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1916
The United States government's efforts at constructing a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916. -
A suggested National Highway Policy and Plan
E.J. Mehren, presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway industries Association. In the plan, he proposed a 50,000-mile system, consisting of five east-west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include 2% of all roads and would pass through every state. -
A boom in construction
A boom in road construction came throughout this decade, With such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. -
Pershing Map
General John J. Pershing, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershimg map. -
"US" Highways
The first time in history that a national standard was set for roads and highways.This system was created by the Federal Aid Highway Act. This system helped ease the confusion created by the 250 or so named highways, such as the Lincoln Highway. Instead of using names and colored bands on poles, this new system would use numbers for inter-state highways and a reflective shield that would be easily visible. http://www.gbcnet.com/u -
"US" Highways
President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The bill created a 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate and Defense Highways” that would, according to Eisenhower, eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes, traffic jams and all of the other things that got in the way of “speedy, safe transcontinental travel.” http://www.history.com/topics/interstate-highway-system -
Interstate Highway System Was Authorized
The Interstate Highway System was authorized on June 29, 1956 by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. -
First Contract based on new interate funding
Missouri awarded the first contract based on new Interstate Highway funding; this work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. -
Construction and Paving Starts
Construction had taken place before the act was signed, and paving started. -
Construction of Double Decker E. Freeway stops
The Board of Supervisors stopped the construction of the double-decker Embarcadero Freeway along the waterfront. -
speed limits
The maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour -
Nebraska becomes the first state to complete all of its mainline interstate highways
Nebraska becomes the first state to complete all of its mainline interstate highways with the dedication of its final piece of I-80. -
The final section of the Canada to Mexico freeway Interstate
The final section of the Canada to Mexico freeway Interstate 5 is dedicated near Stockton, California. -
Coast to Coast I-80
The final section of the coast-to-coast I-80 is dedicated on the western edge of Salt Lake City, Utah, making I-80 the world's first contiguous freeway to span from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean and, at the time, the longest contiguous freeway in the world. -
coast-to-coast I-10
The final section of coast-to-coast I-10 is dedicated to the Papago Freeway Tunnel under downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Completion of this section was delayed due to a freeway revolt that forced the cancellation of an originally planned elevated routing. -
I-90
I-90 becomes the final coast-to-coast Interstate Highway to be completed with the dedication of an elevated viaduct bypassing Wallace, Idaho. -
System complete! Well... almost
The system claimed to be complete in 1992, but two of the original interstates—I-95 and I-70—are not continuous because they are missing interchanges. Both of these are due to local opposition. Which has blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. -
I-70
The original Interstate Highway system is claimed to be complete with the opening of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in Colorado. -
Construction of PA Turnpike/Interstate 95 interchange Project
The Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project currently under construction will connect the separate sections of I‑95 to make a continuous route, completing the final section of the original plan. Construction began in 2010. -
Extensions were made, and so were records!
The original portion was completed 35 years later, although some urban routes were cancelled and never built. The network has since been extended and, as of 2013, it had a total length of 47,856 miles making it the world's second longest after China's.