Eisenhower, was hailed by the president in his state of the union address on january 6, 1955, as essential to meet the needs of our. Federalism and standards in 1956, congress passed the federalaid highway act that established the goal of constructing a 41,000mile national system of interstate and defense highways using. In some instances, the government took homes by eminent domain. Transit cooperative research program research results digest. Interstate highway system ihs is 46,876 miles in length 2006 the dwight d. The interstate highway system and the development of the. The interstate highway system turns 60 pdf montana. Renewing the national commitment to the interstate highway.
Eisenhower national system of interstate and defense highways, commonly known as the interstate highway system, is a network of controlledaccess highways that forms part of the national highway system in the united states. Federalaid highway act of 1956 accelerated the pace of highway construction through expanded federal assistance. History of the interstate highway system maps, resources. Construction of i5 in oregon was completed in 1966. Passed the house on april 27, 1956 38819 passed the senate on may 29, 1956 49 reported by the joint conference committee on june 22, 1956. In 1956, the combination of a more populous and mobile nation, and president dwight eisenhowers recognition during world war ii of the importance of a highway network to mobility and defense. An act to amend and supplement the federal aid road act approved july 11. The highway system its development and impact on the united.
Within a few months, after considerable debate and amendment in the congress, the federalaid highway act of 1956 emerged from the housesenate conference committee. Eisenhower system of interstate and defense highways. In 1956, congress passed the federalaid highway act, popularly known as the national interstate and defense highways act, authorizing federal funding for the extension and construction of a robust network of interstate highways. At the urging of the automobile makers and with the support of president eisenhower, the interstate highway system was created through the federal highway aid act of 1956. It also changed the name of the interstate system to the. Popularly known as the national interstate and defense highways act of.
If this act is approved by voters, the total principal amount of outstanding bonds at any one time from this act and the arkansas highway financing act. Because of the 1956 law, and the subsequent highway act of 1958, the pattern. For the interstate system, the current document specified in 625. The system extends throughout the contiguous united states and has routes in. After the act, interstate travel was defined by the massive, multilaned, highspeed funnels we know today. An act to amend and supplement the federalaid road act approved july 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways. President woodrow wilson signed the federalaid road highway act in 1916, creating the bureau. Any highway, other than an interstate highway, officially designated as a part of the federalaid primary system by the director, approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government, as of june 1, 1991, or any highway which is not on the federalaid primary system, but which is or becomes a part of the national highway system. Apr 22, 2020 federal highway construction and safety programs are currently authorized through september 30, 2020, under the fiveyear fixing americas surface transportation act fast act. When policy makers and highway engineers determined that the new interstate highway system should penetrate to the heart of the central cities, they made a fateful decision, but also a purposeful one. Today, a majority of the interstate highway system is paved with concrete 11 inches thick and uses 1.
Interstate highways use a numbering scheme in which primary interstates are assigned one or twodigit numbers, and shorter routes are assigned threedigit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. Interstate highway system was created in 1944, but construction was stalled by disputes over funding and urban route locations. Oregon had long been a leader in road construction, and the states response to. The highway system its development and impact on the. Facilities development manual wisconsin department of. The national interstate and defense highways act of 1956 p. Three ways the interstate system changed america smart news. This option would continue the provisions of the 1981 highway act, under which all 1,575 miles of unbuilt interstate. More information on adobe acrobat pdf files is available on our accessibility page. National interstate and defense highways act todays document. Extension of federal surface transportation programs. Interstate highway system eisenhower presidential library. Students will be able to interpret a data visualization that shows the population density along interstate 90. Eisenhower national system of interstate and defense highways, commonly called the interstate highway system or simply the interstate, is a network of limitedaccess highways also called freeways or.
Jun 28, 2018 1944 the federal highway act of 1944, calls for designation of a national system of interstate highways, to include up to 40,000 miles. History of the automobile and national highway system. One hundred fourteenth congress of the united states of america. Transit cooperative research program research results. National interstate and defense highways act us capitol visitor. A foundation for the future by the national academies of sciences, engineering, and medicine for free. Federal highway act of 1956 us house of representatives. To amend and supplement the federalaid road act approved july 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways. This 1958 map of interstate highways shows improvements in rural segments to be completed over the next quartercentury. Code of alabama alabama department of transportation. This title may be cited as the federal aid highway act of 1973.
Congress in its 1921 federal aid highway act called upon the. Map of national system of interstate and defense highways. The interstate program could be reoriented in various ways to shift from the historical focus on new construction to the growing need for system repairs. States to select a system of principal interstate and intercounty highways, limited. The act stipulates that states that do not adhere to the laws and regulations governing the application of the. The 1956 interstate highway act helped pave the way to a half. Anniversary of the federal highway act of 1956 govinfo.
Popularly known as the national interstate and defense highways act of 1956, the federal aid highway act of 1956 established an interstate highway system in. Federal regulations regarding highway advertising along interstate and national highway system nhs non interstate highways, and at safety rest areas. Legislation eventually increased that limit to 43,000. Pdf the intrastate highway act of 1956 changed america. However, with the highway act of 1956, the federal bureau of public road was given the task of determining the routing for new freeways in america, a dramatic shift from the earlier statecontrolled protocols. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, section 1.
The 1956 federal highway act converted many twolane state roads into wellpaved, fourlane superhighways, speeding travel between major population centers. Known as the national interstate and defense highways act of 1956. The routes were meant for emergency evacuation and military transport as well as for commerce and commuting. The act authorized 41,000 miles of high quality highways that were to tie the nation together. National interstate defense and highway act of 1956 5. Interstate highway act authorizing the largest public works project in the history of the country. The national interstate and defense highways act of 1956 teachers should be aware that this activity is designed to be teacherled, meaning the teacher who stops to introduce concepts along the way and the class complete the activity together. Other legislation allows the federal highway administration to approve additional mileage for freeways adhering to interstate standards that would be a logical addition or. Section b1 24c00 interstate transportation under the motor carrier act.
A brief history of how racism shaped interstate highways. From the passage of the federal aid highway act in 1956, nearly 50,000 miles of. An act to authorize funds for federalaid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes. The 1956 federalaid highway act resolved these issues. The advisory council on historic preservation has approved an exemption that would relieve federal agencies from the requirement of taking into account the effects of their undertakings on the interstate highway system, except with regard to certain individual elements or structures that. War ii, the federalaid highway act of 1944 funded highway improvements and established major new ground for the construction of 40,000 miles of a national system of interstate highways. Download a pdf of renewing the national commitment to the interstate highway system. From the passage of the federal aid highway act in 1956, nearly 50,000 miles of limited access and highgrade highways were added to the 4 million miles. The interstate has had a tremendous impact on local and national economies. The act made modest changes to the interstate highway tolling prohibition. Jun 30, 2016 on june 29, 1956, president dwight eisenhower signed into law the federalaid highway act of 1956 70 stat. One hundred fourteenth congress of the united states of. These are only a few of the important accomplishments of the first session of the 87th congress.
The standards, policies, and standard specifications that have been approved by the fhwa for application on all construction and reconstruction projects on the national highway system nhs are incorporated by reference in 23 cfr part 625 design standards for highways. While in europe during world war ii general eisenhower viewed the ease of travel on the german autobahns. The act called for the interstates to be paid for by taxes on motorists, such as the federal motor fuel. The states are required to comply with these federal laws and regulations or become subject to a 10 percent reduction in federal aid highway. Extends fiscal year fy 2020 enacted levels for federalaid highway, transit, and safety programs. The interstate highway system includes many of the corridors with the level of traffic that makes the best business sense for tollsupported publicprivate. An act to amend and supplement the federal aid road act approved july 11, 1956, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways. In addition to federal motor fuel tax revenues, the fast act will.
Consequently, the 1952 federalaid highway act provided the first specifically authorized federal funds for interstate highway construction. More than a decade later, only a fraction of the roads had actually. The limitedaccess german autobahn system provided a model concept for a similar system in the united. 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 nations highways. Construction of the system was authorized by the federal aid highway act of 1956. Pros and cons2 the arguments in favor of expanding tolling of the interstate highways include the following.
By 1919 the need for a planned system of national highways became apparent with the increasingly common use of the automobile in the united states. The government began the planning process for a system of interstate highways which would bypass the small towns and create a faster way to travel from point to point. Enrolled acts and resolutions of congress, 17891996. Interstate highway system streamlined process for section 106. It also changed the name of the interstate system to the national system of interstate and defense highways. On june 29, 1956, president eisenhower signed the federal aid highway act of 1956, which authorized the interstate highway system later formally named the dwight d. The federalaid highway act of 1956, signed into law by president dwight eisenhower on june 29, 1956, called for the construction of a 41,000mile system of interstate highways. Historic context of the interstate highway system in georgia.
The federalaid highway act of 1944 was the first highway act to provide funds dedicated to urban highways. It was general motors 1939 futurama exhibit come true. More than a decade later, only a fraction of the roads had actually been constructed because of the expense. Further, state legislative actions permitting these signs along interstate or federalaid highways are in violation of almost all existing federalstate agreements that govern implementation of the highway beautification act hba. The excluded list for new york appears on the final list of nationally and exceptionally significant features of the federal interstate highway system, published in the federal register on dec. The federal aid highway act of 1956, popularly known as the national interstate and defense highways act public law 84627, was enacted on june 29, 1956, when president dwight d.
The interstate highway system, in large part the brainchild of president dwight d. Federal aspects of the interstate highway program core. National interstate and defense highways act 1956 our documents. In 1956, congress passed the federal aid highway act, popularly known as the national.
Three ways the interstate system changed america smart. The emergence of the trucking industry in the 1930s further increased calls for longdistance interstate superhighways. The states are required to comply with these federal laws and regulations or become subject to a 10 percent reduction in federal aid highway funds. The interstate highway system is partially financed through the highway trust fund, which itself is funded by a federal fuel tax. Freeway revolts while the interstate highway systems proposals were geared towards meeting deficiencies in the nations. National interstate and defense highways act of 1956 on american society. National interstate and defense highways act 1956 citation. In 1916, congress had passed the federal road aid act, which allowed the federal government to grant funds to the states to construct a national highway system. The federalaid highway act of 1956 specified a limit of 41,000 miles to be built with interstate construction funds.
Title 2 of the 1961 act increased certain of the highway user taxes to assure adequate revenues for timely completion of the interstate system. To amend and supplement the federal aid road act approved july 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways. Interstate elements to be excluded from the exemption, based on these criteria. Apr 07, 2021 planners of the interstate highway system, which began to take shape after the federal aid highway act of 1956, routed some highways directly, and sometimes purposefully, through black and brown communities. The federalaid road act of 1944 mandated construction of an interstate highway system.
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