The Spark that Started it All"In the summer of 1919, just months after the end of World War I, an expedition of 81 Army vehicles—a truck convoy—set out from Washington, D.C., for a trip across the country to San Francisco. |
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"As a result, Eisenhower formed internal committees to study the idea, enlisted the Nation's Governors to offer suggestions, and met with Members of Congress to promote the proposal. When legislation failed in 1955, observers predicted that in the presidential election year of 1956, the Democratic Congress would not approve such a significant plan sought by a Republican President. Nevertheless, President Eisenhower continued to urge approval and worked with Congress to reach compromises that made approval possible. The President signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 on June 29, 1956. " (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/faq.htm#question6)
Finances and Cost
The final estimate of the cost of the Interstate System was issued in 1991. It estimated that the total cost would be $128.9 billion, with a Federal share of $114.3 billion. This estimate covered only the mileage (42,795 miles) built under the Interstate Construction Program. |
From Beginning to the EndIt was August 2, 1956. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 just 1 month earlier on June 29. S. W O'Brien had watched as the Missouri State Highway Commission and was awarded a $1.1 million contract to Koss Construction Company of Des Moines, Iowa, shortly after 10 am to lay 13.3 miles of 24-foot concrete pavement on U.S. 66 in Laclede County.
O'Brien's call to headquarters confirmed what everybody in the room believed: The project on what would become part of I-44 was the first contract awarded under the new program to build the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/50interstate.cfm) The Interstate program was underway. |