This does provide some benefit in that it speeds traveling time on the road between major population centers, but the negatives far outweigh the positives.  To begin with, developing the interstate highway system made Americans too dependent on the automobile, the onerous significance of such was noted by those with brains in their heads decades ago, but now just coming into the realization of the hordes of noodlebrains across this country.  The interstate highway system also helped to destroy the local economies in small towns and cities across the continent.  It's also proven to be quite expensive to develop and maintain, and one has to wonder whether the taxpayers have gotten enough bank for their buck in this.

I'm with the crowd that likes to get off the Interstate and actually see the country, but its nice to be able to blast through the boring parts and the parts that you have seen dozens of times before.  Also of note, without it, the path less travelled would actually be travelled much more.

Another mixed bag. I worked on the building of the interstate system and earned $8.53 per hour (when the average wage was under $2.00) so it worked for me.

However, many small town businesses went under when the interstate bypassed Main Streets all over the USA.

Mixed blessing.

Certainly allows speedier transit between major centers, but at the cost of missing the charm of backwater towns.

In the last few years I've taken a few 10 day driving trips from my home in Canada, to San Francisco and back, with detours to Reno, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle. Travel was on a mix of interstates, secondary highways, and back roads.

The speed of travel is certainly attractive, but so is coming upon a small community, stopping on the Oregon coast to watch the Pacific roil and churn, and walking among the redwoods of Northern California.

It reminded me of travelling with my parents as a child, which, while not exactly pre-interstate, was well before the current level of pavement.

Makes trips that would take several hours to just a few. Which means less time trapped in a car.

One of the big ways to get stuff from point A to point B.

2006 is the 50th Anniversary of the Interstate System. For utilitarian functionality, it rates a five, but it has done lots of damage also.

Neighborhood destruction, towns dying, bankruptcies of small businesses can all be laid at the feet of the Interstate Highway System.

That reduces the rating to a four.

I don't know about society, but it sure helped me!

Good, as it allows easy access to all parts of the country for travel and distribution of goods. Bad, as it caused many smaller towns to die out, including the central business districts, and it killed the railroad industry.

I'd much rather we had a Euro-style rail system.

Helpful, and just plain cool. With the always-useful speed limit in place, the Eisenhower Interstate System has connected all states together with efficent, useful, well-designed elevated, free-access highways. Much more useful for long-term travel than the old-style US highways that they typically follow, interstates also have a cool factor going for them. I've always loved the neat green-style signs with big pictures and texts and there are things like "Exit 0" and signs like "Too Fast When Flashing" that I always get a kick out of.

Im all for irobot style! Im in California and there arent enough super highways. Do I like to drive them, no, but overall its beneficial to society.

Close to the ultimate in short/medium distance transportation: the ability to move anything anywhere anytime.

Yes, very much, have you ever rode on a two lane, non divided highway, very dangerous. Interstates are much safer.

Ugly, boring, but overall - functional. I've taken a lot of road trips that either would not have been possible or would have required way too much time if it had not been for highways. As far as modes of travel, I really don't care for car trips when it comes to anything much over 3 hours. I would love to see the return of passenger trains but, unfortunately, greed and the power of several mega-industries including trucking companies and airlines have pretty much put an end to that option. Of course, the fact that Amtrack is operated by the government therefore in the business to lose money doesn't help the situation much either.

it makes things much easier

It would be hard to imagine life in the US right now without the interstates. Business production would go down immensely, and it would create a hassle for individuals as well.

the time saved makes it very helpful. though it wouldn't hurt to slow down sometimes and see the world around you.

Generally good . . . until you get potholes . . .

It took me a 30 hours to get from Phoenix to Oklahoma City on the U.S. highways. It took me 14 hours on the Interstate. Any highway that starts with "I-" is good with me.

Fast transit rules.