Why was the national interstate highway system created in 1956?
By the 1950s, almost every family of the middle class owned a car. This fueled the growth of businesses devoted to cars and, in turn, dependent upon automobile traffic. Service stations, doubled in the 50s. Auto parts stores, motels, drive-in restaurants, car washes, and suburban shopping malls became the backbone of the economy. But, automobiles demanded roads. In 1956, the federal government passed the Interstate Highway Act, which created the interstate system of highways we have today. Over 41,000 miles of new roads ran cross country by 1960. The roads were not only for the average driver, but they united the nation for military vehicles in the case of a national disaster or military emergency.
