Why are there INTERSTATE Highway's ... in Hawaii???

[JS80]

Federal $$$$$$$$$$

 

[mpo]

Because, Hawaii wants its share of those federal highway dollars too...plus, with all the military bases on O'ahu, the federal government can legally take control over the Federal roads easier than they can over state-built roads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System#Alaska.2C_Hawaii.2C_and_Puerto_Rico

The interstates are mostly owned by the states (95 percent of mileage), while a minor portion are owned by toll authorities. There is a legal limit to the interstate mileage, the roads must meet geometric and access standards, and the road must connect significant destinations.

Once a road is designated an interstate, it is eligible for Interstate Maintenance funds. IM funds have a 90 federal/10 local split for costs. Most projects that use federal gas tax dollars have an 80/20 split.