America’s
Highway History
America’s birth of modern Interstate Highways dates back to 1921 when Congress passed the Federal Highways Act.
The Federal Highways Act of 1921 authorized the Bureau of Public Roads to begin funding State highway agencies in an attempt to develop a Interstate system of two lane, paved highways as a means of bringing together the States of our young country. After many years of successful progress, including passing the Miller Act of 1935 which provided much needed protections for the contractors involved in the Federally funded projects, the construction of the Interstate Highways system came to a near halt in 1941 as the United States became more actively involved in World War II.
As World War II came to a end, and things here at home began to normalize, construction of the Interstate Highway system continued to progress until November of 1950. By then, the Korean War had just about come to a head and as the United States became more enthralled in the conflict, the Interstate Highways program was once again set aside as American resources for road building were allocated almost entirely to the needs of the military.
It wasn’t until 1953 when then President, Dwight D. Eisenhower and his administration implemented the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways that the Interstate Highway System began to really take shape in to what it is today.
Though much of these highways constructed were funded by the Federal Government, Interstate Highways are owned by the State in which they were built. Because these highways were Federally funded, this transportation infrastructure must meet Federal standards, such as compliance with Federal traffic sign specifications, having controlled access and being void of at grade intersections just to name a few.
