American Dream

Linking the Power of the Past to the Promise of the Future
An AASHTO Clearinghouse of Interstate Events and Information Welcome

The year 2006 will mark the 50th anniversary of the federal law that brought America its unparalleled Interstate Highway System. This 42,795-mile web of superhighways has transformed our nation and our economy. It is a symbol of freedom and a tribute to human ingenuity—although some of the changes it has brought our nation have been controversial.

A Golden Anniversary for a Priceless Asset

June 29, 2006, will mark the 50th anniversary of the day federal legislation was signed to begin one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken: the U.S. Interstate Highway System.

The wide, relatively straight roadways in the Interstate Highway System were designed to be faster and safer than the two-lane roads that preceded them—designs that worked. And, the system has brought amazing changes to our way of life:
* It has put Americans within a few days' drive of practically everyone else in our nation, altering our willingness to travel and the way we schedule our time.
* It has revved our economy, forever changing the way we move people and freight; It has facilitated international trade; and turned trucks into rolling warehouses.
* It has stretched the link between homes and jobs—for better and for worse—and has redefined the relationship between urban and rural America.

And yet somehow, it has come to be taken for granted. An increasing percentage of Americans cannot remember our nation without an Interstate Highway System. And, many Americans no longer experience it as the "open road" that spurred a generation of novels and films, as population growth has outstripped system expansion, and heavy use has led to congestion.

Half a century into the quantum mobility leap the Interstate System provided, it is time to reflect on what America has gained from it and ask what might need to change in future years to keep it working for us. 2006 will be "The Year of the Interstate."

AASHTO, which represents the state transportation departments that built, own, and continue to operate the Interstate Highway System, will sponsor numerous events and public activities in the coming year commemorating this important anniversary. AASHTO and its members will join with other organizations to "Celebrate the Interstate!" and participate in forums that will help shape policy regarding the Interstate Highway System for years to come.

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