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The Big Dig

This colorful photographic history documents what was at the time the nation's largest single public works project. Nearly a decade and a half later, and after more than $15 billion was spent, Boston had a new network of highways tunneling underneath the city. Could this be the future of highway construction in North America?

by Dan McNichol (2000)

The Big Dig at Night

Following up on his 2000 book, The Big Dig, Dan McNichol chronicled in this book the nation's largest single public works project from a nighttime perspective.

by Dan McNichol (2001)

Boston's Bridges (Images of America)

Part of the Images of America series, BostonRoads.com contributor Yanni Tsipis explores Boston's highway and railroad bridges from the 19th century through the early 21st century.

by Yanni Tsipis (2004)

Boston's Central Artery (Images of America)

Part of the Images of America series, Yanni Tsipis provides a photographic history of the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, also known as the Central Artery, the 1950s-era elevated highway that sliced through Downtown Boston prior to construction of the Big Dig at the turn of the millennium.

by Yanni Tsipis (2001)

Building the Mass Pike (Images of America)

Part of the Images of America series, Yanni Tsipis provides a photographic history of the Massachusetts Turnpike, from construction of the original turnpike west of Route 128 in the 1950s, to its extension east towards Downtown Boston in the 1960s.

by Yanni Tsipis (2002)

Building Route 128 (Images of America)

Part of the Images of America series, Yanni Tsipis provides a comprehensive history of Route 128. Starting from the pre-World War II era, this book traces Route 128's origins from a collection of road connecting Boston's suburbs, to construction of the original highway in the immediate postwar era, to its reconstruction to Interstate standards in the 1960s.

by Yanni Tsipis and David Kruh (2003)

Cape Cod Canal (Images of America)

Part of the Images of America series, this book by local historian Timothy Orwig capture the canal's development from unsuccessful building efforts in the 1800s, through its 1909-1914 construction, and subsequent improvements -- including the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges -- in the 1930s.

by Timothy Orwig (2013)

The Newport Bridge

Local historian James Ricci chronicles the nearly quarter-century fight to get the Pell-Newport Bridge built, as well as the construction of what remains today the longest suspension bridge in New England.

by James M. Ricci (2018)

Divided Highways

Based on the 1997 Peabody Award-winning PBS documentary, this book describes the development --- and downsides -- of the Interstate highway network. Despite some anti-highway sentiments, this book is one of the more comprehensive road history works.

by Tom Lewis (2013)

The Roads That Built America

Best-selling author Dan McNichol, who chronicled Boston's "Big Dig" project during its construction in the 1990s and early 2000s, tells the fascinating story of the largest engineering project the world has ever known.

by Tom Lewis (2006)

The Big Roads

The Interstate highway system dramatically changed the face of our nation. These interconnected roads--now nearly 50,000 miles and still growing--are man-made wonders, economic pipelines, agents of sprawl, uniquely American symbols of escape and freedom, and an unrivaled public works accomplishment.

by Earl Swift (2018)

Asphalt and Politics: A History of the American Highway System

This examination of the Interstate highway system in the United States, and the forces that shaped it, includes the introduction of the automobile, the Good Roads Movement, and the Lincoln Highway Association. The book offers an analysis of state and federal road funding, modern road-building options, and the successes and failures of the current highway system.

by Thomas L. Karnes (2009)

The Road Taken

Acclaimed engineer and historian Henry Petroski explores our core infrastructure from both historical and contemporary perspectives, explaining how essential their maintenance is to America's economic health. Petroski reveals the genesis of the many parts of America's highway system--our interstate numbering system, the centerline that divides roads, and such taken-for-granted objects as guardrails, stop signs, and traffic lights--all crucial to our national and local infrastructure.

by Henry Petroski (2017)

The Freeway in the City

By the late 1960s, opponents managed to delay and even stop freeway construction in major cities, including New York. The Freeway in the City was written to demonstrate how thoughtful freeway design can be implemented in a variety of urban settings.

by The Urban Advisors to the Federal Highway Administrator (1968)

Saving Historic Roads: Design and Policy Guidelines

Written by a National Trust landscape architect and planner, this book provides not only the criteria for determining historic significance, but also guidelines to adapt to current AASHTO standards while maintaining design integrity.

by Paul Daniel Marriott (1997)

American Autobahn

Mark Rask, a lifelong automotive and racing enthusiast, analyzes the combination of safety and speed on Germany's Autobahn network and offers an exciting new direction for America's Interstates that would make speeds of 100 MPH or more commonplace on open stretches of rural freeway.

by Mark Rask (1999)

Engineers of Dreams

This book profiles the important bridge engineers -- Eads, Cooper, Lindenthal, Ammann and Steinman -- who contributed to the great engineering triumphs of the 19th and 20th centuries. The New York Times said, "With astonishing scope and generosity of view, Mr. Petroski places the tradition of American bridge-building in perspective."

by Henry Petroski (1995)

Great American Bridges and Dams: A National Trust Guide

This guide provides short histories on hundreds of bridges and dams throughout the United States. David P. Billington, professor of civil engineering at Princeton University, called it "a wide-ranging guidebook through the rich and dramatic heritage of large-scale structures."

by Donald C. Jackson (1988)

Bridges: A History of the World's Most Spectacular Spans

Thoroughly updated from the original edition published in 1997, this oversized "coffee table" book profiles notable bridging achievements in human history. While not written for the specialist, this is still an enjoyable read. The New York Times said that Dupre "captivates the eye, mind and imagination in this ode to the greatest spans and cantilevers of the world."

by Judith Dupre (2017)

The Magnificent Bridges of New York City

It is easy to take New York City's bridges for granted, but the photographs from NYCRoads.com contributor Dave Frieder bring the city's bridges to life by capturing the inherent beauty of these historical civil engineering landmarks. This is a fine art coffee table book with images from 20 of New York's great bridges.

by Dave Frieder (2019)

Six Bridges: The Legacy of Othmar H. Ammann

This book summarizes Ammann's career and exhibits 200 black-and-white photographs and design drawings of his principal achievements: the George Washington Bridge, the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, the Throgs Neck Bridge, the Triborough Bridge, the Bayonne Bridge, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

by Darl Rastorfer (2000)

High Steel: Building the Bridges Across San Francisco Bay

The Northeast was not the only center for innovative bridge construction in the United States. High Steel chronicles the planning, development, and construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, two works of architectural and engineering genius built during the 1930s.

by Richard Dillon, Thomas Moulin, and Don DeNevi (1979)

The Bridge at Quebec

Since it was completed in 1917, the Quebec Bridge has had the longest main span of any cantilever bridge in the world. Two tragedies during the bridge's construction took a total of 86 lives. The Bridge at Quebec provides a full account of the long effort to build a bridge at this difficult site, the tragedies that accompanied its construction, and the lessons that its story holds today.

by William D. Middleton (2001)

Bridge Engineering: Design, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance of Modern Highway Bridges

Revised to reflect the latest codes, standards, and technical advances, this practical reference covers every aspect of highway bridge engineering and management. Designed to be understood by entry-level engineers, the fourth edition of this book features the latest analysis, design, and construction methods as well as up-to-date information on materials and components.

by Jim J. Zhao and Demetrios E. Tonias (2017)

Introduction to Tunnel Construction

Tunneling provides a robust solution to a variety of engineering challenges. It is a complex process, which requires a firm understanding of the ground conditions as well as the importance of ground-structure interaction. This book covers the full range of areas related to tunnel construction required to embark upon a career in tunneling. It also includes a number of case studies related to real tunnel projects, to demonstrate how the theory applies in practice.

by David N. Chapman, Nicole Metje, and Alfred Stark (2017)

The Atlas of Boston History

Edited by historian Nancy S. Seasholes, this landmark volume captures all aspects of Boston's past in a series of 57 stunning full-color spreads. Each section features newly created thematic maps that focus on moments and topics in that history. These maps are accompanied by hundreds of historical and contemporary illustrations and explanatory text from historians and other expert contributors.

by Nancy S. Seasholes (2019)

AIA Guide to Boston

This book is a superbly written history of Boston's built environment, filled with insider details and engaging anecdotes about more than 600 buildings, including such historic landmarks as Faneuil Hall, the mansions on Beacon Hill, the commercial wharves in Boston Harbor, Fenway Park, and the Freedom Trail, as well as Boston's latest contemporary buildings such as the ICA, MIT's Stata Center, and the infamous "Big Dig."

by Michael Southworth and Susan Southworth (2008)

The HP Store @ Amazon

Choose from a wide variety of desktops, laptops, printers, ink and toner, and other accessories.

The Logitech Store @ Amazon

Choose from a wide variety of PC accessories including keyboards, mice, webcams, and headsets.

The Canon Store @ Amazon

Get on the road and take some pictures! Choose from a wide variety of digital cameras and accessories.

The Belkin Store @ Amazon

Power up! Choose from a wide variety of home and auto chargers for your laptop, tablet, digital camera, smartphone, or gaming device.

Rand McNally Road Atlas Large- Scale 2026

Mapping since 1872. The latest annual edition of the big Rand McNally road atlas celebrates the nation's 250th birthday and the 100th birthday of US Route 66.

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• The Roads of Metro New York
  
• The Crossings of Metro New York
  
• Maps and History