Trunk Road - United States

United States

Though the term trunk road is not commonly used in American English, the U.S. highway and Interstate highway systems can be considered American trunk highways. However, individual states are responsible for actual highway construction and maintenance, even though the federal government helps fund these activities as long as the states enact certain laws and enforce them. (Such laws have included the raising of the minimum drinking age and the lowering of speed limits.) Each state maintains all of its roads and tries to integrate them into a system appropriate for that state. Notably, the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin designate their highways as "state trunklines" and "state trunk highways," respectively. In many states, additional highways beyond those that are part of the U.S. highway and Interstate highway systems may also serve as trunk highways; these are often numbered and posted as state highways or state routes. Not all state highways or state routes, however, can be expected to serve this purpose or be constructed to these standards; many in rural areas are simple two-lane roads.