Deceptive Lobbying Steers Debate on Highway Funding Bill Listen Download Embed Share Share this on Facebook (Opens in a new window) Share this on Twitter (Opens in a new window) Share this via Email President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the federal highway system in 1956, and it has since expanded to some 47,714 miles in length.. ( Copyright: Tim Roberts Photography / Shutterstock ) Produced by Jillian Weinberger Produced by PRI and WNYC