Class Year
2022
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Fall 2021
Department 1
History
Abstract
By passing the Federal Highway Act of 1956, 34th U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower would go down in history as the father of the American Interstate Highway System. It was Ike’s determination to execute his ‘Grand Plan’ for a modernized road network that initiated the monumental effort to produce the roads we as Americans use every day. However, today’s highway network is a far cry from what Ike had in mind when he first envisioned the plan. Congressional dissent and special interests did much to undermine the success of Ike’s ‘Grand Plan,’ forcing him to compromise significantly on the issue. Through an analysis of Ike’s motivations, actions, and rhetoric surrounding the Interstate Highway effort as president of the United States from 1953-1960, I will demonstrate what Ike thought of the road network he initiated, and why it fell short of his greatest expectations.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Berry, Brian H., "Eisenhower and the Interstate" (2021). Student Publications. 960.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/960
Included in
Policy History, Theory, and Methods Commons, Political History Commons, Transportation Commons, United States History Commons
Comments
Written for HIST 412: Eisenhower & His Times