Final answer:
Leaders decided that Brooklyn and Staten Island needed a direct connection after World War II to support suburbanization, military readiness, and economic growth. The Interstate Highway System, influenced by strategic considerations and President Eisenhower's experience in WWII, played a key role in the development of transportation routes and infrastructure.
Step-by-step explanation:
After World War II, leaders decided that Brooklyn and Staten Island needed a direct connection to facilitate the rapid suburbanization and to address the strategic needs of the United States. The Interstate Highway System, spurred by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, was initially intended to help the US military convoy troops and equipment rapidly in time of war, a lesson reinforced by President Eisenhower's observations of the German Autobahn during WWII.
The network of newly constructed highways not only connected suburban Long Island with Manhattan but also played a critical role in post-war real estate development, allowing for the alleviation of the housing shortage experienced during the war.
Moreover, New York City's strategic importance, demonstrated throughout history such as during the Revolution when controlling New York City was essential for troop and supply movements, continued to be a factor in considering the city's infrastructure needs.
New transportation routes were essential for facilitating the growing population's commute and for the transportation of goods in an expanding economy. Hence, a direct connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island was part of the broader context of expanding urban infrastructure to support economic growth, military readiness, and social development.