Mr. MacDonald, known throughout his career with the Bureau as “the Chief,” was largely responsible for the development and success of the Federal-aid highway program and, so important to that success, the building of a cooperative Federal–State relationship founded on mutual respect. The American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) declared in 1964 its view of Mr. MacDonald’s role as follows:
There were spokesmen for both plans[N 1] and they were articulate. It was in no small part due to Mr. MacDonald’s efforts that the Federal-aid program was the one that was adopted. It was his contention that such a program would encourage development of highway technology and the creation of a great network of highways throughout the Nation, instead of a few Federal routes and some spiderweb highway systems within the individual States. The results prove that contention was correct.
He felt that without the encouragement and stabilizing influence of Federal-aid, some of the States would have a difficult time developing adequate and competent Highway Departments and effective highway programs.
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It was his belief that the States must retain the initiative in administering the Federal-aid highway programs, and that the Bureau of Public Roads should make such checks as necessary to protect the Federal interest.[1]
During his entire administration of the Bureau (1919–1953), Mr. MacDonald, clearly ran the organization. There was never any question who was “Chief.” He did not believe in staff meetings or internal group decisionmaking. He discussed policies and problems normally on a one-to-one basis with a very small group of his most trusted assistants, but in the end, he made the policy and he made the decisions.
Washington, D.C., was as popular with tourists at the turn of the century as it is today.
In his external relationships, Mr. MacDonald was a strong believer in committee or group action. He did everything possible to strengthen the policymaking role of the American Association of State Highway Officials and its numerous technical committees. Similarly, he supported the organization, cooperation and interaction of other special interest and professional groups who were interested in or affected by the Nation’s highway program.[N 2]
There was no paradox in Mr. MacDonald’s diametrically different approach to internal and external administration of the highway program. He could control the Federal internal policies—and this extended beyond him through the Federal department level to the pertinent congressional committees. On the other hand, the external elements of the total highway industry and interests were so widespread and diverse that independent and singular views could well lead to chaos, inaction and conflict. His solution was organized group policy and decisionmaking, intercommunication, interaction, compromise, all toward common goals.
Mr. MacDonald’s administrative skill, his strong sense of direction, his dedication, and his long tenure in office—spanning 34 years—permitted the basic Federal–State working relations to become fully established and to demonstrate their worth. During his tenure, agency personnel were well-trained in the MacDonald philosophy that the Bureau should maintain as low a profile as possible while quietly maintaining a role of encouragement, leadership and protection of the national interest.
Reflecting on the pioneers on the State side of the Federal–State relationship, major personal contributions were made by many individuals over the years. G. P. Coleman, Highway Commissioner for the State of Virginia, was perhaps the individual who played the most important part in the actual creation of AASHO in 1914.
Mr. Coleman, in turn, singled out A. G. Batchelder, Executive Secretary to the American Automobile Association, for special credit. Mr. Coleman also gave much credit to the assistance of some 16 other heads of State highway departments or commissions for the creation of AASHO. In any event, the creation of the American Association of State Highway Officials was a “cornerstone” upon which the successful Federal–State relationship was to be built.
- ↑ “National” highways vs. federally assisted, State administered program.
- ↑ These included, but were not limited to: The American Road Builders’ Association, Associated General Contractors, Automotive Safety Foundation, National Highway Users Conference, National Safety Council, American Trucking Association, National Association of County Engineers, American Public Works Association, American Municipal Association, Institute of Traffic Engineers, and the Highway Research Board which played a very special role in highway development.
Over the years there have been a great many outstanding and influential heads of the various State highway departments and commissions who played
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- ↑ A. E. Johnson, History of the Origin, Development and Operation of the American Association of State Highway Officials, AASHO—The First Fifty Years, 1914–1964 (American Association of State Highway Officials, Washington, D.C., 1965) pp. 52, 53.
