H-2

About H-2

Also known as Veterans Memorial Freeway.

From Pearl City, HI (H-1) to Wahiawa, HI

Interstate H-2 is a short spur on the island of Oahu, running about 8 miles from a junction with Interstate H-1 in the Pearl City and Waipahu area northward to Wahiawa in the center of the island. It carries commuters between the leeward coastal corridor and the inland communities of central Oahu, climbing gently from the H-1 interchange toward the higher ground around Wahiawa.

The route is officially the Veterans Memorial Freeway and serves the planned community of Mililani along with the agricultural and military lands of the central plateau. It passes near Wheeler Army Airfield and includes high-occupancy vehicle lanes that operate during weekday peak periods to favor carpools and buses. Crossing the deep gulches of the area required substantial bridges, including spans over Kipapa Gulch and Waikakalaua Gulch.

Because it links only points within Oahu, H-2 is an intrastate freeway like the other Hawaii Interstates, drawing its federal eligibility from the defense and population needs of the island rather than any connection to the mainland grid.

State-by-state mileage

State	Miles
Hawaii	8.3
Total	8.3

History

Construction of Interstate H-2 began in 1971, and the freeway was completed and fully opened on February 21, 1977, after its first section opened in 1974. The project cost roughly forty-three million dollars and drew little of the controversy that surrounded other island freeways, leading some observers to call it Hawaii's quietest or forgotten freeway.

Major cities and places

Notable features

• Kipapa Gulch bridge
• Waikakalaua Gulch bridge

Did you know

• It opened fully in 1977 and is about 8 miles long.
• It is officially named the Veterans Memorial Freeway.
• Its southern end connects to H-1 at the Waiawa Interchange.
• It serves the central Oahu communities of Mililani and Wahiawa.
• It carries weekday high-occupancy vehicle lanes during peak hours.