Issues: Need for Better Roads

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Photo of the winning Ford Model T entry on a rutted, unpaved road during a 1909 transcontinental race from New York City to Seattle, Washington. Courtesy of: Ford Motor Company Archives

As mass transit modes of transportation like automobiles, bicycles, and streetcars were on the rise and became more available, there was an increased demand for better transportation infrastructures across the nation. Historically, there was a decentralized system of road management and construction which was the financial responsibility of each town within its own boundaries.  Road management often lacked the proper funds professional workers needed to connect, classify, and improve roads. For these reasons, the national interests for transportation shifted to focus on the improvement of road conditions. 

Issues: Need for Better Roads