National Network criteria

Scope

These regulations apply to all users of the Interstate and qualifying Federal-Aid Primary Highway systems.

Regulatory citations

• 23 CFR 658.9 — National Network Criteria

Key definitions

• Commercial motor vehicle (CMV): A motor vehicle designed or regularly used to carry freight, merchandise, or more than ten passengers, whether loaded or empty, including buses, but not including vehicles used for vanpools, or recreational vehicles operating under their own power.

• Federal-Aid Primary System: The Federal-aid Highway System of rural arterials and their extensions into or through urban areas in existence on June 1, 1991, as described in 23 U.S.C. 103(b) in effect at that time.

• Interstate system: The National System of Interstate and Defense Highways described in sections 103(e) and 139(a) of Title 23, U.S.C. For the purpose of this regulation this system includes toll roads designated as Interstate.

• National Network (NN): The composite of the individual network of highways from each state on which vehicles authorized by the provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA) are allowed to operate. The network in each state includes the Interstate System. The National network is set out by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 23 CFR 658 Appendix A.

Summary of requirements

In order to meet the National Network designation, a highway must:

• Be a geometrically typical component of the Federal-Aid Primary System, serving to link principal cities and densely developed portions of the states;
• Be a high-volume route utilized extensively by large vehicles for interstate commerce;
• Not have any restrictions precluding use by conventional combination vehicles;
• Be geometric to support safe operations, considering sight distance, severity and length of grades, pavement width, horizontal curvature, shoulder width, bridge clearance and load limits, traffic volumes and vehicle mix, and intersection geometry;
• Have lanes designed to be a width of 12 feet or more or of a width otherwise consistent with highway safety; and
• Not have any unusual characteristics causing current or anticipated safety problems.