For history research topic I
decided to research the American interstate system. I looked in my History textbook on page 799 and found a few paragraphs on it. It said that Eisenhower passed a bill
called the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. It proposed an Interstate system
that would go through every state and to almost every major city. It increased
the amount of people traveling in cars and therefore decreased the amount of
traveling on trains. The text book really just scratched the surface of the
vast information of the interstates.
I
decided to dig a little deeper and search it on Google. Google led me to a
website called the US Department of Transportation Federal HighwayAdministration. It had almost everything there was to know about this topic. It
talked about how the Federal Aid
Highway act of 1956. It said that the act proposed
a length 41,000 miles of highways. It stated that the national government would
pay 90% of the cost and the states would have to pay the other 10% for the
interstates within there own state. The act created a Highway trust fund in
order to pay and manage the funds for the highways. I confirmed this
information about the act by going to the National Archives website and reading
the actually act, although it was a little confusing to read just because of
the way it was written.
The
US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration website also
talked about what the Highway Trust Fund was and how it got its funds. Most of
the funds came from taxes on oil products that where used in cars, such as
gasoline. Some of the funding also came from purchasing car tags. The Trust
Fund would pay for the highway as it was being built, not all at one time so it
did not increase the governments debts, but worked mostly sufficient just from
the taxes collected on car related products. The total cost of the whole
Interstate system was 128.9 billion dollars, and it was 42,793 miles long.
The
Interstates were built on a strict code of regulations. I found them on a
website called AA Roads Interstate Guide. It is a credible source becuase it
was created by Alex Nitzman who is a catrographer and map researcher. The Interstates had to
have at least two 12 foot lanes in both directions on travel. All of the
overpasses and anything else above the interstates must be 16.5 feet tall, this
is so 18 wheelers can fit under them with ease even if they are hauling a large
or abnormal loads. There was also a strict code on the numbering of
interstates. The interstates that end with an odd number travel north and
south, and the ones ending with even numbers travel east and west. It was a
very helpful source because it gave almost every dimension involved in the
Interstate system.
I
began to wonder what all of the different advantages the Interstate system was.
So I went back to Google and searched it. I found a website called PublicPurpose. It had almost every single advantage the interstate benefitted the
American people with. One of the largest advantages listed on the website was
its impact it had on the US
economy. It has allowed for the shipment of goods to decrease in cost up to 17%
then on other highways. The highways have allowed for goods to be shipped in
less time over greater distance which in return lowered the cost of storing
items in warehouses.
After
reading this I began to wonder what military advantages the Interstate gave the
US .
So I looked up a video on YouTube from the Modern Marvels history show. Modern
Marvels did a show called Super Highways that talked about the United States
Interstate system. This was a very credible source because Modern Marvels is a
very historically accurate television show. The show talked about how
Eisenhower not only wanted the Interstate as a faster and more efficient way of
transportation but also a key role in nuclear attacks. The interstates would
allow large cities to be evacuated in a shorter amount of time then it would
take without the interstates. Luckily this has never happened but the
Interstates played a key role after 9-11. When all of the plains were grounded
they allowed for the trucking industry to take on all of the items that were
being transported by plains. This allowed for the country to keep functioning,
without the use of airplanes.
The
Eisenhower Interstate system is definitely one of the things that make the US
such a great country. It allows for people and goods to travel across it in
short amounts of time. It was well worth the 128.9 billion dollars that in
cost.
