Interstate 40
89548
225029010
2008-07-11T15:18:39Z
75.47.194.16
{{Infobox road
|type=I
|route=40
|map=Interstate 40 map.png
|length_mi=2559.25
|length_round=2
|length_ref=
<ref name="log">[http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table1.htm Route Log - Main Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways - Table 1]</ref>
|established=
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=CA|I|15}} in [[Barstow, California|Barstow, CA]]
|junction={{Jct|state=NM|I|25}} in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque, NM]]<br>{{Jct|state=OK|I|35}} in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma|Oklahoma City, OK]]<br>{{Jct|state=AR|I|30}} near [[Little Rock, AR]]<br>{{Jct|state=TN|I|55}} near [[Memphis, TN]]<br>{{Jct|state=TN|I|65}} in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville, TN]]<br>{{Jct|state=TN|I|75}} in [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville, TN]]<br>{{Jct|state=NC|I|85}} in [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro, NC]]<br>{{Jct|state=NC|I|95}} in [[Benson, North Carolina|Benson, NC]]
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=NC|US|117|NC|132}} in [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington, NC]]
|commons=category
}}
'''Interstate 40''' (I-40) is a major west-east [[interstate highway]] in the United States. Its western terminus is at [[Interstate 15 in California|Interstate 15]] in [[Barstow, California]]; its eastern terminus is at a [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] of [[U.S. Route 117]] and [[North Carolina Highway 132]] in [[Wilmington, North Carolina]]. Much of the western portion of I-40, from [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma|Oklahoma City]] to [[Barstow, California|Barstow]], parallels historic [[U.S. Route 66]]. I-40 connects to eight of the 10 primary north-south interstates (all except [[Interstate 5|I-5]] and [[Interstate 45|I-45]]).
When the last portion of I-40, connecting Wilmington to Raleigh, was completed in the late 1980s, [[Charles Kuralt]] stated:
{{cquote|Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything.<ref>Wilson, Amy. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/01/0102_020104wir66_2.html U.S. Route 66: Historic Road Is Time Line of America]. ''National Geographic News''. January 18, 2002. URL accessed 21:31, 18 February 2006 (UTC).</ref>}}
==Route description==
{{lengths table|length_ref=
<ref name="log" />}}
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in California|CA]] || 154.61 || 248.82
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in Arizona|AZ]] || 359.48 || 578.53
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in New Mexico|NM]] || 373.51 || 601.11
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in Texas|TX]] || 177.10 || 285.11
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in Oklahoma|OK]] || 331.03 || 532.74
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in Arkansas|AR]] || 284.69 || 458.16
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|TN]] || 455.28 || 732.70
|-
|[[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|NC]] || 423.55 || 681.64
|-
|Total || 2,559.25 || 4,118.71
|}
{| class="infobox" width="230px"
!style="background: #ccf;"|<big>Major cities</big><br><small>'''Bolded cities''' are officially-designated [[control city|control cities]] for signs<ref>Wolf, Paul S., editor. [http://users.adelphia.net/~pwolf/controlcities.html "Interstate Highway Control Cities"]. As referenced by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, [http://www.ncdot.org/doh/PRECONSTRUCT/traffic/teppl/Topics/C-26/C-26.html "Control Cities For Use In Guide Signs On Interstate Highways"], [[August 9]] [[2004]]. Accessed on [[2007-01-30]].</ref></small>
|-
|
*[[San Bernardino, California]] (westbound; via [[Interstate 15 in California|I-15]] south and [[Interstate 215 (California)|I-215]] south)
*'''[[Barstow, California]]''' (westbound)
*'''[[Needles, California]]'''
*'''[[Kingman, Arizona]]'''
*'''[[Flagstaff, Arizona]]'''
*'''[[Gallup, New Mexico]]'''
*'''[[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]'''
*'''[[Santa Rosa, New Mexico]]'''
*'''[[Tucumcari, New Mexico]]'''
*'''[[Amarillo, Texas]]'''
*'''[[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]'''
*'''[[Fort Smith, Arkansas]]'''
*'''[[Little Rock, Arkansas]]'''
*'''[[Memphis, Tennessee]]'''
*'''[[Nashville, Tennessee]]'''
*'''[[Knoxville, Tennessee]]'''
*'''[[Asheville, North Carolina]]'''
*[[Hickory, North Carolina]]
*'''[[Statesville, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Winston-Salem, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Greensboro, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Durham, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Raleigh, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Benson, North Carolina]]'''
*'''[[Wilmington, North Carolina]]''' (eastbound)
|}
===California===
{{main|Interstate 40 in California}}
Interstate 40, a major east-west route of the [[Interstate Highway System]], has its western terminus in [[Barstow, California]], [[United States]]. Known as the '''Needles Freeway''', it heads east from Barstow across the [[Mojave Desert]] in [[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino County]] to [[Needles, California|Needles]], before it crosses into [[Arizona]] west of [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]]. I-40 covers 155 miles in California.
===Arizona===
{{main|Interstate 40 in Arizona}}
Interstate 40 is a principal route to the South Rim of the [[Grand Canyon]], with the exits leading into [[Grand Canyon National Park]] in [[Williams, Arizona|Williams]] and Flagstaff. I-40 covers 359 miles in Arizona.
===New Mexico===
{{main|Interstate 40 in New Mexico}}
I-40 used to have a conventional mileage sign in [[New Mexico]] to the east of [[San Jon, New Mexico|San Jon]] (a village to the east of [[Tucumcari, New Mexico]]) which probably bore the longest distance on such a sign. The sign showed 1007 miles for [[Los Angeles]],<ref>Kirby, J.P. et al. [http://www.roadfan.com/mtrfaq.html#a341 misc.transport.road FAQ]. URL accessed 21:00, 18 February 2006 (UTC).</ref> although I-40 doesn't actually go there (it is accessed via [[Interstate 15 in California|Interstates 15]] and [[Interstate 10|10]]). I-40 covers 374 miles in New Mexico.
Numerous roads throughout the state connect directly to the interstate in violation of Interstate Highway Standards.
{{Sectstub|date=May 2008}}
[[Image:Grade intersection on I-40.jpg|thumb|left|An at-grade intersection on I-40 in Texas, [[as of 2003]].]]
===Texas===
{{main|Interstate 40 in Texas}}
In the west [[Texas panhandle]] area, there are several ranch roads connected directly to the interstate. One of the marked at-grade crossings is shown to the left.
{{Sectstub|date=May 2008}}
===Oklahoma===
{{main|Interstate 40 in Oklahoma}}
Interstate 40 flows through the heart of the state, passing through many cities and towns of Oklahoma. Some of them include Erick, Sayre, Elk City, Clinton, Weatherford, El Reno, Yukon, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Shawnee, Okemah, Henryetta, Checotah, Sallisaw, and Roland. ''(NOTE: Fort Smith, AR is accessible from I-40 at Roland, OK via US Hwy 64.)'' I-40 covers 331 miles in Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma City there is a section called the crosstown, the east end of which is at it's intersection with Interstate 35 and the west end at about May Avenue just south of the Oklahoma City Fair Grounds. There is an on going project to relocate this section of the interstate a few blocks south because of the condition of the crosstown bridge.
{{Sectstub|date=May 2008}}
===Arkansas===
[[Image:Blue Star I-40.JPG|thumb|right|In [[West Memphis, Arkansas]], Interstate 40 is credited as a [[Blue Star Memorial Highway]].]]
{{main|Interstate 40 in Arkansas}}
I-40 passes through several notable towns and cities in Arkansas: On the western side of the state, the interstate passes through [[Alma, Arkansas|Alma]], (''where the intersection with [[US 71|US Hwy 71]] and [[Interstate 540 (Arkansas)|I-540]] head toward [[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]] and the rest of Northwest Arkansas''), Clarksville and Russellville. [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]] is accessible from I-40 by the southern end of I-540. The interstate also passes through Conway and [[North Little Rock]] in the center, and Brinkley and [[West Memphis]] on the eastern side. It is a major thoroughfare for commerce as it is currently the only west/east interstate in Arkansas. In addition to this traffic, [[I-30]]'s eastbound termination and merger with I-40 in North Little Rock cause the east side of the state to be inundated with more commercial traffic than the west side. {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}}
I-40 covers 284 miles in Arkansas.
===Tennessee===
{{main|Interstate 40 in Tennessee}}
More miles of Interstate 40 pass through Tennessee than any other state. The interstate itself goes through the three largest cities in Tennessee: [[Memphis]], [[Nashville]], and [[Knoxville]]. Dandridge, Jackson, Lebanon, Crossville, and Cookeville are other notable cities and/or towns that I-40 travels through. I-40 goes through all of the three [[Grand Divisions]] of Tennessee, meaning one can pretty much see all of the major sights in Tennessee along Interstate 40. . Before leaving the state, I-40 emerges into the [[Great Smoky Mountains]]. I-40 in general has a lot of hills, especially in the eastern half of the state. I-40 covers 455 miles in Tennessee.
The section of interstate 40 which runs between Memphis and Nashville is often referred to as "Music Highway."
On [[May 1]] [[2008]], a section of I-40 through downtown [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] near the [[Malfunction Junction#Tennessee|Malfunction Junction]] has been completely closed to all traffic, and will be so for about 14 months, due to a massive reconstruction. Through traffic is required to use [[Interstate 640]] or be funneled onto surface streets. The section was 4 lanes wide and quite substandard and congested, with many accidents.<ref>[http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/ SmartFix - I-40/James White Parkway/Hall of Fame Drive - Tennessee Department of Transportation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/closures.asp SmartFix - I-40/James White Parkway/Hall of Fame Drive - Tennessee Department of Transportation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
===North Carolina===
{{main|Interstate 40 in North Carolina}}
In [[North Carolina]], I-40 merges with [[Interstate 85|I-85]] between [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]] and [[Hillsborough, North Carolina|Hillsborough]], just west of [[Durham, North Carolina|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. I-40 has moved to a new alignment south of Greensboro, which also carries the new I-85 bypass and will eventually carry [[Interstate 73]] as well. The old I-40 through Greensboro is now a second I-40 freeway (Business Loop). The concurrency with I-85 extends I-40 another 12 miles (19 km) due to this new alignment. I-40 covers 419 miles in North Carolina.
In violation of [[Interstate standards]], I-40 has one marked and two unmarked at-grade crossings in western [[North Carolina]]. About eight miles (13 km) from the Tennessee border in North Carolina, when going westbound, a sign for "Hurricane Road" will appear. Hurricane Road is a local dirt road whose quality is below that of the breakdown lane, and the intersection is controlled by a stop sign. It is a right-in, right-out entrance. A couple other unmarked local roads also directly link onto I-40 in the area, including a private access road for Walters Dam between mile markers 11 and 12 on the westbound side.
The marker at mile 374 actually shows 347.
==History==
For about 1,000 miles, I-40 follows the general route of the Beale Wagon Road from Arkansas to California. The Beale Wagon Road was built in 1857-59 by a team led by Lt. [[Edward Fitzgerald Beale]] using a team of camels as pack animals.
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.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} The freeway intersects Central at both ends of the city.
In 1957, the California Department of Highways proposed that the route be renumbered to [[Interstate 30]] instead because of the already existing [[U.S. Route 40]] in the state. U.S. 40 was decommissioned in 1964, as a part of a major revamping of California's highway numbering system.<ref name="cahighways">[http://cahighways.org/033-040.html#040 California Highways: Interstate 40]</ref>
The [[California]] state government submitted [[State Route 58 (California)|State Route 58]] between [[Barstow, California|Barstow]] and [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]] for I-40 extension potential in [[1956]] and [[1968]], though those requests were rejected.<ref>Waller, Jeff. [http://we.got.net/~mapman/streets/California/I40/I40.html Interstate 40 Extension and Bakersfield Freeway Network]. ''California Streets''. URL accessed 21:19, 18 February 2006 (UTC).</ref> This portion of SR 58 was once signed as [[U.S. Route 466]].
From 1963 to 1966, the US government considered a plan, part of [[Operation Plowshare]], to use atomic bombs to excavate a path for I-40 through California. The project was scuttled largely due to the cost of developing the explosives as well as the unavailability of a "clean bomb."<ref>{{cite news | first=Howard | last=Wilshire | title=Building a Radioactive Highway | publisher=Sierra Club | work=Desert Report | date=Spring 2001 | pages=9, 14 | format=PDF | url=http://www.desertreport.org/media/DR_Spring2001.pdf}}</ref>
In [[Memphis, Tennessee|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 the eastern end of [[Chickasaw Country Club]]. Environmentalist opposition, combined with a victory in the [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]] by opponents of the Overton Park route (see ''[[Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe]]'') forced abandonment of the original plans, and the road never reached the park. For over 20 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.
[[Image:Memphis in Front of Me, Arkansas in Back of Me.jpg|thumb|right|The Hernando DeSoto Bridge brings I-40 across the Mississippi River at Memphis.]]
Originally, I-40 was routed through downtown [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]], and it continued to follow that route until a new bypass was built. After the bypass was completed around [[1992]], I-40 was relocated to the new freeway. The old routing was then redesignated as [[Interstate 40 Business (North Carolina)|Interstate 40 Business]], creating a business route that is actually an expressway for its entire length, a rarity among business routes. There are arguments that the former I-40 expressway in Winston-Salem should become an interstate again, especially since the road is currently undergoing an upgrade. There are no even loop numbers left for I-40, however, since the [[NCDOT]] has plans to use last available one [[Interstate 840 (North Carolina)|Interstate 840]] for the northern loop of a [[beltway]] that's being built around nearby [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]].{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
[[The I-40 Bridge Disaster]] occurred on [[May 26]], [[2002]] when a barge collided with a bridge support near [[Webbers Falls, Oklahoma]], causing a 580-foot (177 meter) 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.
The "[[Big I]]" [[Interstate 25|I-25]] and I-40 interchange in Albuquerque, New Mexico was given an honorable mention by the [[United States Department of Transportation]] and the [[Federal Highway Administration]] for excellence in urban highway design in [[2002]].<ref>[http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/eihd/2002/cat1pic8.htm Excellence in Highway Design - 2002 I-25/I-40 System-to-System Interchange, Albuquerque, New Mexico<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Major intersections==
*[[Interstate 15 in California|Interstate 15]] in [[Barstow, California]]
*[[Interstate 17]] in [[Flagstaff, Arizona]]
*[[Interstate 25]] in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
*[[Interstate 27]] in [[Amarillo, Texas]]
*[[Interstate 35]] in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]
*[[Interstate 44]] in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]
*[[Interstate 30]] in [[North Little Rock, Arkansas]]
*[[Interstate 55]] in [[West Memphis, Arkansas]] (the freeways are merged throughout the city)
*Proposed [[Interstate 69]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 24]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]] (merged for approximately 2 miles)
*[[Interstate 65]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]] (merged for approximately 3 miles)
*[[Interstate 75]] near [[Dixie Lee Junction, Tennessee]]. They stay merged until [[Knoxville, Tennessee]].
*[[Interstate 81]] near [[Dandridge, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 26]] in [[Asheville, North Carolina]]
*[[Interstate 77]] in [[Statesville, North Carolina]]
*Future [[Interstate 74]] in [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina]]
*Future [[Interstate 73]] in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]
*[[Interstate 85]] in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]. They stay merged until [[Hillsborough, North Carolina]].
*[[Interstate 95 in North Carolina|Interstate 95]] in [[Benson, North Carolina]] '''([http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Benson,+NC&ll=35.371695,-78.511391&spn=0.126062,0.180038&hl=en Map])'''
==Auxiliary routes==
*[[Interstate 140 (Tennessee)|I-140]] - [[Alcoa, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 140 (North Carolina)|I-140]] - [[Wilmington, North Carolina]]
*[[Interstate 240 (North Carolina)|I-240]] - [[Asheville, North Carolina]]
*[[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|I-240]] - [[Memphis, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 240 (Oklahoma)|I-240]] - [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]
*[[Interstate 440 (Arkansas)|I-440]] - [[Little Rock, Arkansas]]
*[[Interstate 440 (Tennessee)|I-440]] - [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 440 (North Carolina)|I-440]] - [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]
*[[Interstate 540 (Arkansas)|I-540]] - Spurs to [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]] and [[Bentonville, Arkansas]]; proposed to become part of an expanded [[Interstate 49]]
*[[Interstate 540 (North Carolina)|I-540]] - [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] (may be resigned as I-640 when the northern loop of the road is completed back around to I-40 near [[Garner, North Carolina|Garner]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ncdot.org/planning/tpb/SHC/pdf/SHC_Vision_Plan_Triangle.pdf | title = Strategic Highway Corridors Vision Plan Triangle Area (PDF) | accessmonthday = March 31 | accessyear = 2006}} See Note 2 on map regarding renumbering current I-540 as I-640.</ref>)
*[[Interstate 640|I-640]] - [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]
*[[Interstate 840 (North Carolina)|I-840]] - [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]
In Oklahoma City, the designation I-440 had been given to a stretch of Interstate highway from I-240 to US-66; a part of Grand Boulevard that had been built compliant with [[Interstate standards]]. In 1982, as part of Oklahoma's "Diamond Jubilee", I-44's western terminus was moved from the I-35/I-44 junction to the Texas/Oklahoma border via the Belle Isle Freeway (connecting I-440 with I-35), I-440, the H.E. Bailey Turnpike, and the turnpike connector road on the eastern edge of [[Lawton, Oklahoma]]. The I-440 designation was dropped at the time, but may return in the future.
{{3di|40}}
==See also==
===Business routes===
*''[[Interstate 40 Business (North Carolina)|Interstate 40 Business]]'' in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], now [[Interstate 440 (North Carolina)|Interstate 440]]
*[[Interstate 40 Business (North Carolina)|North Carolina]] in [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]] and formerly [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]]
*[[Interstate 40 Business (Oklahoma)|Oklahoma]] - [[Sallisaw, Oklahoma|Sallisaw]]; [[Henryetta, Oklahoma|Henryetta]]; [[El Reno, Oklahoma|El Reno]]; [[Weatherford, Oklahoma|Weatherford]]; [[Clinton, Oklahoma|Clinton]]; [[Elk City, Oklahoma|Elk City]]; [[Sayre, Oklahoma|Sayre]]; [[Erick, Oklahoma|Erick]]
*[[Interstate 40 Business (Texas)|Texas]] - [[Shamrock, Texas|Shamrock]]; [[McLean, Texas|McLean]]; [[Groom, Texas|Groom]]; [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]]; [[Vega, Texas|Vega]]; [[Adrian, Texas|Adrian]]; [[Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas|Glenrio]]
*[[Interstate 40 Business (New Mexico)|New Mexico]] - [[Tucumcari, New Mexico|Tucumcari]]; [[Santa Rosa, New Mexico|Santa Rosa]]; [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]]; [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]] and [[Mount Taylor, New Mexico|Mount Taylor]]; [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]]
*[[Interstate 40 Business (Arizona)|Arizona]] - Spur to [[Winslow, Arizona|Winslow]]; Loop through [[Winslow, Arizona|Winslow]]; [[Flagstaff, Arizona|Flagstaff]]; [[Williams, Arizona|Williams]]; [[Ash Fork, Arizona|Ash Fork]]; [[Seligman, Arizona|Seligman]]; ''[[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]]''
*[[Interstate 40 Business (California)|California]] - [[Needles, California|Needles]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.tomjonas.com/swex/beale.htm The Beale Wagon Road]
*[http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/pubs/jul02/story2.htm The I-40 Bridge Disaster]
===California===
*[http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/i-040_ca.html WestCoastRoads - Interstate 40]
*[http://www.cahighways.org/033-040.html#040 California Highways: I-40]
*[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/calnexus/reports/fortywest.htm Cal-NExUS: Route 40 West]
*[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/calnexus/reports/fortyeast.htm Cal-NExUS: Route 40 East]
{{interstates}}
[[Category:Interstate Highway System|40]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 66|040]]
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[[fr:Interstate 40]]
[[nl:Interstate 40]]
[[ja:州間高速道路40号線]]
[[pl:Autostrada międzystanowa nr 40]]
[[sv:Interstate 40]]
[[tr:I-40]]
[[zh:40號州際公路]]