▁urban ▁and ▁rural ▁primary ▁and ▁secondary ▁roads ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁It ▁also ▁fund ed ▁a ▁highway ▁safety ▁improvement ▁program , ▁and ▁permitted ▁states ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁U . S . ▁history ▁to ▁use ▁Highway ▁Trust ▁Fund ▁money ▁for ▁mass ▁trans it . ▁The ▁law ▁also ▁established ▁the ▁first ▁national ▁speed ▁limit ▁( of ▁). ▁ ▁Legisl ative ▁history ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁Congress ▁passed ▁a ▁new ▁highway ▁aid ▁act ▁every ▁two ▁years , ▁author izing ▁new ▁exp end it ures ▁and ▁making ▁changes ▁to ▁federal ▁highway ▁policies . ▁ ▁The ▁Federal - A id ▁Highway ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁the ▁Federal - A id ▁Highway ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁had ▁author ized ▁states ▁to ▁issue ▁contract s ▁for ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Inter state ▁Highway ▁System ▁and ▁urban ▁and ▁rural ▁primary ▁and ▁secondary ▁roads ▁through ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁It ▁also ▁provided ▁funds ▁for ▁these ▁contract s . ▁Congress ▁again ▁attempted ▁to ▁pass ▁legisl ation ▁( the ▁Federal - A id ▁Highway ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 2 ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁However , ▁the ▁bill ▁died ▁after ▁a ▁House – S en ate ▁conference ▁committee ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁agree ▁whether ▁to ▁allow ▁Highway ▁Trust ▁Fund s ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁mass ▁trans it . ▁Another ▁controvers ial ▁issue ▁was ▁whether ▁to ▁require ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁Three ▁Sister s ▁Bridge