HOW EXPERIENCES SHAPE OUR VIEWS

Eisenhower realized the value of good highways when he journeyed with the U.S. Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington D.C. to San Francisco in 1919. On his trip, he experienced and witnessed endless series of vehicles stuck in mud or sand, trucks and other equipment crashing through wooden bridges, and roads with the consistency of "gumbo" due to sand and water mixture. The trip took 62 days to complete.

Additionally, during World War II, Eisenhower saw the advantages Germany had because of the autobahn network.

Eisenhower stated, "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."