The Interstates...
an overview. Some will know that Eisenhower was in large part responsible for the building of our current interstate system. The overall goal was to span the east to the west with roadways that would ...
Forum Discussion
Eisenhower used the military use of an interstate highway system to get members of his own political party onboard to support it. Attempting to not be political here, but that was part of the politics to build support for it in Congress - I believe it is called compromise!! :B
Now, how could any of the people of age during the 50's & 60's ever have predicted or foreseen the incredible economic and population growth that the highway system helped bring about? Just several concepts to consider: 1 - workers moving out to what was then the "boonies", taking advantage of a "fast" trip into work - total change of thinking about living close to your job. 2. this change of course led to the growth of the suburbs along with higher population growth. 3. How could they have predicted the change of moving goods and products from the railroads to trucks at the rate that happened? 4. As veterans advanced in the work force, they stayed in the areas that had the most job opportunities - not going back to the farms, as well as the young kids leaving the farms and rural areas for the "bright lights" and higher paying jobs. 5. How could have predicted that families got to the point where they had to have 3 or 4 or more vehicles for convenience sakes? That their high school aged kids needed their own wheels to go 1/2 mile to school and park it? 6. Did we totally abandon other forms of mass transit and transportation systems thinking that the highway system would be the be all end all for our transportation considerations? This is only a shallow commentary of the changes that have impacted our highway system.
I have heard the comment about freeways, no doubt taken from a more popular source and movie - "build it and they will come!" Unfortunately, that is so true that I would think that we would somehow realize that we can't just build more highways to help relieve the congestion problems! :h:@
Oh well, we will continue to use the back roads as much as possible!
Now, how could any of the people of age during the 50's & 60's ever have predicted or foreseen the incredible economic and population growth that the highway system helped bring about? Just several concepts to consider: 1 - workers moving out to what was then the "boonies", taking advantage of a "fast" trip into work - total change of thinking about living close to your job. 2. this change of course led to the growth of the suburbs along with higher population growth. 3. How could they have predicted the change of moving goods and products from the railroads to trucks at the rate that happened? 4. As veterans advanced in the work force, they stayed in the areas that had the most job opportunities - not going back to the farms, as well as the young kids leaving the farms and rural areas for the "bright lights" and higher paying jobs. 5. How could have predicted that families got to the point where they had to have 3 or 4 or more vehicles for convenience sakes? That their high school aged kids needed their own wheels to go 1/2 mile to school and park it? 6. Did we totally abandon other forms of mass transit and transportation systems thinking that the highway system would be the be all end all for our transportation considerations? This is only a shallow commentary of the changes that have impacted our highway system.
I have heard the comment about freeways, no doubt taken from a more popular source and movie - "build it and they will come!" Unfortunately, that is so true that I would think that we would somehow realize that we can't just build more highways to help relieve the congestion problems! :h:@
Oh well, we will continue to use the back roads as much as possible!
