In 1978, the nation celebrated completion of Interstate 90 after contractors paved the last four miles of freeway near Blue Earth. Echoing the Golden Spike that symbolized completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, officials tinted a small section of I-90's pavement gold, and two Minnesota National Guard trucks met at the highway's union to symbolize east meeting west. Officials praised the new highway for its promise of safer and faster travel linking the nation. Celebrants including national and state officials, contractors, Miss America, and area residents gathered in the area now occupied by the Blue Earth Rest Areas, and many received pens inscribed "I-90 Golden Spike Dedication, Sept. 23, 1978." The celebration included a flyover by Minnesota Air National Guard jets and the debut of a 56-foot-tall replica of the Jolly Green Giant, which has overlooked Blue Earth ever since. After a ribbon-cutting attended by 2,500 people, a line of vintage cars and trucks crossed the gold pavement. Planning for the 256 million dollar project had begun in 1958. Stretching from Boston to Seattle, I-90 is the nation's longest interstate and the northernmost east-to-west, coast-to-coast interstate. At 70 miles per hour, a motorist would take 44 hours to travel its length. Like other interstate highways, I-90 brought faster and safer travel as well as wider changes, helping some communities grow economically while harming others as business moved away from older highways, and its impact in southern Minnesota continues to shape the region.