'The Road Taken' Uncovers the Civil Engineer's Hand in Building America's Roads

Nathan Masters reviews the new book by historian Henry Petroski, "The Road Taken," a historical look at America's roads and the civil engineers who built them.

1 minute read

February 29, 2016, 9:00 AM PST

By jwilliams @jwillia22


In his new book The Road Taken, Duke University historian Henry Petroski attempts to tell the story of civil engineers in the construction of America's modern road network. Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Nathan Masters commends the book for going into the minutiae of road design by revealing interesting backstories while also advocating for greater investment in our aging infrastructure.

Petroski also delves into future technologies that may reshape the way our current infrastructure operates and is repaired. But the overall theme of the book, as indicated by the title, is the future investment in our aging roads and bridges. Will funding levels meet demand or will our roads continue to crumble below us?

Thursday, February 11, 2016 in Los Angeles Times

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