Three-digit interstates with an even first digit are commonly named what when they bypass traffic around major cities?

Three-digit interstates with an even first digit are commonly named what when they bypass traffic around major cities?

• A. Beltway
• B. Spur Route
• C. Toll Road
• D. Byway

Answer: (A)

In the Interstate system, three-digit routes are auxiliary paths off a parent two-digit highway. If the first digit is even, the route is designed as a beltway—essentially a loop that circles around a city to bypass its downtown and relieve through-traffic. That looping, circumferential purpose is what gives these highways their common name: beltway. The even-odd pattern helps determine the route’s role: even-first-digit routes form loops around a city, while odd-first-digit routes tend to be spurs that connect into the city from the main highway.

So, when a three-digit interstate is described as bypassing traffic around major cities, it’s the beltway that fits. For contrast, a spur route (odd first digit) doesn’t form a loop around the city, and toll roads or byways are separate designations not defined by this numbering rule.