Looking at these complaints, how did the government ever get all the land needed for major infrastructure projects in the past - like the interstate network?
The first bit of infrastructure that gets put in produces huge economic benefits.
Back in 1760, it made economic sense to have canals dug by hand because they were so much more efficient than transporting coal by horse and cart. It was incredibly expensive, but the thing that came before it was even moreso.
And in the 1830s, private investors could expect to make a profit building a railway because it as so much faster. And compared to hand-digging a canal, the costs weren't that bad! It was incredibly expensive, but the thing that came before it was even moreso.
Government willingness to piss off people combined with the fact that the wealthier people were mostly unaffected. Highways destroyed the poor areas of most cities and enabled the suburban housing boom.
There were a few successful attempts to stop the encroachment of the federal highway system into cities. I think the Bay Area was one of the first such victories.
