The Interstate Highway System

In the 1950s, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a law to build a huge system of highways. These roads would connect every major city in America. It was one of the biggest building projects in history. The Interstate Highway System changed how Americans live, work, and travel.

Building the Highways

Construction began in 1956 and took decades to complete. Workers built over 48,000 miles of roads across the country. The highways had multiple lanes and no traffic lights. Bridges and tunnels were built to cross rivers and mountains.

How It Changed America

The highways made it much faster to drive between cities. Families could live in suburbs and drive to work in the city. Trucks could deliver goods quickly across the country. The interstate system also helped the military move equipment and soldiers in case of emergency.

Fun Facts

• The Interstate Highway System has over 48,000 miles of roads.
• President Eisenhower got the idea after seeing Germany's highway system during World War 2.
• One mile out of every five on the interstate was originally supposed to be straight enough to use as an airplane runway.

Did You Know?

The Interstate Highway System cost about 114 billion dollars to build and took over 35 years to finish.