the interstate highway system: 60 years of perspective ... · thoughts on the interstate the...

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The Interstate HighwaySystem: 60 Years of

Perspective

Jerry Hall

UNMJuly 13, 2016

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Ike’s 1919 Cross-Country Trip

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Toll Roads and Free Roads, 1939

Plan for a 14,336-mile system

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1939 Cross-section Design

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Designating Interstate Routes

•FA Highway Act of 1944

– Connect cities >50,000

– Connect most state capitals

– 2 lanes if projected ADT < 2000

– Original plan - 41,000 mile

– 1956 cost estimate of $27.5 B

– No funding mechanism

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Eisenhower’s Assessment

•Governor’s Conference, 1954

•Obsolete highway penalties

– Death and injury

– Detours and traffic jams

– Highway defect litigation

– Goods movement

– Defense, esp. atomic event

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Clay Commission Report

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1956 Breakthrough

• Plan a pay-as-you-go system• Create Highway Trust Fund• Tax fuel, vehicles, tires,• Incorporate existing toll roads• Evaluate RU tax changes• Viability in 2016

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Then and Now1956 2016

Postal rate $0.04 $0.47CPI 27.2 237.1DJIA 470 17,900Population, 106 169 324Hwy fatal rate 6.3 1.08FA Hwy Act (p) 29 490Federal agency BPR FHWAPresident ID Ike BarackUS Debt $270M $18B+

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Comparable Initiatives• Erie Canal, 1824• Transcontinental RR, 1869• Panama Canal, 1914• Jet Air Travel, 1959• Land on Moon• Internet, 1990


Original Interstate Map, 1956


Early Interstate Design


Entertainment Highlights of 1956

• Top Songs– Heartbreak hotel, Elvis– The wayward wind, Gogi Grant– Rock around the clock, Bill Haley– Memories are made of this, D Martin

• Top Television Shows– The $64,000 Question– I Love Lucy– Dragnet– The Millionaire


Learning How to Design (1958)


Partial List of Interstates


Popular in 1956• Davey Crockett• Hula Hoops• Peanuts comic strip• 3 TV channels• BPR/AASHO/ARBA• Marilyn Monroe• Drive-in Theatre• West Side Story• Edward R. Murrow• 1956 Chevys w/front bumpers


Interstate Consequences

• Improved mobility• Dramatically improved safety• Often improved environment• Economic/Demographic• Just-in-time delivery• Urban renewal• Bypassed cities• Congressional earmarks• Congestion

Moses Lake Bakery



Thoughts on the InterstateThe federal government should get out of thefuel tax since it is a traditional province of thestates. Dewitt Greer, TX State HighwayEngineer, 1953

The Highway Trust Fund is a large body ofmoney surrounded by people who wantsome of it. Sen. Pat McNamara (D, MI)1961

We’ll never finish the Interstate. Americais growing and the Interstate is a part ofthat growth and they are partners. FrankTurner

I-5 at Tangent, OR


Central WillametteValleyNamed for the 1871tangent RRI-5 straight fromAlbany to Coburg,approx 34 miles

I-80, Utah



I-17, North of Phoenix

I-70, Eisenhower/Johnson



I-70, Glenwood Canyon

Oregon, I-5



I-25, Wyoming


I-93, Boston’s Big Dig


H3 – N from Pearl Harbor

Alaska

• Four routes, A-1, A-2, A-3, & A-4added to Interstate in 1981

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Roads and Pop Culture

• Road Songs– On the road again, Willie Nelson– King of the road, Roger Miller– Long and winding road, Beatles– Take me home, country roads, JD– Hit the road, Jack, Ray Charles

• Road Movies– Thunder Road (1958)– Smokey and the Bandit (1977)– Convoy (1978)


Interstate Changes

• Mileage crept up to 47,000+• Cost escalated to $150 B• Opposition to urban I routes• Increased urban travel• Growth in goods movement• Increased commute lengths• Technological advancements• Manage urban freeway ops• Beyond design life


Interstate Challenges


Interstate Disruptions – I-95


I-35 at FM 2484 (3/26/15)

Further North on I-35



More Interstate FactsCurrent Interstate Mileage 47,662

39% urbanFewest miles: DC 12; DE 40; RI 68Western District ITE 12,453

9,100 miles rural (73%)3,353 miles urban (27%)

Connections to state capitalsI-97 to Annapolis, MD (17.62 mi)I-580 to Carson City, NV (30.09)US 1 to Dover, DEUS 54 to Jefferson City, MOUS 83 to Pierre, SD

Last Interchange Alphabetically



Interstate Trivia

• Longest route I-90, 3,030 mi• Shortest (2-digit) I-73, NC, 12.3• Most I miles TX, 3,233 mi• Most I routes NY, 29• Highest elev I-70, CO• Lowest elev I-8, El Centro• Interchanges 14,750• Oldest segment Grand C Pkwy

PA Turnpike


TRB Interstate 50 Ribbon Cutting


BTW, Where is I-50?

90th Anniversary of US 66


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