A closer look
Engineers constructed a special stretch of Route sixty-six in New Mexico that features precisely spaced rumble strips designed to play 'America the Beautiful' when you drive over them at exactly forty-five miles per hour. Originally intended as a clever speed control measure to stop reckless drivers, the project quickly backfired because people immediately realized that speeding up caused the patriotic anthem to play in a hilarious, high-pitched chipmunk tempo. Conversely, driving too slowly turns the majestic tune into a demonic, groaning dirge that sounds like the highway itself is dying of exhaustion. The local residents eventually complained so much about the constant, off-key screeching of tires attempting to hit the right musical notes that similar projects were completely abandoned in nearby areas. It serves as a brilliant reminder that whenever you try to combine civil engineering with whimsical public art, the general public will instantly find a way to make it incredibly annoying for everyone involved
