National Highway System (NHS)

The National Highway System (NHS) dataset and its geometries was updated on January 24, 2024 from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The National Highway System consists of roadways important to the nation’s economy, defense, and mobility. The National Highway System (NHS) includes the following subsystems of roadways: Interstate - The Eisenhower Interstate System of highways, Other Principal Arterials - highways in rural and urban areas which provide access between an arterial and a major port, airport, public transportation facility, or other intermodal transportation facility, Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) - a network of highways which are important to the United States’ strategic defense policy and which provide defense access, continuity and emergency capabilities for defense purposes, Major Strategic Highway Network Connectors - highways which provide access between major military installations and highways which are part of the Strategic Highway Network, Intermodal Connectors - highways providing access between major intermodal facilities and the other four subsystems making up the National Highway System. A specific highway route may be on more than one subsystem.