112 STAT. 134 PUBLIC LAW 105-178—JUNE 9, 1998 "(ii) EXCEPTION.— Highways on the Interstate System in Alaska and Puerto Rico shall be designed in accordance with such geometric and construction standards as are adequate for current and probable future traffic demands and the needs of the locality of the highway. "(C) LOCATION.—Highways on the Interstate System shall be located so as— "(i) to connect by routes, as direct as practicable, the principal metropolitan areas, cities, and industrial centers; "(ii) to serve the national defense; and "(iii) to the maximum extent practicable, to connect at suitable border points with routes of continental importance in Canada and Mexico. "(D) SELECTION OF ROUTES.— To the maximum extent practicable, each route of the Interstate System shall be selected by joint action of the State transportation departments of the State in which the route is located and the adjoining States, in cooperation with local and regional officials, and subject to the approval of the Secretary. "(2) MAXIMUM MILEAGE. — The mileage of highways on the Interstate System shall not exceed 43,000 miles, exclusive of designations under paragraph (4). "(3) MODIFICATIONS.— The Secretary may approve or require modifications to the Interstate System in a manner consistent with the policies and procedures established under this subsection. "(4) INTERSTATE SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS.— "(A) ADDITIONS. —If the Secretary determines that a highway on the National Highway System meets all standards of a highway on the Interstate System and that the highway is a logical addition or connection to the Interstate System, the Secretary may, upon the affirmative recommendation of the State or States in which the highway is located, designate the highway as a route on the Interstate System. "(B) DESIGNATIONS AS FUTURE INTERSTATE SYSTEM ROUTES.— "(i) IN GENERAL.— If the Secretary determines that a highway on the National Highway System would be a logical addition or connection to the Interstate System and would qualify for designation as a route on the Interstate System under subparagraph (A) if the highway met all standards of a highway on the Interstate System, the Secretary may, upon the affirmative recommendation of the State or States in which the highway is located, designate the highway as a future Interstate System route. "(ii) WRITTEN AGREEMENT OF STATES. —^A designation under clause (i) shall be made only upon the written agreement of the State or States described in such clause that the highway will be constructed to meet all standards of a highway on the Interstate System by the date that is 12 years after the date of the agreement. " (iii) REMOVAL OF DESIGNATION.—
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