Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower led the 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy, a venture designed to test whether military units could move across the United States using motor vehicles. The convoy crossed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, completing the 3,251-mile journey from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in 62 days but not without difficulty.
The trip exposed the poor condition of American roads. Vehicles frequently became bogged down in mud, and soldiers often had to build makeshift bridges over deep ravines. When Eisenhower was later elected president, he had the opportunity to address the problem. He considered the Interstate Highway System one of his most important achievements during his two terms in office, a view shared by many historians.
In 1956, the United States government approved funding for a national highway system. North Dakota embraced the plan enthusiastically and was among the first states to plan and carry out its portion of the project. Prominent North Dakotans like Orin Libby and Usher Burdick supported the effort. They saw it as a way to boost economic development by creating a safer, more efficient transportation network, one that could attract new business and expand tourism.
The Interstate Highway System transformed travel, commerce, and urban development across the country. The interstates were designed as freeways, with standardized construction and signage. While some older roads were incorporated, most of the system was newly built. Construction came at a cost, however, as an estimated one million people were displaced when highways cut through established neighborhoods.
On this date in 1960, Interstate 29 was declared complete from the Canadian border to South Dakota. The 240-mile route passes through Grand Forks and Fargo. At its northern end, the Pembina Port of Entry serves as a key link for trade and travel with Canada. Interstate 94, a 324-mile east–west route, crosses North Dakota. Together, these highways form an important part of Eisenhower’s vision for a connected interstate system.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- State Historical Society of North Dakota. “Today in North Dakota History.” https://www.statehistoricalfoundation.org/todayinndhistory/?&offset=50Accessed 4/14/2026.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. “1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy.” https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/1919-transcontinental-motor-convoyAccessed 4/14/2026.
- U.S. Department of Transportation. “History of the Interstate Highway System.” https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/interstate-system/50th-anniversary/history-interstate-highway-systemAccessed 4/14/2026.
