Which 1956 U.S. law helped cause Route 66’s decline by creating the Interstate Highway System?

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 helped cause Route 66’s decline by creating the Interstate Highway System.

Signed during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, the law authorized a vast national network of controlled-access highways. Interstates were designed for faster long-distance travel, usually bypassing the older commercial strips that Route 66 served.

As Interstate 40, Interstate 44, Interstate 55, and other highways replaced or paralleled Route 66, many roadside businesses lost passing traffic. Motels, gas stations, cafes, and tourist attractions in bypassed towns often struggled or closed.

The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 also affected roadside commerce, but it was not the law that created the Interstate Highway System. Route 66 was eventually removed from the national system in 1985 after years of replacement and rerouting.