Print this page Road to Everywhere: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
J.M. Syken
Course Outline
In this course, we will examine the fascinating historical background of “Mankind’s Biggest Building Job” – the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. We will review the history of road building in the United States starting in colonial times followed by the post-revolution construction of the first federally funded highway: The National Road. We will examine the development of roads through the 19th Century and highlight the impact of the development of the automobile on road construction and maintenance by the early 20th Century. This will include the large scale use by the U.S. Army of motor trucks during the Mexican Campaign of 1916 and for the mobilization and transport needs of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) during WWI and their important influences on future road building projects. As well, we will discuss the developments of model roads in Europe (i.e. Autobahn) in the interwar years.
We will pay particular attention to the problem of inadequate roads in pre and post-WWI America and the efforts on the part of individuals, business and government to remedy the situation through legislation, model projects etc. The need for a federal agency – the Bureau of Public Roads, to coordinate, finance and oversee road building up to, through and after WWII will be especially relevant to understanding the origins of the Federal Interstate Highway Act of 1956 which made the Interstate System possible. The role of Presidents - before and after D.D. Eisenhower – in creating the system will be discussed as will the logistics, financing, rules, regulations, signage, design standards, environmental concerns, urban complications etc. Lastly, we will examine the on-going legacy of the Interstate Highway System to the nation it serves.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Understand/appreciate the development of roads in America, beginning in colonial America through to the completion of the initial Interstate Highway System (IHS) by the 1980s;
- Understand/appreciate the impact of the development of automobiles and trucks on road building;
- Understand/appreciate how the experiences of two future POTUS’ as young Army officers would influence the creation of a federally funded IHS;
- Understand/appreciate the lack of maintenance, capacity, design dangers etc. of roads in the U.S. in the interwar and post-WWII years;
- Understand/appreciate the terrible toll in death and injury caused by unsafe and inadequate roads;
- Understand/appreciate the influences of other countries on American roads, in particular Germany’s Autobahn;
- Understand/appreciate the influence of General Motor’s Futurama exhibit at the 1939/40 New York World’s Fair on public consciousness about highways;
- Understand/appreciate the origins of a national highway system in the Roosevelt Administration based on need and as a large-scale “make work” program during the depression years;
- Understand/appreciate how the lack of trained personnel, materials, equipment, financing, unity of purpose etc. delayed the construction of the IHS in the immediate post-WWII years;
- Understand/appreciate why there was a consensus of opinion by the early-to-mid 1950s that the IHS was a necessity and how “the time was right” for its implementation;
- Understand/appreciate the scope, planning, design standards, signage, beautification, environmental/urban impact/s etc. of the IHS;
- Understand/appreciate the difficulties encountered in creating the IHS including the need for tunnels, viaducts, bridges, rock cuts etc.
- Understand/appreciate the transformative affect of the IHS on the economy, culture, mobility etc. on American life; and
- Understand/appreciate the on-going maintenance issues and expansion of the HIS.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for architects, engineers and other design professionals.
Benefit to Attendees
The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into the history of the largest construction project ever conceived – the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System.
Course Introduction
The course includes an in-depth PowerPoint presentation and the viewing short documentary films.
Course Content
In this course, you are required to view/study the following slideshow and the materials contained in the web pages:
Road to Everywhere: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System (printable handout in PDF, 12 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)
Road to Everywhere: The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System (non-printable slideshow for screen-viewing only, 50 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)
Archival/Documentary Films:
TITLE: Highway Challenge
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPHe8ET33Hg#t=13
DURATION: 05:37
TITLE: Road to Prosperity
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE8l9t8GuEI
DURATION: 13:48
TITLE: Why is America Tearing Down its Highways?
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXp4rVZFTVs
DURATION: 10:46
Note A: Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right-clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader from your computer.
Course Summary
They say a civilization is only as great as its roads. Rome had its legions, coliseums and baths, but what connected its vast empire was its roads and bridges - many of which are still in use today. A young army officer by the name of Dwight David Eisenhower experienced first hand the importance of roads to a nation’s greatness. In 1919, as a Lieutenant Colonel, Ike volunteered to be an observer on a trans-continental convoy using the roads then in existence. It was an enlightening experience for all concerned having taken 62 days to cross the country with the loss of several vehicles along the way. A generation later, five-star General Eisenhower – as supreme commander of allied forces, was suitably impressed with the efficiency of Germany’s Autobahn highway network as allied forces closed in on Nazi Germany. Having seen the worst and best of roads at different times in his life, it’s not surprising that the Interstate Highway System would be launched during his administration. Nobody said it would be easy – or perfect, and its influences are still being felt and debated. Perhaps, at its best, the IHS represents the freedom of the open road – the right of every American to traverse it’s +40K miles at will, whenever and wherever we choose.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aid_Highway_Act_of_1956
http://archive.org/stream/magicmotorways00geddrich#page/n7/mode/2up
(Magic Motorways)
http://archive.org/details/Wheelsof1927
(Wheels of Progress)
http://archive.org/details/ToNewHor1940
(To New Horizons)
http://archive.org/details/HighwayH1956
(Highway Hearing – Part 1)
http://archive.org/details/HighwayH1956_2
(Highway Hearing – Part 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLr-8QPbiAY
(Film: Divided Highways (1997) - 1:22:56)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqWi_jPWr4c&t=598s
(Film - The Road Ahead - 23:10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnrqUHF5bH8
(Film - We'll Take the High Road - 31:27)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apWSa6QlrTg
(Film - Anatomy of a Road - 25:11)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-I8GDklsN4
(Film - "Taken for a RIde" - 56:25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQW6j4Xhrfo
(Film: Road to the Future - 04:59)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m43V7M2rTE
(Film: Caterpillar Diesel Tractor [1937] - 18:51)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42CFGwtk5rk
(Film: Giant of the Earthmovers - 10:25)
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
