Divided Highways

Divided Highways: Building the Interstate Highways and Transforming American Life by Tom Lewis is a comprehensive account of highway development in the United States. From its early beginnings, when Congress created the Bureau of Public Roads to improve roads and rural lives, to the modern-day challenges of the Interstate Highway System, this book offers a thoughtful analysis of the people, policies, and technologies that have shaped America's landscape. The story of the Interstate system is one of hope for the future and the realities of the present. Lewis explores the demographic and economic pressures that influenced its planning and construction, as well as the disputes between individuals, local communities, and engineers and federal administrators. This updated edition brings the story up to date, concluding with the Big Dig project in Boston and the growing antipathy for big federal infrastructure projects. Through engaging prose, Lewis charts the development of the Interstate system, revealing the complex interplay of factors that have transformed America's daily lives and landscape over time.