Eliminate H-2 Car-Pool Lanes". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. December 28, 1978. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cook, Bill (December 17, 1967). "A Town With a Plan". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. D1. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UH eyeing 35 sites for Oahu 2nd campus". The Honolulu Advertiser. January 22, 1972. p. A13. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Killelea-Almonte, Patti (August 1, 1989). "Waipio Interchange to H-2 opens". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tune, Jerry (January 4, 1987). "Mililani Mauka Plans For Housing, College Campus". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. B1. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Glauberman, Stu (June 15, 1992). "Freeway exits multiply along with Oahu development". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Engle, Murry (March 22, 1993). "New ramps coming for freeway drivers heading to Mililani". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. A4. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Morse, Harold (February 20, 1995). "Lane abuse frustrates commuters". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. A4. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Leidemann, Mike (October 29, 2002). "Governor renames Honolulu freeways". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. B1. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
Media related to Interstate H-2 at Wikimedia Commons