First US interstate marks 200 years of vital service

America’s interstate highway system, the largest and most sophisticated in the world, is critical to our economy and our way of life.  Now, we know that President Eisenhower jump-started construction of the modern interstates we drive today, but the actual concept of a federally funded highway supporting commerce between states dates back to the administration of Thomas Jefferson.

And this Sunday, May 8, marks the bicentennial of the first construction on the National Road --America’s original interstate highway.  Authorized by Congress in 1806, and signed into law by President Jefferson, the National Road--now U.S. Highway 40--was our first federally funded road. 

The idea had been introduced earlier in the Jefferson Administration, but Congress had to think innovatively to fund the road. Instead of using tax revenue, the 1806 law applied 2 percent of the revenue from the sale of Ohio's public land to building the road.

Then, to ease concern that the government lacked the authority to build a road on land owned by the states, Jefferson had to secure consent from the states through which the road would pass.  Because of delays in securing that consent and the difficulties of surveying in the early 1800s, construction did not begin until May 8, 1811.

The National Road was designed to connect the Potomac River at Cumberland, Maryland, and the Ohio River at Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia).  Cumberland was chosen as the starting point because of its proximity to the Potomac River, the Nation’s Capital, and its already established transportation hub that included canals and railroads.  Cumberland also boasted a useful road to the booming port of Baltimore.

Called "the road that built the nation," the National Road helped settlers reach public lands for sale in the newly created state of Ohio.  And by crossing the Appalachians, it allowed for the trade that would bind the growing western territories to the existing states. 

As statehood spread to Indiana and Illinois, the road was later extended west and reached Vandalia, then the capital of Illinois.  Like today's interstate highways, the road helped unify the nation physically, strengthened local and regional economies, and facilitated America's tremendous growth.

Today, DOT’s Federal Highway Administration and the six state National Road Associations along the route are working together to preserve the legacy of this important artery.

To mark the 200th anniversary of the National Road, the city of Cumberland is celebrating all weekend long. A full list of activities marking this celebration, including Saturday’s National Road Bicentennial Grand Feature Parade and groundbreaking ceremony at Riverside Park featuring a 12-foot replica of an original national Road marker, can be found at www.nationalroad.com.

Comments

[Mary Margaret Flynn, MD]

Dear Secretary La Hood, We need to have cars that go at least 60 miles on a galoine of gass no latter than 2012. We need to get more electrical cars and alternative fuels. And we need less pollution. Keep working to increase the stands for cars and trucks that are used in the USA. thank you

[Mary Margaret Flynn, MD]

Sorry for the misspellings. I meant to write; we need to have standards mandated by the goverment that all cars, electrical, hybrid or gas need to get no less than 60 miles to each gallon of gas. We also need to reduce pollution and no latter than 2012. Thanks

[Scott Tisthammer]

How is it US infrastructure is $2.2 trillion in disrepair, no transportation bill in almost two years, traffic congestions ocsts US $200 billion a year according to the US Dept of Commerce, freight/trucking is running on an outdated 1980s model costing US billions, President Obama, Congress, Ray LaHood, John Mica, all refuse to respond while claiming to be about safety, energy independence, security, economic, nation, they want to from taxpayers, entrepreneurs, small business, and President Obama is looking into oil/fuel price fixing?

When the BP oil spill wa shappening we never saw these high prices? Now suddenly we're seeing suggestions of fuel prices coming down after President Obama spouts off a bit, and I could go on but the FOT isn't going to print this or respond?

I have sent the facts, stats, numbers by Fed agentcies, FMCSA, FHWA, many nonprofit organizations Congress depends on through tesimony, and more but DC refuses to bring freight transportation whicsh uses two thirds of US oil/fuel into the 21st century.

Are contributors and the agenda in DC such that as with the financial crisis in whcih there were no big shots prosecuted, still no regulation, while tax laws are written by contribtors, passed to DC by lobbyists, we know DC is handing freight transportation to contribiutors as they have corproate farmingm bansk, oil, ins, pharms cos and every other part of America in the greatest scam the world has ever seen?

Is it so important no individual American has the opportunity to show the nation and world how to fix a problem US governmnet has failed to address those representative would continue the failure rather than fix the problem costing US billions of dollars a year, from dependency on foreign oil, infrastructure, health care costs and more that DCrooks, dysfunctional fools, liarsm cheats, and crooks making banks have to keep it under wraps?

[rystalaudigier]

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