From Superhighways to Supermarkets

Interstate highway construction began in 1956 and almost immediately transformed the American food distribution system. More extensive than railroads, this new transportation network connected cities and spanned rural areas, offering an efficient infrastructure for delivering food. It also allowed food manufacturers and processors to expand their operations on cheaper land farther away from cities. As more supermarkets were built to meet the needs of a growing population, interstate trucking became a critical means of delivering fresh and frozen foods to markets year-round.