Dwight D. Eisenhower pined for a modern, coast-to-coast interstate system of federal highways for at least two decades before the legislation was enacted that would make his dreams become reality. Eisenhower first realized the value of good highways in 1919, after he volunteered for the U.S. Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco. During this approximately 3,000-mile journey, he experienced, first-hand, the numerous challenges & perils of such long-distance driving expeditions. "Partly for a lark and partly to learn," Eisenhower explained that he and a friend signed on as "observers." This cross-country military caravan experienced all of the woes known to motorists – innumerable mechanical difficulties; vehicles mired in mud or stuck in sand; trucks and other equipment crashing through wooden bridges; roads as slippery as ice or dusty or the consistency of "gumbo"; vacillating weather conditions, from the extreme desert heat to the bone-chilling freezing temps in the Rocky Mountains. Arriving in San Francisco 62 days after setting out, the weary military travelers were greeted with medals, a parade and speeches. Years later, during WWII, Gen. Eisenhower observed that the German troops had enjoyed many advantages because of the autobahn network & he also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies when they fought their way into Germany. Eisenhower recalled, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germany had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land." In early 1954, during his second year as President of the United States, Eisenhower made it clear, during his State of the Union Address on January 7th, that the nation's highway problems were now a priority, saying that he considered it important to "protect the vital interest of every citizen in a safe and adequate highway system." Although the president considered the rapidly-enacted Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1954 a "good start," he felt it only maintained the status quo. Continuing to dream much bigger dreams for the American roadways, he said, "A $50 billion highway program in 10 years is a goal toward which we can – and we should – look...(because) our highway network is inadequate locally, and obsolete as a national system." After Ike's elec- trifying comments, his desire that the federal government cooperate with the states to develop a modern state highway system seemed more likely to come to fruition. For the next couple of years, tremendous political wrangling ensued, mainly over the specifics of financing & maintaining such a revolutionary & costly transportation network. Ultimately, compromises were reached & Eisenhower prevailed. While hospitalized briefly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and without fanfare, on June 29th the extremely pleased president signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Immediately thereafter, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce deemed it "the greatest public works program in the history of the world." Later, in his 1963 memoir, Mandate for Change, Eisenhower emphatically stated, "More than any single action by the government since the end of the war, this one would change the face of America...Its impact on the Ameri- can economy – the jobs it would produce in manufacturing and construction, the rural areas it would open up – was beyond calculation." The president was, indeed, correct. The interstate system changed the face of America. Sadly, however, the death knell for good ole' Route 66 also began its protracted toll.
This collection of color coordinated fashion fabrics for home sewing enthusiasts is from the Transition 2011 issue of Vogue Fabrics By Mail. Subscribers receive swatch sets every other month and two-months priority shopping before collections are available to the general public. Subscribe today for home delivery.
This collection of color coordinated fashion fabrics for home sewing enthusiasts is from the Transition 2011 issue of Vogue Fabrics By Mail. Subscribers receive swatch sets every other month and two-months priority shopping before collections are available to the general public. Subscribe today for home delivery.
