50th Anniversary - Interstate Hwy System 6/29/56

"Persons traveling through the United States today may find it difficult to imagine our country without the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. It was not until June 29, 1956, when President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, that interstate highways began to meet the challenge of the growing number of automobiles on the nation’s highways. While in Europe during World War II, then General Eisenhower viewed the ease of travel on the German autobahns. That, coupled with the experiences of a young Lt. Col. Eisenhower in the 1919 Transcontinental Convoy convinced the President of the overwhelming need for safer and speedier highways. The President also felt that the newer, multi-lane highways were essential to a strong national defense."
-- from Eisenhower archives.gov
Interstate facts:--An inter-state highway system was first considered in the 1930's. President Roosevelt expressed interest in the idea as a way of providing jobs.
--The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952 authorized funds on a 50/50 state/federal matching level. These were the first funds dedicated to this cause. But even then, the amount ($25 million) was not enough. When President Eisenhower assumed office in 1953, only 6,000 miles had been completed at a cost of $955 million.
--The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, created today's Interstate system and was signed by President Eisenhower on June 29, 1956 in a hospital room without any fanfare. (He was recovering from illness.) The federal government would pay 90% of the cost, because it was realized now that this project was national in scope.
--Initially, the system was to cover 41,000 miles of road, including 2,000 miles of existing toll roads. It was to be completed in 1975. As time passed it became obvious that goal would not be reached. We came close though; by then the system had about 35,000 miles of roadway.
--In February 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers declared the Interstate system one of the "Seven Wonders of the United States." Other wonders include the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge.
--The economic impact of this, the world's largest public works project, is incalculable. There is hardly one aspect of American society that hasn't been affected by the Interstates.
--The longest Interstate is I-90, which runs from Boston to Seattle, a distance of 3,081 miles. At 75 mph it would take you 41 hours to cover that distance non-stop. The second longest is I-80, which covers the 2,907 miles between New York City and San Francisco.
--Interstates 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, 40, 70, 75, 80, 90, 94 and 95 are all more than 1,000 miles long.
--Interstates carry nearly 60,000 people per route-mile per day, 26 times the amount of all other roads, and 22 times the amount of rail passenger services. Over the past 40 years, that's the equivalent of a trip to the moon for every person in California, New York, Texas, and New Jersey combined.
--Over 55,000 bridges had to be built.
--The only state without any Interstate routes is Alaska.

Resource: excerpts from -
www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate