Always at the forefront of the good-roads movement, Bill Palmer was the first to publicly advocate giving top priority to construction of a state and interstate freeway system in Michigan. As a state senator from Flint (1933-1937), he was a leader in obtaining legislative endorsement of the principle that freeways should be built where traffic is heaviest, subordinating political and other considerations. He figured importantly in the 1938 campaign for the constitutional amendment earmarking highway user taxes for highway purposes. Later, he convinced his and other vested interests to support the tax increases necessary for good highways. Palmer was twice president of the Michigan Good Roads Federation (1940 and 1960).