Germany is close in size to the state of Montana, and at the beginning of the 20th century, travel there by automobile was difficult due to the many smaller and often unpaved roads. The autobahn made speedy travel possible throughout Germany. People can travel the autobahn from Bavaria to Brandenburg without having to go through small villages and slowing down. While It is true that most of the German autobahn has no posted speed limit, 81 mph (130 kph) is the maximum speed recommended. This rate of speed helps link larger cities and shorten travel times, which encourages tourism within Germany.
The autobahn also helps trucks transport goods through Germany much quicker. Fish caught in Baltic Sea to the north can be delivered to the southern regions faster and fresher, benefiting both sellers and buyers. Lumber from the Black Forest in southwestern Germany arrives faster to northern cities such as Berlin and Cologne, promoting building and growth. The autobahn also provides jobs, as there are 12,000 km (about 7,500 miles) of road to maintain.
Many widely known facts about the autobahn come from the World War II era. Germany was in the midst of a depression when Hitler came to power, and the dictator began to expand the autobahn. While the project created jobs and boosted the economy, making Hitler's plan seem heroic, it also provided a means for Hitler to quickly transport troops around Germany.
