Public and Private Investment in the Road Network in the United States

Public roads in the United States receive funding from both the public and private sectors, often through public private partnerships. Private sector involvement in public roads has existed since the Colonial era. Federal involvement in road networks greatly expanded with passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which created the Interstate Highway System in the United States. The authors examine both historical and current aspects of public roads, including how they are financed.