时差N小时:高速公路系统的建造

Today on Congressional Moment On July 7th, 1919,the U.S. Army assembled 81 motorized vehicles and 288 men in Washington, D.C.

1919.7.7国会时刻的今天，美国陆军在华盛顿特区集合了81辆机动车辆和288人。

Their mission: to drive across the country.

他们的任务是：开车穿越这个国家。

This transcontinental convoy dealt with all the poor driving conditions of the time....incomplete or non-existent roads of dirt or sand, unsturdy bridges, and treacherousconditions from bad weather.

这横贯大陆的车队忍受了那段时间所有开车的恶劣条件。。。驾驶环境的不完整，根本不存在的泥沙路，晃晃悠悠的桥以及恶劣天气所带来的危险因素。

They arrived in San Francisco 62 days later, averaging a cross-country speed of 5 miles an hour.

62天之后他们到达了旧金山，每小时平均穿越一个国家。

One volunteer observer on the arduous journey was a 29 year-old soldier named DwightEisenhower.

这趟艰辛旅途的自愿观察者是一个叫Dwight Eisenhower的29岁士兵。

Twenty years later, the Bureau of Public Roads had identified to Congress the need for anational road system to improve connections between cities and states.

20年之后，公共道路局已向国会证实确实需要国家公路系统来改善城市和州之间的联系。

After World War II, Congress was able to fully address this massive undertaking. There weremany concerns: states wanted assurance that the government would pay its fair share ofconstruction costs.

二战之后，国会全力解决这个艰巨的任务。但还是存在很多担忧：各州想得到保证，政府愿意支付建筑费用的合理份额。

Rural residents thought the new highways might limit access to small communities.

乡下居民认为新的高速路会限制接触小社区的机会。

In 1953, Dwight Eisenhower became President. Three years later, with construction andfinancing approved, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was signed into law.

1953年，Dwight Eisenhower当选为总统。三年之后随着建设和融资的批准,1956年的《联邦助建高速公路法》法案签署成为法律。

Creating over 35,000 miles of roadway, the Interstate Highway System was completed in1975.

建造超过35000英里的道路,1975年完成州际高速公路系统的建造。