Heard on the Radio: More on Interstate Highways
As heard on the radio:
June 29, 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower signing into law legislation launching the interstate highway system. Here are some more interesting notes we want to share with you (Some of our thoughts about marking the 50th anniversary can be found at our entry in this blog dated June 15, 2006).
* Interstate Doesn't Mean What You Think: While the name implies that these highways cross state lines, many Interstates do not. Rather, they are funded federally with money shared between the states. There are interstate highways in Hawaii, funded in the same way as in the other states, but entirely within the populous island of Oahu. They have the designation of H-X, and connect military bases. Similarly, both Alaska and Puerto Rico have public roads that receive funding from the Interstate program, though these routes are not signed as Interstate Highways.
* From an on line feature summarizing article in the April, 2006 edition of "Concrete Monthly":
The U.S. Interstate Highway System is the largest earth moving project in the history of the world. Nearly 42 billion cubic yards of earth were moved to build the system — by contrast the Panama Canal moved a mere 362 million cubic yards.
Enough concrete was poured to construct the Interstate System to build a wall 9 feet thick and 50 feet high around the world.
These are just some of the facts unearthed by best-selling author and Interstate expert Dan McNichol in "The Roads That Built America," newly released to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Interstate Highway System in June.
The book chronicles the "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways." Connecting borders, coasts, cities and small towns, the Interstate System is comprised of 62 highways, 54,663 bridges and 104 tunnels, and was strategically designed to reduce travel times, improve commerce and protect the nation from military aggression.
Launched in 1956, and now nearly complete, the Interstate System is the thread that binds the fabric of America. Past, present, and future, McNichol tells amazing stories of the country's vast network of 46,000-plus miles of superhighways, how they helped create the America we know today, and what progress there is still to be made.
The book highlights how the Interstates helped create suburban life and caused the proliferation of businesses like Howard Johnson, McDonalds, Holiday Inn, and UPS. Through the incorporation of brilliant photography, "The Roads That Built America" allows readers to take a different kind of road trip and to discover the amazing system of roadways that unites the country.
The Washington, D.C.-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the national organization founded in 1902 to help make the Interstate System a reality, will be launching a national
communications campaign later this spring that will use the book to educate elected officials and the general public about the many positive effects of the Interstates on America, and highlight the transportation needs and challenges in the future.
"The Roads That Built America" can be purchased for $16, plus shipping and handling by contacting ARTBA's Karen Evans at 202-289-4434 or via e-mail at kevans@artba.org . It is also available for sale online at www.artbastore.org.
McNichol is the author of The Big Dig and The Big Dig at Night, which have sold more than 75,000 copies nationwide. He has appeared frequently on national and international programs such as the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, CBS News, the Travel Channel and National Public Radio.
In 2005, he traveled with the History Channel's production crew as an on-air historian for the Modern Marvels program "Paving America."
McNichol served as a U.S. Department of Transportation appointee in the administration of President George Bush in the early 1990s. After his work in Washington, D.C., McNichol joined the staff of the project director of the Big Dig, serving as his executive assistant, deputy director of public affairs, and eventually as a spokesperson for the project.
http://www.concretemonthly.com/monthly/art.php?2115
* Interstate Trivia:
Alaska and Puerto Rico have roads designated as Interstates for funding purposes but which are neither planned for or currently built to Interstate standards. The public controlled-access highways of Puerto Rico are the Autopistas (PR-22, PR-52, and PR-53).
A widespread urban legend states that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war.[5] However, the Germans started using the Autobahn in World War II for just such a purpose. After the war, specific portions were custom-built and maintained throughout the Cold War. [6]
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_highway
* More Trivia:
The Interstate Highway shield was designed by Richard Oliver of Texas as a black and white shield; the red, white, and blue version was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) in 1957. It is trademarked.
Five state capitals are not served by the Interstate Highway System as of 2006: Juneau, Alaska; Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Pierre, South Dakota. The completion of Interstate 580 in 2009 in Nevada will connect Carson City to the system.
Source: http://interstate-guide.com/interstate.html
* For More (Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Interstates):Numbering Themes, Interstate Standards, Shortest/Longest Routes on System, Details about the Highest (Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado) and Lowest Points (I-8 near El Centro, California) on the System, Lists of Underground Tunnels (28), Underwater Tunnels (22), Suspension Bridges (11), Cable Stay Bridges (5), Tied Arch Bridges (12), Steel Through Bridges (4), Drawbridges (9), At Grade Intersections and Traffic Signals (4), and Tolled Interstates (39), and "First Interstates".....Go To:
http://www.interstate-guide.com/interstate.html
June 29, 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower signing into law legislation launching the interstate highway system. Here are some more interesting notes we want to share with you (Some of our thoughts about marking the 50th anniversary can be found at our entry in this blog dated June 15, 2006).
* Interstate Doesn't Mean What You Think: While the name implies that these highways cross state lines, many Interstates do not. Rather, they are funded federally with money shared between the states. There are interstate highways in Hawaii, funded in the same way as in the other states, but entirely within the populous island of Oahu. They have the designation of H-X, and connect military bases. Similarly, both Alaska and Puerto Rico have public roads that receive funding from the Interstate program, though these routes are not signed as Interstate Highways.
* From an on line feature summarizing article in the April, 2006 edition of "Concrete Monthly":
The U.S. Interstate Highway System is the largest earth moving project in the history of the world. Nearly 42 billion cubic yards of earth were moved to build the system — by contrast the Panama Canal moved a mere 362 million cubic yards.
Enough concrete was poured to construct the Interstate System to build a wall 9 feet thick and 50 feet high around the world.
These are just some of the facts unearthed by best-selling author and Interstate expert Dan McNichol in "The Roads That Built America," newly released to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Interstate Highway System in June.
The book chronicles the "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways." Connecting borders, coasts, cities and small towns, the Interstate System is comprised of 62 highways, 54,663 bridges and 104 tunnels, and was strategically designed to reduce travel times, improve commerce and protect the nation from military aggression.
Launched in 1956, and now nearly complete, the Interstate System is the thread that binds the fabric of America. Past, present, and future, McNichol tells amazing stories of the country's vast network of 46,000-plus miles of superhighways, how they helped create the America we know today, and what progress there is still to be made.
The book highlights how the Interstates helped create suburban life and caused the proliferation of businesses like Howard Johnson, McDonalds, Holiday Inn, and UPS. Through the incorporation of brilliant photography, "The Roads That Built America" allows readers to take a different kind of road trip and to discover the amazing system of roadways that unites the country.
The Washington, D.C.-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the national organization founded in 1902 to help make the Interstate System a reality, will be launching a national
communications campaign later this spring that will use the book to educate elected officials and the general public about the many positive effects of the Interstates on America, and highlight the transportation needs and challenges in the future.
"The Roads That Built America" can be purchased for $16, plus shipping and handling by contacting ARTBA's Karen Evans at 202-289-4434 or via e-mail at kevans@artba.org . It is also available for sale online at www.artbastore.org.
McNichol is the author of The Big Dig and The Big Dig at Night, which have sold more than 75,000 copies nationwide. He has appeared frequently on national and international programs such as the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, CBS News, the Travel Channel and National Public Radio.
In 2005, he traveled with the History Channel's production crew as an on-air historian for the Modern Marvels program "Paving America."
McNichol served as a U.S. Department of Transportation appointee in the administration of President George Bush in the early 1990s. After his work in Washington, D.C., McNichol joined the staff of the project director of the Big Dig, serving as his executive assistant, deputy director of public affairs, and eventually as a spokesperson for the project.
http://www.concretemonthly.com/monthly/art.php?2115
* Interstate Trivia:
Alaska and Puerto Rico have roads designated as Interstates for funding purposes but which are neither planned for or currently built to Interstate standards. The public controlled-access highways of Puerto Rico are the Autopistas (PR-22, PR-52, and PR-53).
A widespread urban legend states that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war.[5] However, the Germans started using the Autobahn in World War II for just such a purpose. After the war, specific portions were custom-built and maintained throughout the Cold War. [6]
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_highway
* More Trivia:
The Interstate Highway shield was designed by Richard Oliver of Texas as a black and white shield; the red, white, and blue version was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) in 1957. It is trademarked.
Five state capitals are not served by the Interstate Highway System as of 2006: Juneau, Alaska; Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Pierre, South Dakota. The completion of Interstate 580 in 2009 in Nevada will connect Carson City to the system.
Source: http://interstate-guide.com/interstate.html
* For More (Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Interstates):Numbering Themes, Interstate Standards, Shortest/Longest Routes on System, Details about the Highest (Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado) and Lowest Points (I-8 near El Centro, California) on the System, Lists of Underground Tunnels (28), Underwater Tunnels (22), Suspension Bridges (11), Cable Stay Bridges (5), Tied Arch Bridges (12), Steel Through Bridges (4), Drawbridges (9), At Grade Intersections and Traffic Signals (4), and Tolled Interstates (39), and "First Interstates".....Go To:
http://www.interstate-guide.com/interstate.html
posted by eric model | 11:10 PM
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