interstate 40

Interstate 40 is a major west-east interstate highway in the United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern terminus is at North Carolina State Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Much of the western portion of I-40, from Oklahoma City to Barstow, follows historic Route 66.

Length

On May 26, 2002, a barge collided with a bridge support near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing a 580 foot section of the I-40 bridge to plunge into the Arkansas river. Automobiles and semi-trucks fell into the water killing 14 people, including a three-year-old girl.

Because I-40 goes through the Mojave Desert in California (just like Route 66 before it), its unofficial name is the Mojave Freeway.

In Memphis, I-40 was originally intended to go through the city's Overton Park toward downtown. Several miles of interstate were actually built within the I-240 loop; this portion of highway still exists and is in regular use as Sam Cooper Boulevard, reaching Chickasaw Country Club at its western end. However, public opposition, combined with a court victory by opponents of the Overton Park route, forced abandonment of the plans, and the road never reached the park. For several years, I-40 signage existed on the dead-end route toward Overton Park. Eventually, the northern portion of the I-240 loop was redesignated as I-40.

The California state government has submitted Highway 58 between Barstow and Bakersfield for I-40 extension potential. This portion of Highway 58 was once signed as U.S. Highway 466.

In North Carolina, I-40 merges with I-85 between Greensboro and Hillsborough, just west of Durham. In Alamance County, the highway is also known as the Sam Hunt Freeway. Due to a recent rerouting of I-85 around Greensboro, I-40 departs from it eight miles (13 km) east of the original split.

The state of Arkansas originally asked AASHTO to allow the Interstate segment between Fort Smith and Bentonville to be named Interstate 49, to emphasize plans to extend the route from Shreveport, Louisiana through Arkansas to Kansas City, Missouri. AASHTO refused, and the route opened in 1999 as a northern extension of I-540.

A Business Loop of I-40, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is actually a freeway for its entire length, a rarity for Business Interstates. That's because I-40 was originally routed through downtown Winston-Salem, and it continued to follow that route until a new bypass was built. After the bypass was completed, I-40 was relocated to the new freeway. There are arguments that the former I-40 freeway in Winston-Salem should become an interstate again, and with the arrival of Interstate 74 in North Carolina, many highway mavens would like to see the freeway renamed I-274. This seems to be a logical choice, since North Carolina plans to use the Interstate 840 designation for the northern loop of a beltway that's being built around nearby Greensboro.

Future Interstate 840 around Nashville, Tennessee was once planned to completely surround the city. But in October 2003, Tennessee DOT discontinued plans for a northern loop around the city. Currently the Highway is signed as Tennessee 840.

The original route number for I-240 in Oklahoma City was I-440. It was renamed to alleviate confusion with Interstate 44 which connects to I-240 at the western end.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, I-40 was originally meant to replace Central Avenue through the center of the city. However, due to development and public opposition, a path going northward was chosen. The freeway intersects Central at either end of the city.

In violation of Interstate standards, I-40 has at least one at-grade crossing, but it may be entirely unofficial. About eight miles into Tennessee, when going westbound from North Carolina, one may see a sign for "Hurricane Road". Hurricane Road is a dirt road whose quality is below that of the breakdown lane. A few of these may also exist in New Mexico and Texas; reports are conflicting.http://groups-beta.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_thread/thread/b27f488312d2b719/72a8d83e388890f7?q=%22i-40%22+%22new+mexico%22+%22at-grade#72a8d83e388890f7

Rand McNally (2004). The Road Atlas 2005. Rand McNally & Company. ISBN 0528845454. Includes interstate mileage by state.

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