Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
June 3, 1921 One of the most famous symbols of an American transportation company made its debut. This symbol was the bulldog representing what is now Mack Trucks, Inc. and it first appeared when the business was known as the International Motor Truck Corporation. More than two decades earlier, the brothers Jack and Gus -- seeking... Continue Reading →
May 31, 1969 A major tunnel that is located just south of the Belgian city of Antwerp and had been built under the Scheldt river first went into service when it was opened to motor vehicle traffic. Another milestone for this tunnel took place just a little over eight months later when it was opened... Continue Reading →
May 24, 1915 Civil engineer Arthur Hale applied for a patent for his design of a road interchange focused on facilitating the flow of automobile traffic. Hale, who resided in the village of Rowlandsville in Maryland, characterized this design as one that contained “certain new and useful improvements in street crossings.” Hale’s proposed interchange consisted... Continue Reading →
May 21, 1901 In response to the steady increase of automobiles on its roads, the state of Connecticut enacted a pioneering speed limits law. This law required that automobiles travel no faster than 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) per hour within cities and 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) per hour on roads elsewhere. The law also required automobile drivers... Continue Reading →
April 30, 1939 The 1939 New York World’s Fair at Flushing-Meadows Corona Park was formally opened. This world’s fair ranks second only to the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis as the largest event of its kind to be held in the United States. With its opening slogan of “Dawn of a New Day,”... Continue Reading →
April 5, 1878 Albert Champion, who made notable contributions to various modes of transportation, was born in Paris. By the end of the 19th century, he had established himself as a formidable track bicycle racer in his native France. In 1899, Champion surprised nearly everyone by beating out quite a few seasoned cyclists to win... Continue Reading →
April 3, 2016 A bus rapid transit (BRT) system in England’s ceremonial county of Greater Manchester was inaugurated. A section of this system has the distinction of being the first guided busway – a dedicated, buses-only route – to operate in northwestern England. There is a multi-user path alongside this guided section for bicyclists, pedestrians,... Continue Reading →
April 1, 1928 The first four trolleybuses to serve the English town and borough of Hastings began operations. These vehicles were each decorated with flags and bunting for the occasion and they were introduced as part of the plan to ultimately replace the entire aging fleet of trams in Hastings with trolleybuses. Those trams were... Continue Reading →
March 25, 2007 A two-tunnel tollway in Sydney, Australia’s most populous city and the capital of the state of New South Wales (NSW), was opened two months ahead of schedule. This structure, collectively called the Lane Cove Tunnel, serves as a link between the section of M2 Hills Motorway that is in the suburb of... Continue Reading →
February 14, 1941 A formal acknowledgement -- albeit one that had to be clarified -- was accorded the person who drove the one-millionth motor vehicle through New York City’s Queens-Midtown Tunnel about three months after the debut of that structure. The office of William H. Friedman, commissioner of the New York City Tunnel Authority (now part... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 