![]() ![]() ![]() However, on April 19 of that same year, the city by the bay was nearly destroyed by one of the greatest earthquakes in American history. In 1906, San Francisco was home to electric streetcars, the Southern Pacific Railroad, well-constructed streets and a growing number of automobiles. It was revealed that only 141 miles of America’s rural roads were paved, only 18 of which were covered with a bituminous black top.Īlthough over 2 million miles of rural roads in America consisted of dirt and mud, many urban areas were developing sophisticated transportation systems. The federal government performed the first national road census in 1904, exposing the pathetic state of the country’s highway system. Jackson followed telegraph wires and Union Pacific railroad tracks and arrived in Manhattan 63 days later. With no road maps, no marked highways and in some instances, no roads at all, Dr. Nelson Jackson to drive his car from California to New York City in less than 90 days. The first attempt of a cross-country road trip by automobile occurred in 1903, when a group of men in a San Francisco bar bet 31-year-old Dr. It wasn’t until Henry Ford introduced his Model T in 1908 that automobiles became an affordable tool of the middle class, and bicycles were quickly becoming a memory of the past. Agencies created out of the Good Roads Movement worked to share the best practices to improve the conditions of roads.Īutomobiles began to arrive on the scene in the early 1900s, although they were only obtainable to the wealthy. The Office of Public Roads was formed in 1905, offering professional service in road construction. This study led to the creation of the Office of Road Inquiry in 1894, the first federal road agency in the U.S., and the Federal Highway Administration’s first predecessor. The Agricultural Appropriations Bill of 1894 allotted $10,000 for a year-long study of national road conditions and road-making techniques. According to McNichol, bike riders became the first road lobbyists for government money. Bike enthusiasts worked at federal, state and local levels for road improvement legislation. The Good Roads Movement began in the 1890s in response to poor road conditions. ![]() With people getting out of their cities on bicycles, they began to see a need for paved roads for the first time. Bikes became a practical form of mobility however, outside of urban areas, roads were unpaved and often dangerous for riding. “The bicycle played a critical role in getting Americans out of their homes and onto the open road,” said McNichol. ![]() In the 1880s, people began to ride safety bicycles with two wheels the same size and pneumatic tires. The ordinary bicycle first arrived on the scene in the 1860s, with its dangerously tall front wheel and small back wheel. However, a new form of transportation swept the country during the 1880s, one that would eventually lead to paved roads and automobiles: the bicycle. “There was very little choice besides railroads, and roads were considered secondary,” said author Dan McNichol. had barely begun to scratch the surface of what would become the navigable transportation and highway systems we are familiar with today.ĭuring the second half of the 19th century, railroads dominated the transportation industry. Paved roads were few and far between in the early 1900s, and the U.S. And rather than facing the grueling anguish of gridlock every morning, one commonly dealt with the obstacle of having to retrieve his or her bicycle or wagon from muddy roads and paths. Instead, you would have to arrive at your destination by means of railroad, ship, horse and buggy or bicycle. For starters, you would not be traveling by automobile unless you were extremely wealthy. Your typical commute in 1906 would have been far different than it is today. ![]()
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