All highways in the United States are functionally classified using a common nomenclature, to provide a consistently defined roadway network across the country. These classifications are determined by the individual state departments of transportation (in conjunction with local officials) based on criteria established by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  FHWA must ultimately approve the classifications.

The functional classification is directly tied to eligibility for federal-aid to make capacity and other improvements to highways.  Highways that are, at least classified as "collectors" in the urban area, and "minor collectors" in the rural area, are eligible for federal-aid.  These are the routes that make up the federal-aid highway system.

Another aspect of the federal system is the "rural" and "urban" designations.  How an area is classified, "rural" or "urban," is largely based on how the U.S. Bureau of the Census defines these areas.  They classify all areas of the country into urban or rural following the decennial census.  FHWA allows some adjustments to the Census-defined urban and rural areas in defining these areas for FHWA purposes.  Whether an area is classified as rural or urban can have highway funding and policy implications.

The functional classification/federal-aid system maps included here, show these systems (and the urban boundaries) for the Columbus "urbanized" area, the Delaware (city) "urban" area, and some or all of the surrounding "rural" (and some of the small "urban") areas in Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway and Union counties.  Please note that all information on these maps are subject to verification with the Ohio Department of Transportation and FHWA.

Typically, in the past, following the decennial census, urban boundaries are modified based on census results, and sometimes significant changes are made to the highway system classifications due to growth, new roads, and for other reasons. The adjusted federal-aid urban boundary for the Columbus and Delaware urban areas was revised based on the 2000 Census and was approved by FHWA on April 29, 2003.  Subsequent adjustments to the federal-aid highway system were approved by the FHWA on June 25, 2004.

Should you have any questions regarding this or need paper copies of the maps, please contact Ethan Ortman at (614)233-4153 or eortman@morpc.org.

System Maps

Map 1 - shows Columbus Urbanized Area and some adjacent areas

Map 2 - shows Delaware Urban Area and remainder of Delaware County

Map 3 - shows entire 7-county central Ohio region