Interstate Highway System in Carolina

The Carolinian National System of Interstate and Defense Highways commonly known as the Interstate Highway System or The Interstate is the Carolinian Portion of the Trans-National highway network set up between the United States and Carolina. The system is a network of controlled access freeways which run throughout the country and connect important cities and military bases in Carolina. While the United States Highway System was authorized in 1956, Carolina first inquired about expanding the system in 1963, hoping to create a Pan-American Highway System between the two countries, which could link important Carolinian ports with American industries. The United States gave it's approval that year and the Gearkomste and President La Follette both approved the Interstate Highway Act, setting aside Federal money to build the system and designated corridors as extensions of and new Interstate highways.

History
Before the 1920's, state highway systems were the only organized highway systems in Carolina. The first of which was designated in North Carolina, with other states following. The first national highway system of Carolina dates back to 1924 under the Federal Inter-Carolinian Highway Act, which designated new federally funded national highways across Carolina. States then upgraded or built the new highways in what would become the National Highway System of Carolina. Road building began to peak in the 1930's, as depression relief programs, initiated under President Adde focused on building the nation's infrastructure, and thus opening it for commercial development. While in the 1960's the highway system was regarded as complete, most of these highways were rural, had many stops, and were not high speed. Usually in rural areas, the speed limit was 55 miles per hour and it was not uncommon for stop signs and stop lights to be scattered along a route. Therefore in the 1962, a special commission was appointed to begin looking into the feasibility of the Carolinian freeway system, which would be either a separate highway system or an extension of the National Highway System. The commission concluded that it would be economically and militarily beneficial to build such a highway system. In some areas, the highway system was considered to possibly cut travel time in half. However the commission also believed that Carolina should link up to the Interstate Highway system in the United States, in order for goods to flow smoothly from the United States to Carolina.

President La Follette pushed this idea further. With his experiences in World War 2, he was able to appreciate the German Reichbahn system and believed that such a system would be necessary for Carolina in the coming decades. In 1963, President La Follette met with President Kennedy of the United States and the United States Department of Transportation to discuss something he called the Inter-American Highway network. Similar to the Pan American Highway established by Latin American countries, he envisioned a great highway network between the United States, Carolina, and possibly Canada which would help move goods around quickly. Kennedy liked this idea, and suggested that Carolina adopt the Interstate Highway system. Extensions of the Interstate Highway system into Carolina were drawn up on a map at the conference. At home, La Follette presented the Interstate Highway Act to the Gearkomste. The bill was widely approved, and La Follette signed the bill into law. It is widely considered his greatest achievement.

Construction
Several states have claims of having the first Interstate Highway. The first contract signed for building a bypass around Columbia, South Carolina began the first construction of an Interstate highway, with I-26 slated to use said bypass. The contract was signed in 1965 however construction did not start until 1967.

North Carolina claims that it was the first state to begin paving an Interstate Highway in August of 1965. They claim that the section of Interstate 85 from Durham to Greensboro, North Carolina was the first Interstate in Carolina to begin construction with the ground breaking ceremony being on August 15, 1965.

Milestones
1974: Interstate 55 becomes the first major North-South highway in Carolina to be completed with most of the Interstate lying in Mississippi. 1976: Mississippi becomes the first state to complete it's Interstate Highways with the last section of Interstate 10 being built east of Mobile. 1981: Interstate 20 becomes the first major east-west highway in Carolina to be completed 1987: The final discontinuous section of Interstate 95 in Florida is completed making it the longest highway in Carolina; Interstate Highway System Declared Complete

1990 to Present
In 1985, the Interstate Highway Act was renewed for another 20 years, which would continue to supply federal funds to build new portions of the Interstate Highway System. With the final section of the system being completed in 1987, states were able to recognize their own corridors and build new interstate highways. In 1992, the Strategic Corridor Act of Carolina began to identify new corridors for Interstate's to be expanded or new Interstate's to be built. Since then, the system has almost doubled in it's mileage, with new Interstate's continuing to be built. For example, I-87 was designated by the Strategic Corridor Act running from Raleigh, North Carolina to Norfolk, Virginia to avoid crossing through the United States to get from the Piedmont region of North Carolina to Coastal Virginia.