1903

Horatio S. Earle traveled the state of Michigan to spread "Good Roads Fever".

1914

Members of the American Association of State Highway Officials, (AASHO), a network of federal road engineers and administrators, headed up road promotion efforts. The message was to get traffic "out of the mud". This led to 39 states establishing road departments, which staffed civil engineers.

1916

Congress authorized $75 million over a five-year period for road construction. The funds matched 50/50 with the states.

1921

Congress approved $75 million for the next year alone for road construction. Matching state dollars 50/50.

1930's

Unemployment reached all time highs of up to 25%.

1934

President Hoover authorized the reconstruction Finance Corporation to loan $300 million to the states for road building.

1938

The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1938 directed the Chief of the Bureau of Public Roads to study the feasibility of a six-route toll network.

1939

President Roosevelt was wondering whether or not building roads was the right way to cure the high unemployment rate.

1941

Roosevelt appointed a National Interregional Highway Committee to investigate the need for a system of national highways.

1944

Federal Aid Highway Act of 1944 authorized designation of a 65,000 km "National System of Interstate Highway".

8/1945

Standards were approved for uniformity in design where conditions such as traffic, population density, and topography existed. Designs, which would be based on traffic expected 20 years from the date of construction, were developed. Most included four lane highways and full control of access.

8/1947

The Public Road Administration (PRA) announced designation of the first 60,640 km of interstate highways. Construction of the interstate moved slowly.

1952

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952 authorized $25 million for the interstate system on a 50/50 matching basis. These were the first funds authorized specifically for interstate construction.

1/1953

When President Eisenhower took office, the states had completed 10,327 km of system improvements at a cost of $955 million. At this time the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR), claimed only 24% of interstate roadway was adequate for the current traffic. However, President Eisenhower had little time for highways during his first year, as he was preoccupied with bringing the Korean War to an end.

1956

The Federal Highway Act of 1956 was signed by Eisenhower, while he was in the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This is the landmark bill for which he had worked so hard for. The Act approved $1.1 billion to the states for the use of interstate highways.

8/1957

AASHO announced the numbering scheme for the interstate highways and unveiled the red, white and blue interstate shield.

1990

President George Bush signed legislation to change the name of the highway system to Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highway.