Discover how roads grew from ancient paths and stone routes into the engineered systems that connect cities, neighborhoods, businesses, and entire countries. The Story of the Road follows the history, planning, materials, construction, maintenance, safety, and technology behind the roads we use every day.
Roads may look simple from the driver’s seat, but beneath the surface is a carefully designed system of soil, stone, asphalt, concrete, drainage, markings, signs, bridges, intersections, and traffic controls. This illustrated Learn…Wow! book explains how roads are planned, built, repaired, and improved—and why everything from pavement thickness to curve design can affect how safely and smoothly we travel.
Follow the History
Trace roads from early footpaths and Roman engineering through turnpikes, highways, the Interstate system, suburban growth, and the modern network of streets, avenues, routes, expressways, and other road types.
Understand How Roads Work
Learn how engineers choose routes, prepare the ground, build pavement layers, manage stormwater, design curves and slopes, control traffic, and use signs, markings, lighting, guardrails, and other systems to help keep people moving safely.
See How Roads Are Built and Maintained
Explore asphalt, concrete, aggregates, paving equipment, compaction, road foundations, resurfacing, potholes, cracks, snow and ice, drainage, repairs, and the ongoing maintenance required to keep millions of miles of roadway in service.
See How Roads Shape Everyday Life
Discover why roads influence where communities grow, how goods reach stores, how emergency services respond, and how people travel to work, school, and recreation. Readers also explore traffic technology, smarter intersections, new materials, autonomous vehicles, and other ideas that may shape the roads of the future.