The Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 (also known as the Bankhead–Shackleford Act and Good Roads Act), , , was enacted on July 11, 1916, and was the first federal highway funding legislation in the United States. The rise of the automobile at the start of the 20th century, especially after the low-price

Ford Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...

in 1908, created a demand for better roads on a national level. The act provided federal subsidies to road-building efforts.

Origin

The act was introduced by Rep. Dorsey W. Shackleford (D) of Missouri, then amended by Sen. John H. Bankhead (D) of Alabama to conform with model legislation written by the

American Association of State Highway Officials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction throughout the United ...

(AASHO). It provided $75 million of federal money in 50–50 matching funds to the states to build up to 6% of their roads statewide over a five-year period. President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

signed the Federal Aid Road Act on July 11, 1916 at a ceremony attended by members of AASHO,

American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA – commonly pronounced as "Triple A") is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a privately held not-for-profit national member association and service organization with over 60 m ...

, and various farm organizations. Wilson was an ardent advocate of good roads and made them a party platform in 1916: "The happiness, comfort and prosperity of rural life, and the development of the city, are alike conserved by the construction of public highways. We, therefore, favor national aid in the construction of post roads and roads for military purposes". Under the act, federal funding was provided for rural post roads on the condition that they be open to the public at no charge. Funding was to be distributed to the states based on a formula incorporating each state's geographic area, population, and existing road network. To obtain the funding, states were required to submit project plans, surveys, specifications and estimates to the

United States Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organ ...

Effect

The Federal Aid Road Act, as the first federal highway funding law, was instrumental in extending and improving the country's road system. Prior to its passage (and for several decades afterward), the condition of many roads was deplorable; "They were often little more than trails that were muddy in the rain and dusty the rest of the time. Any long trip by automobile required not only time, patience, and ingenuity, but tire-patching equipment, tools, spare parts, and emergency food and fuel". A growing interest in road improvements was spurred by farmers who needed roads to take their goods to market, the introduction of Rural Free Delivery by the

Postal Service The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal syst ...

, and the burgeoning popularity of the personal

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

. The 1907 Supreme Court case '' Wilson v. Shaw'' also paved the way for passage of the roads act by holding that the

Commerce Clause The Commerce Clause describes an enumerated power listed in the United States Constitution ( Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). The clause states that the United States Congress shall have power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and amon ...

authorized Congress to construct interstate highways. By 1917, every state had a highway agency to administer the federal funds.

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and its concomitant demands on personnel and materials impeded the implementation of the 1916 act, as did the act's small appropriation and its limit on federal funding to $10,000 per mile. These and other problems were addressed in the next national road bill, the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Federal Aid Road Act Of 1916 64th United States Congress United States federal transportation legislation 1916 in American law

Origin

Effect

See also

References