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National Network

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National Network

The National Network (or National Truck Network) is a network of approved state highways and interstates for commercial truck drivers in the United States. The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 authorized the establishment of a national network of highways designated for use by large trucks. On these highways, Federal width and length limits apply. The National Network (NN) includes almost all of the Interstate Highway System and other, specified non-Interstate highways. The network comprises more than 200,000 miles of highways.

Contents

Definition

§658.9 National Network Criteria The National Network listed in the appendix to this part is available for use by commercial motor vehicles of the dimensions and configurations described in §658.13 and §658.15. For those States with detailed lists of individual routes in the appendix, the routes have been designated on the basis of their general adherence to the following criteria.

  • The route is a geometrically typical component of the Federal-Aid Primary System, serving to link principal cities and densely developed portions of the States.
  • The route is a high volume route utilized extensively by large vehicles for interstate commerce.
  • The route does not have any restrictions precluding use by conventional combination vehicles.
  • The route has adequate geometrics to support safe operations, considering sight distance, severity and length of grades, pavement width, horizontal curvature, shoulder width, bridge clearances and load limits, traffic volumes and vehicle mix, and intersection geometry.
  • The route consists of lanes designed to be a width of 12 feet or more or is otherwise consistent with highway safety.
  • The route does not have any unusual characteristics causing current or anticipated safety problems.
  • The National Network was most recently defined by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Information on these routes are taken from §658 Appendix A. Some states such as Indiana, Arkansas, and Ohio allow truck traffic on all numbered state or U.S. highways. Other states, such as New York and California, have a specially defined set of highways which are recommended for trucks. The law allows for "reasonable access" to and from the NN for terminals, deliverires, trucks stops, repairs, and other reasons. The NN is recommended for through truck traffic (e.g. traffic that is passing through the area), and trucks are allowed to operate on truck-restricted roads if they have no other means of access to their destination.

    Arkansas

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Colorado

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Indiana

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Iowa

    Note: Iowa State law allows STAA-dimensioned vehicles to operate on all highways in the state. The routes shown below were incorporated into the NN by the FHWA in 1984.

    Kansas

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Kentucky

    Note: US 23 crosses the Ohio River between South Shore, KY and Portsmouth, OH via the U.S. Grant Bridge. Although the state line is near the Ohio shoreline, putting most of the bridge in Kentucky, the terminal point for US 23 is listed as the south end of the bridge because the bridge is maintained by the Ohio DOT.

    Louisiana

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Maryland

    Note: I-895 Baltimore — Widths over 96 inches and tandem trailers may be prohibited on the Harbor Tunnel Thruway because of construction.

    Minnesota

    NOTE: I-35E St. Paul — The parkway segment of I-35E from 7th Street to I-94 is not available to trucks because of reduced design standards.

    Mississippi

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Montana

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Nebraska

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Nevada

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    North Carolina

    Note: US 74 Charlotte — STAA-dimensioned vehicles are subject to State restrictions on US 74 in Charlotte because of narrow lane widths.

    Ohio

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Oklahoma

    No additional routes have been federally designated; STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all Federal-aid Primary highways under State law.

    Puerto Rico

    Note: Routes added to the Interstate System under 23 U.S.C. 139(c) are included only to the extent designated above.

    South Dakota

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Texas

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Utah

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Virginia

    Note 1: I-66 Washington, D.C., area — There is a 24-hour total truck ban on I-66 from I-495 Capital Beltway to the District of Columbia. (Excepted under 23 CFR 658.11(f)).

    Note 2: I-264 Norfolk — Truck widths are limited to 96 inches for the westbound tube of the Elizabeth River Downtown Tunnel from Norfolk to Portsmouth because of clearance deficiencies.

    Washington

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways.

    Wyoming

    No additional routes have been federally designated; under State law STAA-dimensioned commercial vehicles may legally operate on all highways which, prior to June 1, 1991, were designated as Federal-aid primary highways. Note: Information on additional highways on which STAA-dimensioned vehicles may legally operate may be obtained from the respective State highway agencies.

    References

    National Network Wikipedia