Interstate 40

Basic data
Length:	2554 mi / 4110 km
States:	California Arizona New Mexico Texas Oklahoma Arkansas Tennessee North Carolina
map

The Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40 ) is the most important east-west interstate highway in the United States . It begins on US Highway 117 in Wilmington , North Carolina and ends on Interstate 15 near Barstow , California .

The western portion from Oklahoma City to Barstow runs parallel to former Route 66 .

Important cities

• Barstow (California)
• 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

General information about the I-40

I-40 in Arizona on the New Mexico border .

• A disaster occurred on Interstate 40 on May 12, 2002 when a barge collided with a bridge pier near Webbers Falls , Oklahoma, and sank a 580-foot (177-meter) long section of bridge into the Arkansas River , killing 14 people died.
• At each end of Interstate 40 there is a sign showing the distance to the other end.
• In Memphis, it was originally planned that Interstate 40 should run through the city's Overton Park to the city center in order to relieve the Nordschleife. Several miles have been built within the Interstate 240 loop. This never went into operation as I-40. After a court order and 20 years after construction began, the route was abandoned and the northern part of the Interstate 240 loop was declared Interstate 40 again.
• The California government presented a program to extend I-40 in 1956 and 1968 by expanding California State Route 58 between Barstow and Bakersfield. However, this was refused both times. Later this part of SR 58 was upgraded to US Highway 466 .
• In North Carolina, between Greensboro and Hillsborough , west of Durham , a new joint route for the I-40 and I-85 is currently being built. Because of a new diversion of I-85 around Greensboro, I-40 deviates 8 miles (13 km) east of the original separation. However, Interstate 40 is getting a new route south of Greensboro, which is currently still carrying the new I-85 diversion. She also has to carry Interstate 73 . The existing I-40 through Greensboro will become a second Interstate 40 business loop once all construction is completed in 2007 . After the work, the route where I-40 and I-85 share a route will be extended by a further 12 miles (19 km).
• A special feature of Interstate 40 is that it is not a freeway west of the town of Adrian in Texas for a distance of about 25 km. There are several bridgeless intersections with local farm roads in this section.

Feeders and bypasses

• Interstate 140 at Farragut
• Interstate 140 at Wilmington
• Interstate 240 at Asheville
• Interstate 240 at Memphis
• Interstate 240 near Oklahoma City
• Interstate 440 at Little Rock
• Interstate 440 near Nashville
• Interstate 440 at Raleigh
• Interstate 540 between Fort Smith and Bentonville ; as part of Interstate 49 planned
• Interstate 540 at Raleigh, perhaps later than Interstate 640 when the northern loop at Garner is completed
• Interstate 640 at Knoxville
• Interstate 840 at Greensboro

Web links

Commons : Interstate 40  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Overview of Interstate 40 (English)
• Information on the disaster of May 12, 2002 ( Memento of May 10, 2008 in the Internet Archive )