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Impact and reception

Following the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, passenger rail declined sharply as did freight rail for a short time, but the trucking industry expanded dramatically and the cost of shipping and travel fell sharply. Suburbanization became possible, with the rapid growth of larger, sprawling, and more car-dependent housing than was available in central cities, enabling racial segregation by white flight. A sense of isolationism developed in suburbs, with suburbanites wanting to keep urban areas disconnected from the suburbs. Tourism dramatically expanded, creating a demand for more service stations, motels, restaurants and visitor attractions. The Interstate System was the basis for urban expansion in the Sun Belt, and many urban areas in the region are thus very car-dependent. The highways may have contributed to increased economic productivity in, and thereby increased migration to, the Sun Belt. In rural areas, towns and small cities off the grid lost out as shoppers followed the interstate and new factories were located near them.