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Contact: Laura Schoen Carbonneau (605) 773-5103
Transportation officials to celebrate the interstate
PIERRE, SD – Current and former employees of the transportation industry will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Interstate System on Monday, June 26, 2006 with press conferences in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. The Sioux Falls event will begin at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) at SDDOT’s Sioux Falls Area office, located at 5316 West 60th St. North. The Rapid City event will begin at 2:00 p.m. (MDT) at SDDOT’s Rapid City Region office, located at 2300 Eglin St.
“The interstate has been a tremendously important part of South Dakota’s infrastructure. Over the years, it has provided a safe, direct route for millions of travelers and also served as the backbone for significant economic growth, especially in our tourism and agriculture industries. It’s fitting for us to celebrate the largest and most important engineering project in our nation’s history,” says SDDOT Secretary Judy Payne.
The National Interstate System was born on June 29, 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The legislation provided the initial funding for the project.
In South Dakota, I-29 in Sioux Falls from Russell Street to SD 38 is considered the first segment of interstate to be completed. The final section of South Dakota’s Interstate system was approximately 10 miles along I-29 from Sisseton to Peever in the northeast corner of the state. This segment was opened in 1983, making South Dakota the sixth state in the nation to complete its Interstate Highway System.
According to SDDOT statistics, South Dakota’s Interstate System has helped save approximately 900 lives since construction began in 1965. The interstates are designed with a variety of safety features which greatly reduce the likelihood of serious accidents. As a result, travel on interstate highways is approximately two and a half times safer than travel on all other roadways in the state.
The Interstate System has also led to significant increases in economic productivity. Improvements in the highway system have allowed businesses to adopt more efficient logistics practices, which reduce costs for producers and consumers. Additionally, faster and more efficient routes provided by the Interstate System save South Dakota residents approximately $405 million annually in the value of saved time and fuel, which equals an individual savings of $526 per person ($487 in time and $39 in fuel).
Few can dispute the importance of the Interstate System, but at 50 years old, some segments are starting to show their age. SDDOT officials say a significant percent of the system’s 679 miles will be in need of rehabilitation or reconstruction within the next 20 years.
“South Dakota’s Interstate System has served us well for many years, but we do have some challenges ahead,” says Payne. “Our goal at the Department of Transportation is to make sure the interstate continues to serve the public.”
SDDOT is one of many states around the country celebrating the interstate’s golden anniversary this month.
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