§17 [Highways.]

Summary

Changes who counts as a "State" by saying it means any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico. It removes two earlier parts of the highway law (sections 103(g) and 105(e)). It also fixes rules for the Interstate Highway System: the system is inside the United States, including D.C., and cannot be more than 41,000 miles. Routes must link major cities and industrial areas, help national defense, and try to connect to important roads in Canada and Mexico. Neighboring State highway departments should pick routes together and a federal Secretary must approve them. Any routes finally approved for the Interstate System must be added even if that makes mileage limits irrelevant. The system can run through both cities and rural areas. It gives Hawaii $12,375,000 from the funds for the Interstate System for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1962, to speed construction, reconstruction, or improvement (including bridges, tunnels, and urban extensions). That amount is taken out of what other states would have received that year. For fiscal year 1963 and later, the Secretary of Commerce must include Hawaii in the regular apportionments and must count the $12,375,000 when making estimates. For one rule, Hawaii must use laws or regulations that were in effect on February 1, 1960, instead of those from July 1, 1956.