1914: Panama Canal opens for traffic.
1915–18: Inland waters and U.S. merchant fleet
play prominent roles in World War I freight
movement.
1916: Interurban electric-rail mileage reaches
peak of 15,580 mi.
1919: U.S. Navy and Coast Guard crew crosses
the Atlantic in a flying boat.
1927: Charles Lindbergh flies solo from New
York to Paris.
1956: Construction of the 42,500-mile Interstate
and Defense Highway System begins.
1959: St. Lawrence Seaway is completed,
opening nation’s fourth seacoast.
1961: Manned spaceflight begins.
1967: U.S. Department of Transportation
established.
1969: Men land on moon and return.
1972: San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit
System is completed.
1981: Space shuttle Columbia orbits and lands
safely.
1991: Interstate highway system is essentially
complete.