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On This Day in Automotive History: December 17

On This Day in Automotive History
December 17

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Birthdays: Harry Cobe (1885), Bruce Denslow (1908), Ludwig Fischer (1915), Dick Zimmermann (1918), Rock Harn (1923), Ray Atkinson (1925), Peck Markota (1930), Bud Sterrett (1932), H.G. Rosier (1933), Leon Fox (1937), Nels Miller (1939), Ken Meisenhelder (1942), Jim Derhaag (1950), Pete Harding (1950), Jerry Barnett (1951), Dave Lebrecque (1953), Kris Patterson (1954), Mike Beam (1955), Tom Wood (1956), Jimbo Wilson (1957), Darryl Bobzin (1962), Chuck Snipes (1962), Jay Fogleman (1966), Paul Tracy (1968), Shane Jenkins (1969), Cory Witherill (1971), Billy Whittaker (1973), Kirill Ladygin (1978), Jason Myers (1978), Earl Goddard (1979), Tomonobu Fujii (1980), Ryan Hunter-Reay (1980), Barry Gommer (1981), Richard Lietz (1983), Bobby East (1984), Tyler Dueck (1986), A.J. Genail (1986), Elliot Barbour (1990), Simon Hodge (1994), Raffaele Marciello (1994), Jordan Miller (1995)

1911: In a maintenance experiment, OPR assumes responsibility for 8 miles of earth roads in Virginia's Arlington and Jefferson road districts. OPR employs a patrolman to furnish a horse, cart, and small tools. He is supplied with a road drag built of plank and required to drag the road whenever it is in suitable condition for dragging, usually after each rain. The patrolman will be paid $60 per month and $1 a day extra whenever he uses two horses to drag the road.

1915: E.W. James, OPRRE's Chief of Maintenance, presents a talk on "Road Maintenance and its Significance," to the 7th Annual Convention of the Southern Commercial Congress, Charleston, SC. He states that the attitude of local officials toward maintenance "is one of indifference . . . accompanied by inefficiency, lack of skill and knowledge, poor management, and a strong infusion of the pettiest type of local politics."

1971: Deputy Administrator Ralph Bartelsmeyer and Associate Administrator for Planning E.H. "Ted" Holmes head an FHWA team viewing a new exclusive bus lane on I-495 between the New Jersey Turnpike and the Lincoln Tunnel. FHWA had entered into a $500,000 contract with the Tri-State Transportation Commission to implement the bus lane, which is opened the next day.

2021: The sixth and final season of Fast & Furious Spy Racers was released on Netflix.