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Interstate Pioneers: Frank C. Turner

Francis C. "Frank" Turner began his career with the Bureau of Public Roads in 1929, a recent graduate of Texas A&M. His 43 year career would see him shoulder responsibilities for construction of the Alaskan Highway during World War II, and the rebuilding of the Philippine highway system following the war.

Not only did he help shape the Interstate program as executive secretary of the Clay Committee and as a liaison with Congress drafting the legislation, he went on to implement the program as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer for Public Roads from 1957 to 1967, and as the Director of Public Roads to oversee its construction.

Frank Turner received many honors during his lifetime, and his name is included in prestigious lists such as "Ten People Who Changed the Way You Live" (American Heritage Magazine) and "25 Makers of the American Century" (U.S. News and World Report).

Addressing the AASHTO Annual Meeting in 1984, Turner said in part:

"My instructions for this session are "to identify what I believe to be the top current issues in highways which the States ought to be concerned about, and to make suggestions as to actions by you thereon."

It is easy to draw up a list of 30 issues, but to limit it to only a handful is much more difficult, however, my selections are as follows:

(1) Persuade our Congressional partners to look at and act on needed highway legislation as National statesmen;

(2) Phase down our Interstate System program to early completion, and transfer the same degree of emphasis to the other systems;

(3) Enact additional highway user revenues, and extend the Highway Trust Fund without a terminal date;

(4) Redesign heavy highway trucking units to substantially reduce the damage factor and thus extend pavement and bridge life;

(5) Take actions to drastically reduce highway deaths, injuries, and property damages resulting from drunk driving crashes."

While stories about Turner are legend, one of the most familiar was reported by U.S. News and World Report in an article titled Superhighway Superman. "On a Fort Worth visit, he found a stake in his parents' front yard. It showed that Interstate 35 was about to come through their living room. "Son, can't you do anything?" his mother asked. "I can," he replied, "But I won't. You'll just have to move." Turner, who died this year [1999] at the age of 90, regarded his family's I-35 plight as a story with a happy ending: His uprooted parents found a better house, one made of brick. And the engineer with a mission saw Fort Worth get an expressway."

Francis B. Francois, Executive Director of AASHTO for more than 18 years, worked with Turner first as an elected county official and later in his role at AASHTO. Paying him tribute shortly after his death in 1999, Francois said, "a great highway engineer and a person who was open to supporting new concepts. A man who respected all with whom he dealt, and who sought to be prompt and fair in his decisions. . . What a man! And what a mentor!"