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On This Day in Automotive History: August 5

On This Day in Automotive History
August 5

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International Traffic Light Day

Birthdays: George Fernic (1900), Roger Loyer (1907), O.A. Dean (1917), Chuck Marshall (1918), Russ Whitman (1926), Richie Ginther (1930), Sam Fogle (1934), Gordon Johncock (1936), Ronnie Daniel (1937), Luciano Della Noce (1940), Tony Farrell (1941), Leo Kinnunen (1943), Dick Skillen (1945), Dennis Crowder (1947), Larry Esau (1947), Keith Davis (1952), Eddie Wood (1952), John Baker (1953), Warren Elgin (1955), Jerry Middleton (1960), Pat Abold (1962), Rodney Cundiff (1962), Andy Lloyd (1963), Destry Hough (1964), Adam Merzon (1965), Kevin Briscoe (1968), Colin McRae (1968), Dwight Merriman (1968), Kenny Irwin Jr. (1969), Colin McRae (1969), Rich Woodland Jr. (1970), Wayne Johnson (1971), Ashley Stichbury (1971), Clint Curry (1972), Ryan Arciero (1973), Laurent Redon (1973), Kip Stockwell (1973), Jean-Francois Dery (1974), Alexandre Gingras (1974), Christian Vann (1974), Jeff Simmons (1976), Eddie Hennessy (1978), David Darling (1979), Antoine Lioen (1984), Dusty Zomer (1985), Azor Duenas (1989), Esteban Gutierrez (1991), Paul Nogradi Jr. (1991), Alex Fontana (1992), Bryce Haugeberg (2003)

1933: The first highway project under the National Industrial Recovery Act (passed 16 June 1933) gets underway on the Salt Lake City to Saltair Road in Utah. By October 27, 1934, 16,330 miles of new roadway projects had been completed, 7,880 additional miles were under construction, and 2,845 miles more were definitely scheduled for construction (a total of 27,055 miles).

1968: Edward J. DePina is appointed Division Engineer for FHWA's Connecticut Division Office. DePina, who joined FHWA in 1965 after a career that included service as a Captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a stint with the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, is the first African-American to serve as an FHWA Division Engineer.

1971: In Named Individual Members of the San Antonio Conservation Society, et al. v. The Texas Highway Department, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, resolves whether a State, having accepted Federal-aid funds for a project (for construction of the North Expressway through Brackenridge Park in San Antonio), can then build the road with State funds to avoid Federal requirements. The court says no. "The state, by entering into this venture, voluntarily submitted itself to federal law. It entered with its eyes open," the court finds. Section 154 of the 1973 Federal-Aid Highway Act provides relief for Texas by declaring an end to the contractual relationship between the Federal and State governments with respect to the North Expressway.

2001: The first episode of Cannonball Run 2001 aired.

2005: The film The Dukes of Hazzard was released.

2011: The film Magic Trip was released.

2011: Production begins on the Polaris Industries generation of Indian motorcycles.

2011: Gary Nixon died.

2016: Scion was discontinued.

2016: Brian France was arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance in New York.