{"id":407,"date":"2012-02-12T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2012-02-12T14:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=407"},"modified":"2014-08-01T16:10:01","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T20:10:01","slug":"the-american-interstate-sytem-and-cross-country-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/the-american-interstate-sytem-and-cross-country-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"The American Interstate Sytem and Cross-Country Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have moved my whole life.\u00a0 I moved across country* for the first time when I was 3 months old and since that time I have made three more cross-country road trips.\u00a0 Long distance road trips, like those involved with moving across the country,\u00a0are very common in the United States.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you have seen Americans on road trips in American movies too.\u00a0 There are a number of famous movies devoted just to this subject.\u00a0 Some of these movies include: National Lampoon’s Vacation<\/em>, Thelma and Louise<\/em>, Easy Riders<\/em>, Rain Man<\/em>, and Away We Go<\/em>, to name a few. One of the reasons so many American go on a long road trips at some point in their life is due to the fact that there is an amazing interstate road system in the United States that makes road trips easy.\u00a0 Also, there is just so much to see in this big country!<\/p>\n

The amazing American Interstate System makes driving across the country not only possible, but easy and enjoyable.\u00a0 The Interstate Freeway (or Highway) System is a network of roads, freeways, highways and express ways* that connect all of the major U.S. cities and all 48 contiguous*** U.S. states.\u00a0 The highway system that exists today in the United States was first constructed in the 1950s with the encouragement of then U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.\u00a0 For the most part it is still in good repair.\u00a0 These roads are in good repair because they are maintained by the federal and state governments.\u00a0 They are, for the most part free to use, as well.\u00a0 There are some toll roads**** that are part of the American Interstate System, but not many.<\/p>\n

Here are some interesting facts about the American Interstate Highway System:<\/p>\n

\u2022 From 1974 to 1987, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (89\u00a0km\/h). Currently, speed limits range from 65-75 miles per hour (105 to 121 km\/h) in most parts.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Major north\u2013south highways are assigned odd numbers, increasing in number from 5 (the long highway between Canada and Mexico along the West Coast) to 95 (the long highway between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast).<\/p>\n

\u2022 Major west\u2013east highways are assigned even numbers and increase in number from 10 (between Santa Monica, California and Jacksonville, Florida) to 90 (between Seattle, Washington and Boston, Massachusetts) with two exceptions. There is no Interstate 50 or Interstate 60.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Interstate Highway System has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km); approximately 2,900 miles (4,700\u00a0km) are toll roads.<\/p>\n

If you like driving, a trip on the American Interstate Highway System is a great way to see the United States.\u00a0 Happy driving everyone and don\u2019t forget you have to wear your seat belt wherever you are driving in the United States.<\/p>\n

Here is the movie trailer (the movie promotion video) for one of the road trip themed movies I mentioned above, National Lampoon\u2019s Vacation<\/em>.\u00a0 This was a big hit in its time.\u00a0 Now, even without driving across country you can see much that there is to see.\u00a0 Enjoy!\u00a0 Below is a transcript of what is said in the video trailer so you can check your comprehension.<\/p>\n