While Route 66 is receiving plenty of attention during its centennial year, another iconic American highway milestone is being celebrated in 2026 — the 70th anniversary of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System.

And St. Charles has a special place in that history.

On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, authorizing the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways and launching what was, at the time, the largest public works project in American history.

Just weeks later, Missouri became one of the first states to put that vision into action. On August 13, 1956, construction began on an Interstate 70 project in St. Charles County between Fifth Street and Route 94/First Capitol Drive. MoDOT recognizes that project as the first interstate project to begin construction under the new program, helping establish St. Charles as the birthplace of the Interstate Highway System.

Seventy years later, the Missouri Department of Transportation commemorated that historic milestone with a ceremony and reception at the St. Charles Convention Center on August 14, bringing the celebration back to the community where the story began.

Connecting America — and Growing St. Charles County

The Interstate Highway System fundamentally changed the way Americans live, work, travel and conduct business. It connected communities and markets, improved the movement of goods and people, and helped create opportunities for economic development across the country.

Few places demonstrate that impact better than St. Charles County.

I-70 has helped shape the growth of our communities, connected local businesses to regional and national markets, supported tourism and commerce, and provided a critical transportation link between St. Charles County and the greater St. Louis region.

Across Missouri, the approximately 250-mile I-70 corridor connects the state's two largest metropolitan areas and continues to serve as an engine for economic growth and prosperity.

Celebrating the Past While Building for the Future

The 70th anniversary comes at an especially appropriate time. Missouri is once again making a historic investment in I-70 through the Improve I-70 Program, which is rebuilding and expanding nearly 200 miles of the interstate between Blue Springs and Wentzville to three lanes in each direction. Missouri committed $2.8 billion to the effort, reflecting the continued importance of the corridor to the state's economy and future growth.

For St. Charles County, there is something fitting about that connection between past and future.

Seventy years ago, crews broke ground here on infrastructure that would ultimately help transform a nation. Today, we are again investing in that same corridor to meet the needs of growing communities, expanding businesses and the next generation.

As we celebrate 70 years of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, St. Charles County can take pride in knowing that one of America's greatest infrastructure stories began right here at home.