What is the difference between interstate highway and interstate highway?

Answer 1

Highways are roads that are usually maintained by the local government (or even the state - never federal) but the funding for the highway can come from the federal government. State highways never cross state lines. US highways do cross state lines. US highways were established to create paths for travel where the road number does not change from state to state. This was done to make interstate travel easier and was mandated by congress in the 1930s if memory serves me correctly.

Freeway is a road that has NEVER been a toll road and NEVER will be.

Interstate - highway that crosses state lines and is not a US highway. This is a seperate act of congress and was established in the 1950s to create highways that were limited access and were designed for those traveling long distances on a regular basis.

EDIT***

I looked at the definitions for freeway, expressway (you didn't ask, but I looked anyhow), etc. and it seems as though there is a small bit of confusion relating to this specific definition of the word freeway. True, the answer below does appear to be factual, but I do seem to recall a state that has designated a definition of a freeway as the one I provided, but I am unable to find the site that stated this (I have seen this and not in a dream). For all intents and purposes however, it appears as though the most common definition for a freeway is a limited access, divided highway.

It also appears that a highway is an undivided road (based on the definition of the other terms).

In the US, it's a matter of who pays for them. The federal government pays for the interstate highways. They can look very similar, e.g., both can have ramps for heavy traffic. From the source links:

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System or Interstate Freeway System, and colloquially referred to as "the Interstate", is a network of limited-access roadways (also called freeways, highways, or expressways) in the United States. It is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation. As of 2006, the system has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km).[1] The Interstate Highway System is a subsystem of the National Highway System.

The National Highway System (NHS) of the United States comprises approximately 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads, which are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. It is the world's longest highway system.

The system, which was developed by the United States Department of Transportationin cooperation with the states, local officials, and metropolitan planning organizations was approved by the United States Congress in 1995.

It encourages individual states to focus on strategic routes support these with federal funds where the States can incorporate design and construction improvements that address their traffic needs safely and efficiently.

Answer 2

Highways are roads that are usually maintained by the local government (or even the state - never federal) but the funding for the highway can come from the federal government. State highways never cross state lines. US highways do cross state lines. US highways were established to create paths for travel where the road number does not change from state to state. This was done to make interstate travel easier and was mandated by congress in the 1930s if memory serves me correctly.

Freeway is a road that has NEVER been a toll road and NEVER will be.

Interstate - highway that crosses state lines and is not a US highway. This is a seperate act of congress and was established in the 1950s to create highways that were limited access and were designed for those traveling long distances on a regular basis.

EDIT***

I looked at the definitions for freeway, expressway (you didn't ask, but I looked anyhow), etc. and it seems as though there is a small bit of confusion relating to this specific definition of the word freeway. True, the answer below does appear to be factual, but I do seem to recall a state that has designated a definition of a freeway as the one I provided, but I am unable to find the site that stated this (I have seen this and not in a dream). For all intents and purposes however, it appears as though the most common definition for a freeway is a limited access, divided highway.

It also appears that a highway is an undivided road (based on the definition of the other terms).

In the US, it's a matter of who pays for them. The federal government pays for the interstate highways. They can look very similar, e.g., both can have ramps for heavy traffic. From the source links:

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System or Interstate Freeway System, and colloquially referred to as "the Interstate", is a network of limited-access roadways (also called freeways, highways, or expressways) in the United States. It is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation. As of 2006, the system has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km).[1] The Interstate Highway System is a subsystem of the National Highway System.

The National Highway System (NHS) of the United States comprises approximately 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads, which are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. It is the world's longest highway system.

The system, which was developed by the United States Department of Transportationin cooperation with the states, local officials, and metropolitan planning organizations was approved by the United States Congress in 1995.

It encourages individual states to focus on strategic routes support these with federal funds where the States can incorporate design and construction improvements that address their traffic needs safely and efficiently.

Answer 3

I'm going to assume you mean intrastate and interstate. Intrastate do not leave the state or give access to another state by that highway. An interstate travels to and through multiple states.