The Egyptians have the pyramids, the Chinese have the Great Wall, The Romans had aqueducts, and the United States of America has the Interstate Highway System.
Granted, most developed nations have a high speed, limited access roadway network that links major areas, but by gum, the U.S. has the biggest! China, is probably catching up, but their usable land area is smaller, so they'll probably end up with fewer linear miles. Russia could win over everyone if their population ever warranted it, but that's rather unlikely.
The sculptural impact of these roadways is quite stunning, and I don't mean to be ironic or sarcastic about this. Travelling on a highway can be a sublime experience, particularly if you're in the Midwest/Great Plains region. Interchanges like the one pictured above have a surreal grace to them and their functionality is admirable--just as their frequent dysfunction can drive one to madness. The best moments in highway design are elevated roadways that seem to defy gravity--great curving sheets of concrete balanced on sturdy columns.
Of course, these things aren't so hot when they're plowed through the middle of a city or outlying neighborhoods. For more on this subject, read The Power Broker by Robert Caro--trust me, it's a quick read.
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