The Early Years Around 1735, the first unofficial road in Missouri was called Three Notch Road. In 1808, The King's Highway, from St. Louis to southeast Missouri, became the first legally designated road west of the Mississippi River. Some of the first roads in Missouri were made with wooden planks. In 1893 a St. Louisan named J. D. P. Lewis built a "self-propelled vehicle," the city's first. The first speed limit in Missouri was set in 1903 at 9 miles per hour. The world's first gasoline station was started in 1905 in St. Louis by C. H. Laessig. The gasoline was delivered through a garden hose. Before then, gasoline was purchased by the can at grocery stores. Prior to 1907, highway improvements were left entirely to the counties, most of which were without trained or experienced engineers. Nor was there coordination of planning among the counties. With the introduction of the motor vehicle, highway transportation needs were not being met; and it became evident that insurmountable road deficiencies were no longer manageable at the county level. 1907 Missouri Legislature creates the position of state highway engineer, reporting to the Board of Agriculture. 1913 State Highway Department created by the Legislature. 1916 Congress passes federal highway act, which makes federal funds available to states based on area, population and postal road mileage. 1917 Missouri Legislature passes Hawes Law so Missouri can receive federal funds and also creates State Road Fund and a four-member State Highway Board. 1920 $60 million bond issue passes to "get Missouri out of the mud." 1921 Formal department operations are established when the Legislature passes the Centinnial Road Law, creating a four-member State Highway Commission and the positions of secretary, chief engineer and chief counsel. 1924 Proposition 5 passes, creating the state's first fuel tax, 2-cents per gallon. 1928 Missouri becomes the first state to earmark and protect funds for highway purposes. 1931 State Highway Patrol is created. 1937 Missouri Legislature makes it "unlawful" to drive any motor vehicle on any highway of the state without either an operator's or chauffeur's license. 1952 Fuel tax increases to 3 cents per gallon. 1952 Department takes over responsibility for almost 12,000 miles of county highways, bringing 95 percent of all Missiourians to within two miles of a hard-surfaced road. 1956 Missouri becomes first state in the nation to take bids and begin construction on the interstate highway system. 1961 Fuel tax increases to 5 cents per gallon; County Aid Road Trust (CART) Fund created. 1965 The commission's membership is increased by the Legislature from four to six members. 1972 Fuel tax increases to 7 cents per gallon. 1974 Missouri State Department of Transportation created. 1980 Missouri Highway Department and Transportation Department merge creating the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department. 1987 Proposition A passes and increases motor fuel tax by 4 cents per gallon. 1988 Department district boundaries change. 1992 A 6-cent per gallon motor fuel tax is passed by the Legislature, to be phased in over a five-year period. 1994 The department commits to the Short-Term Action Plan to complete priority projects within a four-year period. 1996 Legislation passes stating the department shall be known as the Missouri Department of Transportation. 1998 Accountability legislation passes requiring MoDOT to submit an annual report to the legislature by November 10 and creating the position of MoDOT director. 1999 Department adopts a rolling 5-Year Plan for highway and bridge improvements in the state. The 15-Year Plan is no longer used by MoDOT as the financial blueprint for construction projects.