Ike, while not a politician, was a progressive Republican. He saw something left from Nazi Germany that impressed him and when he became president, saw to it America had it's own. The Interstate Highway System was put in place and we've been on the move ever since.
I'm too young to know if business people complained about it being a waste of money, but they are used by business, government, and private citizens every minute of the day.
Let's hope Trump does as well.