Interstate 69: The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway

by Matt Dellinger

Interstate 69 is an enlightening journey through the heart of America. With this epic tale of one vast and controversial road project, Matt Dellinger brings to life the country's complex political, social, and economic landscape.

The 1,400-mile extension of I-69 south from Indianapolis, if completed, will connect Canada to Mexico through Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. This so-called "NAFTA Highway" has been in development for two decades, and while segments are under construction today, others may never be built. Eagerly anticipated by many as an economic Godsend, I-69 has also been opposed by environmentalists, farmers, ranchers, anarchists, and others who question both the wisdom of building more highways and the merits of globalization.

Part history, part travelogue, Interstate 69 reveals the surprising story of how this extraordinary undertaking began, introduces us to the array of individuals who have worked tirelessly for years to build the road--or to stop it--and guides us through the many places the highway would transform from sprawling cities like Indianapolis, Houston, and Memphis, to the small rural towns of the Midwestern rust belt, the Mississippi Delta, and South Texas.

In an era when bridges fall, levies fail, and states lease their toll roads to foreign-owned corporations, Americans are realizing the central importance of infrastructure, how it affects our standard of living and quality of life, and how it determines which places prosper and which places fade. This book vividly illustrates that the story of America is indeed the story of transportation--and that story continues.

Matt Dellinger connects these dots with an absorbingly human, on-the-ground examination of our country's struggle with development. Interstate 69 captures the hopes, dreams, and fears surrounding what we build and what we leave behind.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Transport, Travel

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 24, 2010

About the author

Matt Dellinger has written for The New Yorker, the Atlantic, the Oxford American, Smithsonian, the Wall Street Journal magazine, and The New York Times, and has reported on transportation and planning for the public radio program The Takeaway. He worked for ten years on staff at The New Yorker as an illustrations editor, multimedia editor, and the producer and host of The New Yorker Out Loud, the magazine's first weekly podcast. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated from DePauw University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York."

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea that the proposed extension of I-69 (a project I hadn't heard anything about in years, and presumed dead), was such a big deal.

The pre-pub reviews of this book caught my eye because I've lived my entire life a metaphorical stone's throw from I-69, and as a child, I remember it being under construction. It was exciting when "our exit" at Hwy 26 finally opened. It's the only interstate highway I've ever driven from beginning (at the Canadian border) to end (at the northeast corner of Indianapolis).

This book gives fascinating glimpses of small town politics colliding with federal plans. It deals with the short-sighted NIMBY crowd, and the greedy businessmen who smell big bucks if an interstate were to slice through their towns.

Oh, and it occurs to me that I should mention this: if you're not familiar with Indiana, you need to know that its citizens are against pretty much everything. It doesn't matter what the proposal is, you'll immediately have a loud, vocal segment of the population that is sure it's not only a very bad idea, but probably The End of Life as We Know It. If someone came up with a way to arrange a rainbow in the sky everyday, plus free lollipops, in ten minutes you'd have a citizens action group releasing statements about the dangers of overexposure to rainbows, and how people who ate lollipops also tended to vote Democrat.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Americans debate the big things - health care, energy, transportation -- the standard narrative is to find two sides and cast one as the big bad villain and one as the little guy just tryin' to save his home/business/children. It's the easiest thing to do, and it's how our media, and its consumers, pretend that we have dealt with a complex issue.

Take transportation, for example. Since the 1950s, the country has solved the problem of moving people and some commerce over vast swaths of land by building highways. Now, miles of asphalt take you from city to city. But starting in the 1970s, the attitude about highways has changed. "Not so fast," we say. Some maintain that if you build it, they will come and they will want Wal-Marts and cheap housing. This is sprawl, and this is bad. The other side (see, even I do it...) contends that highways, especially through rural areas, bring jobs and might keep dying parts of our country on life support.

Matt Dellinger's "Interstate 69" does none of the above, which is why it is a brilliant book that deserves a wide audience. Dellinger's tale of why Interstate 69 starts in Michigan near Canada and ends just outside of Indianapolis takes no sides, sympathizes with everyone and demonizes no one. What Dellinger does is simple: he lets those with the most at stake tell their stories. And if you think that hearing at length from people who staff economic development groups in southern Indiana or northern Louisiana will be boring, prepare to be most pleasantly amazed. These hardworking everyday Americans are extremely interesting and each have played a role in how the future of getting around the country will look. Even the lobbyists are portrayed as human beings with real expertise (and the biggest paychecks...)

Dellinger explains policy, but also tells stories that you can see unfolding in front of you, from a meeting in a Victorian home to a ribbon cutting on a hot Mississippi day. His story takes in many of the big trends of our time that have affected every one in some way: NAFTA, environmentalism, direct action activism, the need for commerce in desolate towns, the growth of the Internet, party politics, traffic, changes in how we perceive the American dream.

The stories of the attempts to extend Interstate 69 to Brownsville, Texas all fit together, if uneasily -- just like our state-federal form of government. What's good for Indiana may not be good for Texas now, although building one road that would connect the two might be good for the whole country in the long run.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kudos to the author for a very thorough evaluation of the interstate highway system, US transportation, I-69 proposals (controversies, etc.), and the people who were touched by it all. But, I think if I had been reading this instead of listening, I may not have been able to make it through. While some of the stories about the people and communities involved were very interesting, they did get a bit repetitive after awhile. Also, there was a very large section about highway funding that got a bit tedious.

I think if I was a politician, activist, or someone who had direct interest in this topic it would have drawn me in more as it was basically a textbook on the issue. As an outsider with passing interest and knowledge in the I-69 project because I am an Indiana citizen, it was just okay.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have driven on I-69 for many years in Michigan and Northern Indiana. This book deals with the efforts to extend the highway through Southern Indiana, Western Kentucky, Western Tennessee, Northwest Mississippi, Southern Arkansas, Northwest Louisiana, and Texas, down to the Mexican border. Very interesting stories of local economic development, state politics, federal highway funding policy, and grassroots opposition. It's a bit dated, ending in 2010, but I don't think there has been much construction on any of the projected route since then. Guess I have to run out and get a new road atlas...

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holds some relevence to those in the proximity to the existing and proposed I-69. You would think those involved in industries such as automotive, tier suppliers and heavy machinery would be interested, but I have not come across how the so called NAFTA highway achieves any of the NAFTA objectives...besides a straight North-South shot. The book is mostly of the politics of the towns large, medium and small that set along the proopsed extension of I-69. Hoosiers who don't want it, Mississipi River Deltas who believe it is their saving grace, and Texans who think they can just build it themselves.

Coming from Northwest Ohio, my opinion is that a simple interstate expansion will not provide much economic stability. Here we have an intersection of major highways I80/90 running East-West and I75 running North South. This major league intersection has not spared us from the perils population decline brought on by the US manufacturing recession. Not sure that just having interstate I-69 would do much for these other places. I-69 would PROMOTE having manufacturing jobs in Mexico, with hotel and restaurant type jobs here along the US NAFTA highway.

There are some interesting facts about the development of the Highways since Eisenhower. As well as some other tidbids like the pay as you go highway kicked around by FDR's administration. Overall, I don't see this story being worth a hoot to anybody whose neighborhood is not involved in the I-69 project.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it would be, but it was a well researched and well written book so it was not deserving of less than three stars. I thought that I-69 would be more about the road itself and the people along the route, which it was, but for most of the last section of the book it was filled with radicalism and strayed away from the road itself, which the author admits through out the book. The best section of the book is where Dellinger explains the life of the rural people living along the section of the future Interstate 69 that includes Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Basically the book explains how funding a road is just like funding any other pet project of the government and that is through lobbyists and donations from shady contributors along with tons and tons of earmarks within the legislation. Another satisfying aspect of the book is that Dellinger stays away from partisan politics, placing the blame on liberal and conservatives alike.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2016...

[Sean Mcdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at modern infrastructure efforts, and does a good job of taking an impartial tone, embedding with both those in favor and opposed.

[Bob Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative book about what is needed in this country to build a highway. My have the times changed since the Interstate highway system was built in the 50's - 60's.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting look into the stuff we don't think about when driving. I learned a ton

[Johnny Le Bon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched and written. Very objective. Definitely showed both sides of the issue.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Dellinger tells the story of how the so called NAFTA highway was conceived, semi-built and then held in a state of abandonment. This is a story of local politics across a wide number of states, big business intervention, 60’s counter culture and environmentalism and finally the changing mood in Washington related to big capital road projects. The local politics are well collected and categorized showing which areas fought for the route and what it meant to those areas. There are great historical references to the perfect storm that led to the creation of these committees. The mix of public and private finance is well documented throughout the book and the options of toll roads vs public financing. The Earth First movement and the anarchists who eventually joined in to protest the road provide the final piece of the puzzle. Dellinger weaves together these complex issues and presents a balanced narrative of why the road remains unfinished. Overall a great look at complex urban policy, environmental policy, local politics and the future of road building in the United States.

[loafingcactus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a great book! A study of how policy is actually developed in America and how that connects to political philosophy and the political reality of people's lives. IMHO this book should be required reading in high school civics class. Is there another book that is such a great overview of how policy is developed that is at the reading and understanding level of high school students? (Serious question, is there?)

Also, I am indeed one of those people who just sees the geography of the country as it is and doesn't think about having the power to be one of the people that makes that geography. This book is about people who are battling in a real way what the future America looks like. Fascinating!

I listened to the book on tape and in general it was good, but the way the narrator puts on a false & condescending everyman accent for the quotes is extremely irritating and I hope someone slapped him for being such an arrogant twit.

[Kaye McSpadden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very interesting. As an Indiana resident, I've certainly been aware of the controversy surrounding I-69, at least the portion of it that's in Indiana. However, I really had no idea about its long, convoluted history and the fact that the original advocates of the project cooked up the "NAFTA Highway" idea (connecting Canada and Mexico via small towns in the Midwest) as a way to achieve their own original, local goal of connecting Indianapolis and Evansville. It's really a fascinating story. I was especially interested in the detailed exploration of the unusual resistance coalition that arose in Indiana, bringing together diverse groups across the political and socio-economic spectrum, including farmers and rural homeowners, environmentalists, economic conservatives, libertarians, and radical anarchists. The comparative stories of the resistance movement in Indiana with the one that developed in Texas is fascinating.

[Du · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. It wasn't as focused on the communities that might border on I-69, which could have been fun, but it was certainly exhaustive in its review of the history of the project. From a political science standpoint it was very good in its review and overview of the process and manipulation of the process that has kept this dream highway alive.

The portions dedicated to general highway and transportation infrastructure history was very well done. This is especially true towards the end where an overview of privatization of highway tolls and operations is explored. More could be said about the public benefits of such moves, and the reality that certain stretches of roadways cannot be profitable and would not be constructed if the sole determining factor was ROI.

[Lora · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am struggling with this book. While often easily engrossed in a text such as this, I find the audiobook version to be dull to the point of numbing the mind. I am on chapter 8 currently, and honestly could not remember any major or minor point the author has attempted to make thus far. Part of it may lie in the narrator as this book seems to get higher marks from others. I would avoid the Audible download in favor of an eBook or traditional paperback as I may not even finish the audio version.

[Mbreaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a boring read. Tried to be chatty and sociological, but seemed to swing too abruptly from factual parts about highways (*yawn*) to an anecdote about old Mrs. So & So's famous apple pie (trite). I ended up flipping through it and reading the Wikipedia entry on the rest. I did like the illustrations, though, and the author's well-intentioned efforts to cut through the politics of this would-be interstate.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed this book -- it dealt with the politics of getting an Interstate built through the Heartland in the modern age, and the differing ways in which the government is looking at funding transportation initiatives. The travelogue part of the book, in which Dellinger went to a bunch of the towns along the route, was my favorite. Amazingly, it made this admitted City Boy want to visit Indiana.

[Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the long history of extending (or not extending) I-69 from Indy south to Evansville, then through KY, TN, AR, MS, LA and finally TX. More drama than you might expect. It looks at proponents of the extension and opponents, especially in southern Indiana. Lots of colorful characters, as well as politicians, lobbyists, environmentalists, activists and anarchists. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everyone. Overall, I enjoyed it.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Politics and activism drive "progress." As a Hoosier, living not so far from the established portion of this interstate, I thought the history would be familiar. It turns out, I knew nothing. It was very interesting and I felt that the author laid out each side of the issue equally so as to allow our own brains the chance to think and decide.

[Christopher Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exhaustive survey of the political, social, scientific, economic and human ramifications of a proposed main artery. Dellinger uses the lives of key figures from many strata of the population of the affected areas to compile a full picture of all that is/was involved in the gestation of a major transportation corridor. This is a fair and balanced title that reads easily.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written, fair, well researched, and easy to read book about a planned road I knew little about. Does a good job of looking at the pros and cons of new roads and the people who love and hate them.

[Robert Fuller]

My cousin wrote this book - second cousin, that is. We share common great-grandparents. This is on my "to read" list!

[Denali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts of this were great and Dellinger has a fantastic eye for characters and anecdotes but a story that stretches across so much distance and time needs stronger organization.

[Jonathan Rea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feared it a story that would be one sided about how highways are evil, but it was very even handed and earnest in its attempt to portray both sides...