Before the US Interstate Highway System, it took more than 60 days to go from Washington to San Francisco!
The US Interstate Highway System, also known was the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways is one of the US’s biggest communication achievements. It was started in 1941 when President Roosevelt appointed a committee to explore the possibility of creating it.
Before the system was established, a convoy of Army trucks was sent on a journey from Washington to San Francisco to test the efficiency of the roadway system in case of an emergency. It took them 62 days, which really underlined the need for better infrastructure. Today? If you go to Google Maps, it’ll tell you that a drive between those two places will take you about 41 hours!