Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
U.S. Federal Highway System
The U.S. highway system began in 1944 with the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which approved the national sys-
tem of highways. Then, in 1952, the Federal Highway Systems Act was passed, designating federal monies to
help with the development of an interstate highway system. After years of debate over how the funds should be
divided among the states, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was passed, mandating, among other things,
uniform highway design taking into account future traffic levels. These acts, combined with the efforts of
Franklin D. Roosevelt and many others, gave rise to the existing interstate highway system.
Although this highway system drastically increased the ease of interstate travel, the environmental impact has
been equally drastic, in large part due to the fragmentation of habitats. In hopes of lessening this fragmentation,
today, before a highway can be constructed, an environmental impact statement (EIS) must be created to assess
potential environmental impacts from the development.
Canals and Channels
Although less common than roadways, artificial waterways such as canals and naturally occurring waterways
called channels still play an important part in the transportation of goods and services. A canal can be used to
transport water for irrigation and human use, for recreation, and to control floods, as well as to transport people
and goods.
