Crossing America: The Interstate System

Jessica Russell & Priscilla Alexander Senior Division Group Website

Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources "Dwight D. Eisenhower: Message to Congress." 1956. MS. Eisenhower Museum and Archives, Washington D.C. Eisenhower thought of the Interstate as a way to connect our nation. He wanted to show that to congress. "Together, the uniting the forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the United States, without them we would be a mere alliance of separate parts"-Eisenhower. "Federal Aid Highway Act-Debate." 1955. TS. Eisenhower Museum and Archives, Washington D.C. During the discussion of the Federal Aid Highway Act there were many sides, views, and debates on how the Interstate should be conducted. The most dealt with topic in the debate was whether or not to even go through with the construction of the road way. In the end, the benefits outweighed the negatives. On June 29, 1956 the act was passed. Public Works Program. Rep. Print. As Eisenhower attempted to convince congress to move forward to the construction, he brought up issues that would further the cause. Some of these were: creation of jobs, more stability in the economy, military advantages, and increase in the automobile business. This reformed the nation by making it a more reliable place to travel. "The Size of the National Government." 1956. TS. Eisenhower Museum and Archives, Washington D.C. Eisenhower never gave up on the vision of a Interstate. The Interstate and Defense Highway Act, the largest public works program in American History, was signed and put in to action in 1956. Eisenhower's push for the Interstate created the foundation for the expansion of our nation's transportation system.

Secondary Sources ""Breaking Down" the Eisenhower Interstate System." "Breaking Down" the Eisenhower Interstate System. WordSponsor. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http:// reddirtchronicles.com/2011/06/breakingdown-the-eisenhower-highways>. Millions of dollars have been put into our highways, and we are still finding ways to improve every day. Even with all the improvements, our Interstates are undergoing, wear and tear that needs to be taken care of for us to have safer trips. (Just like we see that the 1992 Louisiana Interstate Road, the pride of Dwight David himself, has been doing.) "Construction Expert Witness & Consulting Services." Construction Expert. 13 May 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://Construction-expert.com/blog/dwight-d-eisenhower-interstate-highway-system/>. The Interstate is taken for granted, and barely applauded now, when in reality it is very vital to traveling. America's growth developed on the Interstate Highway on a unprecedented scale. Out of this accomplishment came a way of life that no other country can duplicate. Daniels, Scott. "Federal Highway Act Of 1956." National Interstate & Defense Highway Act 23 Aug. 2003: 1-3. Print. Many titles and acts had to be passed for the highway to become a part of the U.S. Even now, we are passing new bills and laws for the use of the highway and how it is taken care of. This is reforming our nation in great ways. Dedek, Peter B. Hip to the Trip: A Cultural History of Route 66. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 2007. Print. Before long the Interstates were popping up all over the country, with increasing speed. Many times they would just add two lanes on the side of a already existing two-lane highway, then open it as a four way highway. The four lanes are for military accommodations.

"Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956." National Atlas Home Page. Map Maker. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/transportation/a_highway.html>. Photograph; Eisenhower and the Clay Committee, after the completion of the Federal Aid Highway Act. "File:Speed Limit 70 Minimum 50 Sign.svg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Speed_Limit_70_Minimum_50_sign.svg>. Photograph; A Interstate sign, 70 maximum 50 minimum. "Flex." EffectiveUI Blog. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://blog.effectiveui.com/?tag=flex>. Photograph; Sign letting people know that it is a divided highway. "Golden Gate Bridge Picture." Washington DC Vacation. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://www.visitingdc.com/san-francisco/golden-gate-bridge-picture.asp>. Photograph; The Golden Gate Bridge lit up at night. Highway & Motorway Fact Book. Www.publicpurpose.com, 1995. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://www.publicpurpose.com/freeway1.htm>. The Interstate transports nearly 60,000 people daily. Urban areas are increasingly more dense than even New York City, when the Interstate runs through them. Automobile commuting has increased 60% since 1970. I-90 Interstate 90 Road Maps, Traffic, News. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://www.i90highway.com/>. Photograph; Map of the United States, with highlighted path of the Interstate. Infrastructurist, The. "The Secret History of America's Interstate Highway System." The Infastructurist-America Under Construction. 9 June 2009. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://www.infastructurist.com/2011/06/09/the-secret-history-of-americas-interstate-highway>. MacDonald's bureau concluded that the president's six highways could not be financed through tolls. But in reality, no configuration of long-distance highways could ever support themselves. Ike was not the father of the Interstate, but was a instigator at a key time.

"The Interstate Highway System." HIstory.com. Gold Medal. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://www.history.com/topics/interstate-highway-system>. June 29th, 1956: A bill was introduced that would forever revolutionize transportation methods in America. It would eliminate all the unsafe roads, inefficient routes, and traffic jams. Instead, this would provide speedy, safe, and consistent travel. "The Interstate Highway System." Hofstra People. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. <http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch3en/conc3en/map_interstatesystem.html>. A convoy of army trucks was sent on a journey across the United states, from Washington to San Francisco, to test the efficiency of the roadway system in case of an emergency . The origins of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Interstate System and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate System. "Interstate History: Origin and Creation of the American Highway." Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free Online Reference, Research & Homework Help. Infoplease.com. Web. 01 Oct. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/interstate1.html>. What could be more emblematic of America than the open road? In the early 1900's a national, uninterrupted system of highways was merely just a pipe dream. Then Congress passed the highway act, presented by Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1956 and made the American dream come to life. King, John A., and John R. Vile. The President's Position: Debating The Issues. Westport: Greenwood, 2006. Print. Eisenhower initiated, the largest and most public works program in American History. The German Autobahn, was what really motivated Eisenhower's to go through with his plan. The Interstate was not only going to stimulate the job economy, but also would create revolution in the possibilities of good being made available.

Layman, Richard. American Decades 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. Print. The 1950's was a decade of unprecedented economic and population growth for the United States. The Highway Act of 1956 provided $26 billion to construct forty-one-thousand miles of Interstate roads. It provided new, efficient ways of travel. McGuire, John M. "After Writing Book about Interstate System, Author Rewards Himself with a Road Trip across Them in Vintage Car." St. Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis] 21 Jan. 2004. EBSCO. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com>. Dan McNichol, who wrote a book about the Interstate System, decided to go on a road trip across our great nation. He wanted to experience firsthand what he had been researching and writing about. By doing this, he gained much attention and his book was a hit! Mikkelson, Barbara. "Landing of Hope & Glory." Snopes.com. Kasperskyv, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/airstrips.asp>. Original Claim: "The American Interstate Highway System was designed to have emergency airstrips in case of war." However, this is not true. The United States is filled with private airfields that can be quickly put into service if the need arose. National Geographic. National Geographic Guide to the Interstates: Crossing America. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2001. Print. There are 30 Interstate Highways. There is a gap in New Jersey, but it is filled with the N.J. Turnpike. There are many monuments and statues, along the highway. "National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956)." Our Documents. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://ourdocuments.gov/doc.php>. The transcontinental superhighway started in the 1930's. The end of the war quad the Federal Highway Act of 1944, and funded highway improvements and established new ground. During Eisenhower's state of the union address on January 7, 1954. In the act the interstate system was expanded to 41,000 miles. 5

"Project Area for the Health Impact Assessment of Traffic in the Excelsiors Still/Lyell Freeway Channel." Program on Health Equity and Sustainability Main Page. San Francisco Department Of Public Health. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://www.sfphes.org/PODER/PODER_Project_Area.htm>. Photograph; The photo of the woman wearing the "Save us from the Freeway" hat. This photo is used to help visualize the way people felt about the new revolutionary Highways. Richards, Gary. "A CRUMBLING LEGACY THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM." San Jose Mercury News [San Jose] 15 June 2006. Print. They planned to build a network to link every corner of this country, they planned to be able to move speedily from one coast to the other. The 46 million miles, $130 million system of interstate accomplished all this and more. It transformed this country from a place where most people rarely traveled, especially far from home to one where long road trips would be necessary. "Road to Hana Map." Hawaii Travel Guide - Hawaiian Vacation Tips plus Things to Do. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://www.hawaii-guide.com/maui/spot/road_to_hana_map>. Photograph; Map of the Hawaiian Highways. Rodrigue, Jean-Pual. "The Geography of Transport Systems." The Interstate Highway System. Hofstra University, 1998. Web. 08 Nov. 2011. <http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/>. To test how long supplies would take to be sent across the nation, they sent out a convoy of various trucks, and other vehicles. The convoy took 62 days to make the trip all the way, Eisenhower was very upset about this. East - West Roads were assigned even numbers.

Snyder, Logan T. "President Eisenhower and America's Interstate Highway System." History.net. American History, 6 June 2006. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <HTTP://www.historynet.com/president=dwight=eisenhower-and-americas-interstate-highwaysystem.htm>. Every average American uses it on a daily basis, what is it the greatest idea in history, the Interstate System. The world war was a war of motor transport, a war of movement, especially in the later stages of the war. Several interstate routes in California and Hawaii hug the coasts, for a scenic drive. "The Story of the U.S. Interstate." Interstate History: Origin and Creation of the American Highway. Part Of Family Education Network. Web. 01 Oct. 2011. <http//www.infoplease.com/spot/interstate>. A nation road was built in 1815 that went from Maryland to St. Louis, but fell into disrepair. The Federal Highways Act of 1938 was the first attempt to develop a new national road way. Gwight had long realized the importance of highways, and acted upon it in his presidential years United States Department Of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration. "Interstate System: The Frequently Asked Questions." Eisenhower Interstate System. FHWA. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. <http://fhwa.gov/interstate/faq.htm>. The report that started the whole Interstate Construction is known as: Toll Roads and Free Roads. During his term as president Eisenhower, attempted to work out all the kinks out of the new program. The states own the sections of Interstate, with one exception, which is the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge. "Urban Economic Map." About Geography. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://geography.about.com/od/urbaneconomicgeography/a/interstates.htm>. The FAHA provided for federal funding of 90% of the cost of the Interstates. States contributed the remaining 10%. The first stretch of Interstate opened in Topeka, Kansas.

Weingroff, Richard F. "Federal Highway Act of 1956:creating the Interstate System." NationalAtlas.gov. USA.gov, 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2011. <http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/summer96/p96su10.htm>. In the late 1930's, the pressure was building, for construction of transcontinental superhighways. Was a big economic push but also, a major job boosting project at the same time. Congress was very curious about this type of idea. "Weird NJs Phantom Tollbooth Attendant." Odd Man Out. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://oddmanout215.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/weird-njs-phantom-tollbooth-attendant/>. Photograph; Toll booth attendant collecting the toll.