U.S. Department of Transportation history

1971: Congress creates Amtrak, giving the government a monopoly on interurban passenger rail.

Federal taxpayers have aided Amtrak with almost $40 billion in subsidies over the years.26 1974: Congress imposes a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour by threatening to cut highway aid to those states not complying.

1976: Conrail begins operation as a government-created freight railroad, taking over seven major railroads in the Northeast and Midwest, which had gone bankrupt.

1978: President Jimmy Carter signs into law the Airline Deregulation Act, which removes government controls over airline fares, routes, entry, and mergers.

1980: President Jimmy Carter signs into law the Railroad Regulatory Act, known as the "Staggers Act." It removes many federal restraints on the railroad industry, allowing it to reduce costs and increase flexibility.

1981: The Maritime Administration is moved from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Transportation.

1982: President Ronald Reagan proposes "turnback" legislation to end federal highway funding and the federal gasoline tax that supports it.

1983: Britain privatizes 19 ports to form Associated British Ports.

In 1987, President Reagan vetoes a highway bill partly because it contains 121 earmarks.

Until 1991, it was known as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA).

1992: The Interstate Highway System is completed with the opening of the I-70 near Denver.

But by 1994, estimated project costs have soared to $7.6 billion and the project is seven years behind schedule.37 The FAA terminates some parts of the AAS program and restructures others, but $1.5 billion of spending ends up being completely wasted.

1995: The Dulles Greenway in Northern Virginia is opened.

1996: Canada privatizes its air traffic control system.

1998: Congress passes the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The Act spends a huge amount of money on highway and transit activities that should instead be funded by state governments and the private sector.

George W. Bush and lacking in campaign funds, Dole quit the race in October 1999.

Her ability to connect with her audience—both television and live—established her national reputation and opened the door for her own presidential run in 2000.

12 Tom Kuennen, "ARTBA's Founder Charts Early Interstate System, Grant Program," American Road and Transportation Builders Association, January 2001.

The FRA eLibrary contains all the documents that are found throughout the FRA Public Website with items dating back to 2002.

2003: The Government Accountability Office finds that half of the federally funded highway projects it examines have cost overruns of more than 25 percent.42

The 2005 highway bill includes 5,634 earmarks costing $22 billion.43

Don Young (R-AK). 2006: The State of Indiana successfully leases the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road for 75 years to a consortium of investors.

2007: Boston's "Big Dig" or Central Artery project is finally finished.

40 Glen McDougall and Alasdair Roberts, "Commercializing Air Traffic Control: Have the Reforms Worked?" Suffolk University Law School, February 17, 2009.

In 2012 she established the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to support the caregivers of injured soldiers.