Read the passage from President Eisenhower's 1955 message to Congress regarding highways. The physical condition of the present road net increases the cost of vehicle operation, according to many estimates, by as much as one cent per mile of vehicle travel. At the present rate of travel, this totals more than $5 billion a year. The cost is not borne by the individual vehicle operator alone. It pyramids into higher expense of doing the nation's business. Increased highway transportation costs, passed on through each step in the distribution of goods, are paid ultimately by the individual consumer. What claim does Eisenhower make about highways that are in poor condition? They are an embarrassment. They cost people money. They are inconvenient. They lead to accidents