FUEL RUN
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n June 1956, President Dwight D. Eisen-
hower signed a landmark piece of legis-
lation he’d been championing for years.
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, more
commonly known as the National Interstate
and Defense Highways Act, authorized $25
billion (more than $235 billion in today’s
money) for the construction of 41,000 miles
of interstates over 10 years.
Popular lore tells of General Eisenhower’s
interest in the strategic value of Germany’s
autobahn during the war and his desire to
replicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicatereplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchreplicate it at home. But the history is muchit athome.Butthehistoryismuch
longer than that. In fact, it predates both
World War II and World War I. It does not,
however, predate Eisenhower.however, predate Eisenhower.
As popular interest in the automoAs popular interest in the automo--
bile ignited in the early 1900s, Congressbile ignited in the early 1900s, Congress
recognized the need for better roads forrecognized the need for better roads for
both strategic and commercial reasons,both strategic and commercial reasons,
and it permanently established the Officeand it permanently established the Office
of Public Roads under the Departmentof Public Roads under the Department
of Agriculture in 1905 (now the Federalof Agriculture in 1905 (now the Federal
Highway Administration under the DepartHighway Administration under the Depart--
ment of Transportation). The Office ofment of Transportation). The Office of
Public Roads released its first proposal forPublic Roads released its first proposal for
12 transcontinental highways in 1911 based12 transcontinental highways in 1911 based
on submissions fromon submissions from“Good Roads” organi“Good Roads” organi--
zations around the country.zations around the country.
Carl Fisher, the founder of IndianapolisCarl Fisher, the founder of Indianapolis
Motor Speedway and believed to be theMotor Speedway and believed to be the
first owner of an automobile dealershipfirst owner of an automobile dealership
in the country, conceived and launched ain the country, conceived and launched afundraising campaign to build the Lincoln
Highway (later U.S. Route 30) from Times
Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in
San Francisco in 1912. He officially dedi-
cated the highway in October 1913.
It wasn’t until 1916 that Congress opened
its checkbook with the Federal Aid Road
Act, signed by Woodrow Wilson to build
rural postal roads. Little actual work was
done before the U.S. entered World War I,
sapping resources and labor.
After WWI, then–Bvt. Lt. Col. Eisen-
hower participated in the first-ever militaryhowerhower participated in the first-ever militaryhower participated in the first-ever militaryhower participated in the first-ever militaryhower participated in the first-ever militaryhower participated in the first-ever militaryparticipatedinthefirst-evermilitary
transcontinental convoy in the summer
of 1919. More than 80 Army trucks and
other vehicles trundled down the Lincolnother vehicles trundled down the Lincoln
Highway, covering 3,251 miles in 61 days—anHighway, covering 3,251 miles in 61 days—an
average of just 53 miles per day—in a test ofaverage of just 53 miles per day—in a test of
military mobility (or immobility) in the eventmilitary mobility (or immobility) in the event
of invasion. Eisenhower would later creditof invasion. Eisenhower would later credit
that experience, as well as lessons learnedthat experience, as well as lessons learned
in Germany in World War II, for his desire toin Germany in World War II, for his desire to
build America’s Interstate system.build America’s Interstate system.
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921,The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921,
replacing the expiring 1916 act, bothreplacing the expiring 1916 act, both
increased funding for highway construcincreased funding for highway construc--
tion and resolved a number of technicaltion and resolved a number of technical
and legal issues in the earlier act. It wasand legal issues in the earlier act. It was
the Pershing Map, commissioned by thethe Pershing Map, commissioned by the
Bureau of Public Roads and overseen byBureau of Public Roads and overseen by
Army Gen. John J. Pershing in 1922, thatArmy Gen. John J. Pershing in 1922, that
laid the groundwork for a national highwaylaid the groundwork for a national highway
system. The first official topographic mapsystem. The first official topographic mapof the United States, it included 78,000
miles of roads in three categories of priority,
with an emphasis on the coasts, transconti-
nental routes, and border crossings. Most of
the routes identified by Pershing’s commis-
sion would become federal highways.
The first formal standards for road signs
would be adopted in 1926, along with the
plan to officially number highways with a
white shield. But it was the Depression-era
New Deal suite of job-creation programs
that would get tens of thousands of miles of
highways actually built in the mid- to latehighwayshighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to latehighways actually built in the mid- to lateactuallybuiltinthemid-tolate
1930s, including the famous Route 66.
America’s involvement in World War II
would again spur a military incentive forwould again spur a military incentive for
road building. That’s part of the reason theroad building. That’s part of the reason the
disconnected states of Alaska and Hawaiidisconnected states of Alaska and Hawaii
have “interstate” highways—to connecthave “interstate” highways—to connect
population centers with areas of industrypopulation centers with areas of industry
and to promote national defense.and to promote national defense.
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944
authorized but didn’t fund 40,000 miles ofauthorized but didn’t fund 40,000 miles of
highways. Funding would not appear untilhighways. Funding would not appear until
the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952, in athe Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952, in a
token amount. It was Eisenhower, upontoken amount. It was Eisenhower, upon
taking office in 1953, who would finally kick-taking office in 1953, who would finally kick-
start the interstate system.start the interstate system.
WWith the Federal-Aid Highway Acts ofith the Federal-Aid Highway Acts of
1954, 1956, 1958, and 1959, the Eisenhower1954, 1956, 1958, and 1959, the Eisenhower
Administration greatly increased federalAdministration greatly increased federal
funding for the Interstate systemfunding for the Interstate systemandand
established the Highway Trust Fund toestablished the Highway Trust Fund to
build and maintain the new roads, fundedbuild and maintain the new roads, funded
primarily by a tax on gasoline.primarily by a tax on gasoline.Scott EvansScott EvansThe Interstate Highway System The history behind the story
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