Roads Change More Than Travel
America’s modern highway system changed the country as dramatically as railroads had changed the nineteenth century. Faster roads made it easier for families to travel, for businesses to move goods, and for communities to grow beyond their traditional boundaries.
From Local Roads to a National Network
Before the interstate era, long-distance driving depended on a patchwork of local roads and highways. The interstate system brought a new idea: a connected network designed for high-speed travel between regions. Begun during the Eisenhower administration, it became one of the largest public-works projects in American history.
A New American Landscape
Interstates encouraged suburbs, shopping centers, motels and roadside businesses. They also changed older downtowns and sometimes divided established neighborhoods. The highway is therefore more than pavement—it is part of the story of how modern America was built.