At 60, America's Interstate Highway System Is Showing Signs Of Age

Sixty years ago today, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act of 1956. It marked the birth of the interstate highway system, now a 47,000-mile network designed to ease crowded, crumbling roads in post-war America.

At the time, it was sold as one of the most ambitious public works projects ever, but six decades later, many interstates are overcrowded and under maintained. Here & Now‘s Jeremy Hobson speaks with William Wilkins of The Road Information Program.

We're talking about the Interstate Highway System on today's show. Which state has the most interstate mileage?

— Here & Now (@hereandnow) June 29, 2016

Guest

William Wilkins, executive director of The National Road Information Program (TRIP), a transportation research group. The organization tweets @TRIP_Inc.

Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.