Allied Interstate history

In addition, States continue to develop routes outside the 1956 Act program that may be added to the Interstate System under existing legislation or that have been or will be declared "future Interstates" by Federal legislation.

On January 27, 1960, the BPR issued instructions to its field offices changing the minimum standard to 16 feet for Interstate highways in rural areas.

The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (HBA), enacted with the help of Lady Bird Johnson and signed by her husband, President Lyndon B. Johnson, did not abolish billboards, or even abolish all billboards along certain highways, such as the Interstate System.

AASHO secured Trademark Registration 835.635 for the shield in 1967, to prevent private entities from using Interstate-like advertising signs near the highways where they might confuse motorists.

(In 1982, the Highway Trust Fund was divided into a Highway Account and a Transit Account, which also receives some highway user tax revenue.)

Each State and each community can adapt the concept to its own unique situation. It began in Texas in 1985 as a way of meeting a public need by tapping the tremendous public spiritedness of citizens.

The Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 allowed the States to increase speeds to 65 mph on rural Interstate routes without penalty.

To avoid a public backlash against metric conversion, the FHWA issued a policy statement in April 1994 indicating that the FHWA would not pursue sign conversion.