Pan-American Highway's Unfinished Status Reflects Shifting Ideals of Hemispheric Unity and Migration Policies
The Pan-American Highway, conceived in 1923 as a continuous road linking the Western Hemisphere from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, remains incomplete, notably at the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia. Brazilian army officer Leônidas Borges de Oliveira undertook a pioneering, decade-long journey from Rio de Janeiro to Washington D.C. starting in 1928, demonstrating the feasibility of intercontinental travel despite immense challenges. His expedition, which involved disassembling vehicles to traverse impassable terrain, was met with skepticism by U.S. officials upon his arrival in 1938. While the U.S. declared its interstate system part of the Pan-American Highway network in 1966, and significant road construction occurred across the Americas, the Darién Gap has remained an unbridged divide since 1980. This unfinished status is attributed more to political decisions than topographical difficulties, with Panama viewing the Gap as a natural border wall against Colombian immigration. The initial ideals of un... 
