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Hawaii Highways and Roads

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Welcome to the Gribblenation Hawaii Highways and Roads page, your destination to find all things related to the road networks in the state of Hawaii.  Below you find a compilation of all existing Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media (along with contributions from Josh Schmid, Oscar Voss and Scott Onson) related to the highway networks in Hawaiian Islands.  Pictured above as the page cover is Hawaii Route 360 on Hana Highway along the northern shore of Maui. 


An intro the highway networks of Hawaii

Prior to the Statehood the first signed highways within Hawaii Territory came into existence during World War II.   During World War II the territory of Hawaii saw an influx of military activity following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  Numerous Military Routes and early Hawaii Routes were signed through the Hawaiian Territory to aid military personnel in navigating the islands.  Military Highways were assigned US Route style shields whereas lesser highways were assigned an early variation of what is now the Hawaii Route Spade.  

A 1946 Army Map of the Island of Oahu shows the existing Military and Hawaii Routes during the World War II era.  There is no indication that any World War II era Military and Hawaii Routes were located on the other islands.  A full version of the 1946 Army Map of Oahu can be seen on hawaiihighways.com here. 


Circa 1955 following the conclusion of World War II the United States Bureau of Public Roads renumbered the Hawaii Route System.  The 1955 Hawaii Route Renumbering saw most of the conventions utilized by the current Hawaii State Route System established.  Primary Hawaii Routes were given two-digit numbers whereas Secondary Hawaii Routes were given three-digit numbers.  The Hawaii Routes were assigned in sequence for what Island/County they were located on coupled with what Federal Aid Program number they were tied to.  Oahu was assigned route numbers in the range of 60-99, Kauai was assigned numbers 50-59, Molokai (now also Lanai) was assigned 41-49, Maui was assigned numbers in the range of 30-40 and the Big Island (Hawaii) was assigned 11-29.  

The initial 1955 Hawaii Route era network can be viewed on the 1959 Gousha Road Map of Hawaii. 







On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th State which saw its profile rise significantly.  The Interstate System in Hawaii was authorized as part of the 1960 Statehood Act.  The 1960 Statehood Act authorized Interstates H-1, H-2 and H-3 on the Island of Oahu.  Interstate H-4 was proposed as a supplemental freeway in Honolulu during 1968 but was never approved for construction.

Interstate H-2 was fully completed and opened to traffic February 21, 1977, which was followed by Intestate H-1 being fully completed by May 1986.   On April 6, 1988, the Honolulu Division Administrator of the Hawaii Department of Transportation submitted a request to the Federal Highway Administration to add entirety of Hawaii Route 78 and the Moanalua Freeway to the Interstate System as Interstate H-1A.  On November 1, 1989, The Federal Highway Administration informed the Hawaii Department of Transportation that Hawaii Route 78/Moanalua Freeway was approved to be added to the Interstate System as Interstate H-1A.  On December 8, 1990, the AASHTO Executive Committee approved the designation of Interstate H-201 on the Moanalua Freeway.

The corridor of Interstate H-3 was the most contentious of the constructed Interstates on Oahu and would open to traffic across the Koolau Range on December 12, 1997.  




Gribblenation Oahu blog directory





























Diamond Head State Monument


Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz Oahu Highway related media

The Roads of Oahu (Just Passing Through #10)

Roadwaywiz Hawaii Highways YouTube Playlist

Roadwaywiz 10k Subscribers Special: Hawaii Interstates Recap & Discussion

Wiz Webinar: The Interstates & Freeways of Oahu


Gribblenation Maui blog directory

Hawaii Route 30 and Hawaii Route 3000

Piilani Highway (Hawaii Route 31 and Maui County Route 31)

Hawaii Route 32, 32A, 32B and 32 Bypass

Maui County Route 33

Hana Highway (Hawaii Route 36, Hawaii Route 360 and Maui County Route 31)

Hawaii Route 36A to Kahului Airport

Haleakala Highway (Hawaii Routes 36A, 37, 377 and 378)

Maui County Route 305, Maui County Route 365 and former Hawaii Route 40

Hawaii Route 310

Hawaii Route 311

Kahekili Highway (Maui County Route 330, Hawaii Route 340, Maui County Route 340 and Hawaii Route 30)

Maui County Route 370

Hawaii Route 380

Maui County Route 390

Hawaii Route 3400

Hawaii Route 3500

Unsigned Hawaii Route 3600 on the Paia Mini-Bypass

Hawaii Route 3800 to Kahului Airport


Gribblenation Big Island blog directory

Hawaii Route 11

Kuakini Highway (former Hawaii Route 11 in Kailua-Kona)

Former Hawaii Routes 12 and 120

Hawaii Route 19

Former Hawaii Route 21 on Wainaku Street

The mystery of Hawaii Route 144 and Temporary Hawaii Route 11

Hawaii Route 130 and Chain of Craters Road

Hawaii County Route 148

Hawaii County Routes 160 and 161

Hawaii County Route 180

Hawaii County Route 182

Hawaii County Route 185

Hawaii County Route 187

Hawaii Route 190

Hawaii Route 197

Hawaii Route 200 and Hawaii County Route 200

Mauna Kea Access Road (Hidden Hawaii Route 210)

Hawaii Route 220

Former Hawaii Route 226

Former Hawaii Route 232

Hawaii County Route 240 and Waipio Valley Road

Hawaii Route 250

Hawaii Route 270

Hawaii Route 1370

Former Hawaii Route 1970

Hawaii Route 2000

Ninole Loop Road and Punaluu Black Sand Beach

Banyan Drive

Kalako Drive

Kaewe-Wailuku Bridge in Hilo

Crater Rim Drive in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

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