Take a look at our variations of a US highway map and US interstate map to learn all about the long-distance roads of the USA! Download any map of the US national highway system in PDF and print it out as needed.
All our maps with the interstate highways of the USA are great for planning road trips and learning or teaching about the interstate system. And of course, you can use one of our US interstate highway maps as decoration on the wall at home or in the classroom. Check them out now!
Of course, we also provide other maps of the United States, such as a blank USA map or a political map of the USA showing all 50 states. They are all free as well! And finally, we also offer USA map worksheets for interactive exercises to learn about the United States.
Contents
US Highway Map
The United States Interstates Highway System has its roots dating back to 1956 when President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act. The predecessor of the Interstates Highway System had been the United States Numbered Highway System from 1926. However, due to flaws with standardization and road design, this system needed to be updated and improved.
The interstate construction was mostly funded by the federal government and provided much-needed resources for improving vehicular infrastructure. It was officially completed in 1992, but construction of additional interstate highways has since been undertaken.
Our first highways map of the United States of America above shows both interstates and minor highways across all the states. The interstate highways are labeled with their numbers. Not only the US state names are indicated, but also the state capitals, borders and major rivers are shown in the map. Additionally, you can easily determine approximate distances thanks to the scale in miles and kilometers.
United States Highway Map
The interstates are important for both inter-state travel and local traffic as they provide a fast and reliable way of getting from one place to another that is often more efficient than taking city streets. Today, the interstates span across the 48 contiguous states with a total length of 48,756 miles (78,465 kilometers) of highways providing Americans with easy access to places all over the country.
The above United States highway map is very similar to the previous one, but the state borders are less pronounced and no rivers or lakes are shown.
US Interstate Map
The interstate highway system of the USA consists of controlled-access highways, also called freeways. This means that the entire traffic flow is regulated, including ingress and egress. Also, neither walking or parking is allowed on interstates.
Until 1986, the maximum speed limit on US highways was generally 55 miles per hour. But speed limits today vary between states and regions. The lowest speed limit is 40 mph (65 km/h) on the I-68 in downtown Cumberland (Maryland). The highest maximum speed limit is 80 mph (130 km/h) in various rural areas.
The above US interstate map does not include smaller highways, rivers, or lakes. Nonetheless, it shows the US states and their capital cities as well as Canada and Mexico.
Interstate Map of USA
With a few exceptions, the numbering of the interstate highway system follows certain rules. For instance, the primary interstates have numbers with one or two digits. Shorter interstates have three-digit numbers with the last two matching their parent route. Also, even numbers generally indicate routes from east to west. Interstates with odd numbers run from north to south. The numbers increase from west to east (odd) and south to north (even) respectively.
Our above interstate map of the USA is a variation of the previous one. The difference is that this one does not show any cities.
Interstate Map of the United States
The longest interstate from east to west is the I-90 from Boston (Massachusetts) to Seattle (Washington). In the north-south direction, the longest interstate is the I-95 running from the border with Canada near Houlton (Maine) to Miami (Florida).
The highest interstate highway goes through the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado at 11,158 ft (3,401 m). The lowest on land is the I-8 near Seeley (California) at -52 ft (-16 m). The lowest overall is the I-95 running underwater through the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore at -103 ft (-31 m).
The United States interstate map above is not colored but shows all US states and interstate numbers.
Highway Map of the United States
Our last highway map of the United States includes the interstate highways without numbers. State names and capital cities are included as well.
If you would like to have a US interstate highway map with other characteristics, please leave a comment below. For instance, we could provide a US interstate road map without any city or state labels. Other variations are possible as well.
More United States and the Rest of the World Maps
Apart from the above maps of the interstate highways in the United States, we offer many more maps of the USA and the rest of the world. Check out our collection further below or use the search feature at the top of this page. All of our maps can be downloaded free of charge as PDF files.
We also provide ready-made map worksheets for different countries and continents of the world. They are great time savers for lesson planning and also useful for fun learning at home. Check them out!
USA Maps
- United States Map with State Names
- Blank US Map
- California Map with Cities
- Blank Map of California
- Printable Blank Map of Oklahoma
- Blank Map of New Jersey
- Nebraska Outline Map
- Blank Map of Ohio
- Map of Tennessee Blank
- Blank Map of Massachusetts
World Maps
- Blank World Map
- World Map with Continents
- Map of the World with Countries
- Printable World Map for Kids
Continent Maps
- Blank Map of Asia
- Asia Mountains Map
- Blank Map of Africa
- Printable Map of Europe
- Blank Map of Europe
- Map of Australia with Capital Cities
- Blank Map of Australia
- South America Map Labeled
- Blank Map of South America
