the eisenhower interstate highway system
TRANSCRIPT
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 1/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 1
The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
Roger A. SkilesTransportation Principles
Ed PinnellJuly 20, 2011
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 2/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 2
Abstract
President Eisenhower, after taking office in 1953 made one of his first term goals the
revitalizing of the nation’s highways. His hard work and dedication to this end
culminated in the signing of important highway legislation in 1956. Authorization for the
Interstate Highway System was provided by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956
(FHWA 2011); later known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of
1956. While funded by the Federal government, State Highway transportation agencies
had the responsibility for the construction of the projects. Future legislation would
eventually cap the miles of highway under this Act to 43,000 (FHWA 2011). The price of
this highway system has been estimated at $114.3 billion dollars (FHWA 2011).
Highway projects in both Missouri and Kansas lay claim to the first construction projects
under the 1956 Act. All traffic laws and operating requirements are the responsibility of
the States along with enforcement of such laws, including setting and enforcing speed
limits. While it is often thought that the Interstate highway system was built primarily for
military purposes and that highways could double as airstrips, the fact is that the
Interstate system was pursued for civilian benefits and while airplanes could land on
some highways, that was never the intent of Act (FHWA 2011).
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 3/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 3
History
The Federal-aid highway program established in 1916 was the model to which
The Interstate Highway System was built. Funding for Interstate construction was made
available to the State Highway transportation agencies by the Federal Government. The
State Highway transportation agencies were responsible for the construction. A National
System of Interstate Highways was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944
(Murphy 2009). However, the authorization to build it was not included in the legislation.
President Eisenhower, after taking office in 1953 made one of his first term goals the
revitalizing of the nation’s highways. He was aware of the poor conditions of the nation’s
highways from his days in the Army while accompanying a military convoy across the
country. When Eisenhower was serving in World War II as Allied Forces Commander,
he took notice of Germany’s Autobahn highway network which he thought was very
smartly engineered. The difference between Germany’s Autobahn and America’s
highways reinforced his belief that the United States needed better roads.
Eisenhower formed committees to study the highways and asked for input from
many state Governors. He used this information when he met with Congress to discuss
his proposal for a new Interstate Highway system (Leonard 2007). Legislation for the
new highway system initially failed in
1955. Most people assumed that with
1956 being an election year, the
Democratic Congress would not
support such a plan being pursued by a
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 4/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 4
Republican President. However, President Eisenhower worked with Congress making
compromises and urging their approval. On June 29, 1956 Eisenhower signed the
Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (FHWA 2011).
During the rest of his term, he was always looking for ways to make
improvements and solve the problems that were experienced in the initial years of the
project. He encouraged the continued effort on the Interstate System throughout his time
in office. He was given the title of "Father of the Interstate System" based on his
leadership in promoting the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and his determination to
advance the program on schedule. The Act as quoted by Louis Jacobson “touched
virtually every aspect of American life in the past 50 years.” (Jacobson 2005)
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 included a limitation on how many miles
of interstate highway could be constructed with Federal funds. At the time, the limit was
41,000 miles. Legislation would later increase the limit to 43,000 miles. Of the 43,000
miles, 42,795 miles have been used. The Federal Highway Administration, with approved
legislation can approve additional mileage if it meets full Interstate standards and would
be a logical addition or connection. The current Interstate System is 46,876 miles long
and has been referred to as “The world’s largest public works project” (Lagesse, D 2003).
The distance beyond the 42,795 was not eligible for funding under the Federal-Aid
Highway Act of 1956, although States were able to use other Federal-aid funding to help
with construction.
Interstate highways are owned and operated by the States, with the exception of
the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (I-
95/495) over the Potomac River in the
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 5/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 5
Washington D.C area (FHWA 2011). President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved special
legislation in August 1954 to allow the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads to build the bridge.
The bridge is owned by the Federal Highway Administration even though the District of
Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia operate the bridge. Actually, as the bridge
replacement project is nearing completion, when the first span of the new bridge was
opened, the ownership of the bridge will go to the States.
In 1991 it was estimated that the cost of the Interstate highway system was $128.9
billion (FHWA 2011). The portion covered by the Federal government was $114.3
billion. Only the mileage included in the Interstate Construction Program (42,795 miles)
was paid by the Federal government. Mileage added as a logical addition or connection
outside the limitation and turnpikes incorporated into the Interstate System within the
mileage limitation were not included in the Federal government’s costs.
Major General Philip B. Fleming, the Federal Works Administrator approved the
first 37,700 miles of the Interstate System on August 2, 1947. The initial 37,000 miles
was recommended by Thomas H. MacDonald, Commissioner of Public Roads. Because
there was no program established by Congress to build the network of highways, the
States used Federal-aid funding to complete many of the projects inside the approved
interstate areas.
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 initiated the formal Interstate Construction
Program. This new program brought higher design standards, a Federal funding source,
and the commitment of the nation. There are two interstate projects that claim to be the
first in the country. The first project using Interstate Construction funding appropriated
from the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 started in the state of Missouri. Beginning on
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 6/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 6
August 13, 1956, the project took
place on U.S 40 in St. Charles
County (Droz, D. 2007). The
project would later be designated
the I-70 Mark Twain Expressway.
A large sign was placed at the site
that said "This is the first project in the United States on which actual construction was
started under provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. “
There was a second project that claimed to be first. Another construction project on U.S
40 west in Kansas, west of Topeka actually began before the 1956 Act, but didn’t award
the final paving contract until after the new legislation was in place (Droz, D. 2007). Due
to this being the first paving under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, a sign was
erected in Kansas stating, "This is the first project in the United States completed under
provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act
of 1956."
Traffic Rules
Interstates are owned and operated by
the states that occupy them. Therefore, the states
control the operating requirements and
limitations, including the speed limit. Along
with controlling requirements and speed, the
state must also provide enforcement. Although
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 7/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 7
the states are free to create their own laws and rules based on their own circumstances,
the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances (NCUTLO), which
includes police officers and State motor vehicle administrators, publishes a digest of
traffic laws and rules of the road. The goal of NCUTLO is to promote consistency of
traffic laws from state to state.
Although many people seem to believe at one time there was a national speed
limit of 55 miles per hour, there never has been a single speed limit adopted throughout
the country. The thought of a national speed limit
comes from the Emergency Highway Energy
Conservation Act signed on January 2, 1974 by
President Richard Nixon (Woolley 2011). The Act
was part of a countrywide effort to reduce the
consumption of oil in the middle of an energy crisis
due to Middle Eastern conflict and subsequent oil embargo ordered by the Organization
of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The Federal Highway Administration was prohibited
from giving approval to any highway construction project if the State pursuing the project
had a speed limit over 55 miles per hour. The States were not mandated to maintain the
55 mile per hour limit but would lose Federal-aid highway funding if they chose to post
any limit higher than 55. Due to the new law, all States complied with the 55 mile per
hour limit proposed in the legislation. It was not until 1987 when the Surface
Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act was passed that the States were
allowed to increase speeds on rural Interstates to 65 miles per hour without losing
funding. The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 removed the rural
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 8/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 8
restriction allowing the 65 miles per hour limit to extend to all roads. As of today, the full
control of speed limits rests with the States (Fox 2004). Along with speed restrictions, the
States also control the types of vehicles that can be operated on Interstate highways under
their control.
Bicycles are not allowed to be operated on Interstates in most States. However,
some western states do allow bicycles on routes where
there is less traffic and alternate routes for bicyclists do
not exist (FHWA 2011). The safety of all Interstate
users is the main consideration when determining if
bicycles and motor vehicles can safely enter and exit the
highway together. In urban areas, some Interstate
highways have actually been designed and built with
bicycle lanes. The Interstate highway system was primarily designed to increase the safety of
drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. It is the largest single engineering and construction
project on this planet (McNichol, 2005). Safety on the Interstate is measured by a fatality
rate. This is a measured rate so that when traffic patterns and interstate usage change, the
data collected can still be utilized. The rate is measured as fatalities per 100 million miles
traveled. With a fatality rate of 0.8 in 2004, the Interstate system is the safest highway
system in the country as compared to a fatality rate of 1.46 for all other roads (Leonard
2007). In comparison, the fatality rate when the Interstate Construction program began in
1956, the fatality rate across the nation was 6.05. Advances in safety, better guardrails,
better signs and markings, breakaway sign posts and utility poles, and wider shoulders
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 9/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 9
are all improvements that contributed to the fatality rate reduction. Numerous safety
improvements in automobiles have helped to reduce fatalities as well.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in the 1970’s considered
converting all of the highway signs, including the speed limit signs to the metric units of
measurement (FHWA 2011). However, after receiving over
5000 comments from motorists, of which 98 percent were
against the change, all consideration for the change was
stopped. In 1988 consideration for metric conversion was back
on the table but once again, it was met with great public
negativity. In April 1994 the FHWA issued a statement that it would no longer pursue
conversion. The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995was signed a year
later which prohibited any funds from the Federal Highway-aid Act of 1956 from being
used to convert old standard signs to metric or to purchase any new metric signs.
Identification of Interstate highways was based off of the numbering plan for U.S
numbered highways, except it would be a mirror image of the numbering system (Droz,
D. 2007). For example, U.S 10 is in the northern part of the country while the new I-10 is
in the south. Based on this numbering plan, in September of 1957
all Interstate highway numbers were assigned and approved by the
U.S. Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) and the American Association
of State Highway Officials (AASHO).
Myths
There are numerous myths associated with the Interstate highway system. On
popular myth is that President Dwight D. Eisenhower or the Federal-Aid Highway Act of
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 10/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 10
1956 required one out of every five miles of interstate highway to be straight so airplanes
can land on the Interstates. The truth is that no policy, legislation, or regulation has ever
existed for this to be a requirement (Mikkelson 2011). This myth is difficult to dispel due
to the fact that it is so widespread. At times, airplanes are forced to land on Interstates for
safety reasons but highways were never designed for that purpose.
Another popular myth is that the primary purpose of the Interstate system was for
National Defense. While it is true that the words “and Defense” were added to the official
name of the highway system in 1956 (“National System of Interstate and Defense
Highways”) due to the Department of Defense being a big supporter of the highway
system, but the Interstate highway programs civilian benefits were so popular that any
required legislation would have passed even if defense was not a factor (FHWA 2011).
President Eisenhower knew the value the Interstate system would provide the military but
that was just part of the reason he supported it. His support was mostly based on
economic development, improved highway safety, relief of congestion, and reduction of
vehicle related lawsuits which were all civilian needs.
Conclusion
Even though the Federal government provided the funding under the Federal-Aid
Highway Act of 1956, the States were responsible for the construction, operation, law
making and enforcement of the highways. President Eisenhower played a significant role
in the approval and support of the 1956 Act but was not the sole reason the project was
successful. Additionally, while the Department of Defense contributed suggestions and
requirements for the highway system, the primary purpose of the Federal-Aid Highway
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 11/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 11
Act of 1956 was to enhance the safety and economic development of the civilian
community. The Interstate Highway Act of 1956 created the vast network of
superhighways, beltlines, and spurs of the modern-day highway system (Murphy 2009).
It “lead to an America that is more mobile, less plagued by regional differences, and
vastly wealthier than before (Fox 2004).”
8/3/2019 The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system 12/12
Running Head: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System 12
References
Droz, R. (2007, October 5) U.S highways: from us1 to (us830). Retrieved from
http://www.us-highways.com/usbt.htm
FHWA (2011) Eisenhower interstate highway system. Retrieved from
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/homepage.cfm
Fox, J. (2004, January 26) The great paving how the interstate highway system helped
create the modern economy--and reshaped the FORTUNE 500. Fortune Magazine
Jacobson, L (2005, May 3) Ten bills that really mattered. Roll Call
Lagesse, D (2003, July 7) Building the highways that changed a nation. U.S News &World Report.
Leonard, B. (2007) Celebrating 50 years: the Eisenhower interstate highway system
McNichol, D. (2005, December 31) The roads that built America: the incredible story of
the U.S. interstate system.
Mikkelson, B. (2011, April 1) Landing of hope and glory. Retrieved from
http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/airstrip.asp
Murphy, J. (2009). Building America: then and now. The Eisenhower Interstate System
Woolley, J. (2011) The American Presidency Project. Retrieved from
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=4332#axzz1SZZTW5s9