many cities in hte north east started building "parkways" in the early 1920's-- for the new car owners.. (i know Boston and NY did, and so did Fairfax Virgina--)
these parkways were limited access roadways (but were closed to commerical traffic) that were designed to be 'pleasant' drives.. for new car owners..
some remain so today.. (The garden state parkway was a major access road to Atlantic city, and the road was gently curved, and ambled down from NYC to the seaside resort.) the grand central parkway (which changes names as it leave NYC's borough of queens and becomes the northern state parkway is an other beautiful road.. so is the wilber cross parkway (continuation of NY's Hutchison river parkway in conneticut)
these road had rustic wooden signs, and beautiful low arched stone bridges, (many build as WPA projects..)and plenty of places to pull of the road, to picnic or park and enjoy the view.
much of the mount vernon parkway in virgina is now part of a federal park! (and its the main roadway to Washington's house).
DDE warned against the interstate highway-- he was afraid of 'the military industrial complex' that as all in favor of the highway system... but they are a joy for long trips.. you sail along, on smooth, well laid out roads.. (and bypass all the downtown of a 1,000 little towns!)
...and on
