The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways

Perhaps nothing changed the face of America more than the creation of the interstate system. At once a connective network, economic force, man-made wonder, and bringer of sprawl and blight, the interstate system turned haphazard dirt tracks into an organized framework of paved highways. The Big Roads documents this historic feat, from its inception at the turn of the century to its completion during Eisenhower’s presidency. But once those plans began to be put into place, it turned out that not everyone was on board. As the highways approached urban centers, residents protested both the impact upon Main Streets and the environment, concerns that are just as relevant today. With a view toward players both great and small, Swift gives readers the full story of one of America’s greatest engineering achievements.