Categories: This Day

June 29, 1956 – Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act

US highway system in 1965

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act on this day in 1956. The bill allowed for the creation of a 41,000 mile highway system

. With his signing, Eisenhower stated the project would eliminate inefficient routes and traffic jams, as well as all other things that stood in the way of “speedy, safe, transcontinental travel.” The roads became known as the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. Vast approval of the bill can be traced in part to the argument the express roadways would allow for the quick evacuation of major cities in the event of a nuclear attack.

Dwight. D Eisenhower
Brian Corey

Recent Posts

March 26, 1879 – Othmar Ammann, NYC bridge designer, is born

Othmar Ammann may not be a familiar name to most, but if you live in…

3 days ago

The History of the Arizona Automotive Industry

Lucid Air by Mr.choppers - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138255918 Arizona may not be…

3 days ago

March 25, 1930 – Larry Shinoda, designer of Corvettes and Mustangs, is born

Larry Shinoda (Ford) Lawrence Kiyoshi Shinoda was born on March 25, 1930, in Los Angeles,…

4 days ago

March 19, 1999 – Ford establishes Premier Automotive Group

2000 Land Rover Discovery, from the year Ford purchased Land Rover. Ford Motor Company's Premier…

1 week ago

March 18, 1858 – Rudolf Diesel’s birthday

On this day in 1858 Rudolf Diesel, would later patent the type of engine by…

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2006 – The last Chevrolet SSR is built

On March 17, 2006, Chevrolet built the last example of one of the most unconventional…

2 weeks ago