Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west

Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...

running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after

I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, ...

and I-80. From west to east, it passes through

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, Oklahoma,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...

, and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...

. Its western end is at I-15 in Barstow, California, while its eastern end is at a

concurrency Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

of U.S. Route 117 (US 117) and North Carolina Highway 132 (NC 132) in

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...

. Major cities served by the interstate include

Flagstaff, Arizona Flagstaff ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Coconino County in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2019, the city's estimated population was 75,038. Flagstaff's combined metropolitan area has an estimated population ...

; Albuquerque, New Mexico;

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for " yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall Co ...

;

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, an ...

;

Little Rock, Arkansas ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

; Memphis,

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...

, and

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state ...

in Tennessee; and Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh, and Wilmington in North Carolina. Much of the western part of I-40, from Barstow to

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, an ...

, parallels or overlays the historic U.S. Route 66. East of Oklahoma City, the route generally parallels US 64 and US 70. I-40 was established by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956; the numbering was subsequently approved on August 14, 1957, along with most of the rest of the system. The eastern terminus was initially planned to be located at I-85 in Greensboro, but the

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...

later approved extending the route to its current eastern terminus in Wilmington. As a result, this was the last segment of I-40 to be completed upon its dedication in 1990.

Route description

I-40 runs east–west through eight states. The state with the longest segment of the highway is Tennessee; the shortest state segment is in California. , - , CA , , , - , AZ , , , - , NM , , , - , TX , , , - , OK , , , - , AR , , , - , TN , , , - , NC , , , - , Total , ,

California

I-40 in California crosses through the lightly-populated western part of the Inland Empire region of the state. Its western end is in Barstow, California. Known as the Needles Freeway, it heads east from Barstow across the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily i ...

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,18 ...

to Needles, before it crosses into

southwest of Kingman. I-40 covers in California. Some signs show the control city for I-40 westbound to be

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

, where drivers would follow I-15 south from its western terminus in Barstow. The highway is four lanes for the entirety of its length in the state. A sign in California showing the distance to

, has been stolen several times.

Arizona

I-40 is a main route to the South Rim of the

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a ...

, with the exits leading into Grand Canyon National Park in Williams and Flagstaff. I-40 covers in Arizona. Just west of exit 190, west of Flagstaff, is its highest elevation along I-40 in the US, as the road crosses just over . I-40 also passes through the

Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation ( nv, Naabeehó Bináhásdzo), also known as Navajoland, is a Native Americans in the United States, Native American Indian reservation, reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwe ...

, the largest Indian reservation in the US. Like California's segment, the highway is four lanes for the entirety of its length in the state.

New Mexico

I-40 covers in New Mexico. Notable cities along I-40 include

Gallup Gallup may refer to: *Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll *Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States **Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New Me ...

, Grants,

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding i ...

, Santa Rosa, and Tucumcari. I-40 also travels through several different Indian reservations in the western half of the state. It reaches its highest point in the state of at the Continental Divide in western New Mexico between Gallup and Grants. Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas are the five states where I-40 has a speed limit of instead of the limit in California, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Texas

In the west

Texas panhandle The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a square-shaped area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. It is adjacent to ...

area, there are several ranch roads connected directly to the Interstate. The only major city in Texas that is directly served by I-40 is Amarillo, which connects with I-27 that runs south toward Lubbock. I-40 also connects to US 287 that runs southeast to Dallas–Fort Worth and US 87/US 287 north to Dumas and then on into Oklahoma. I-40 has only one welcome center in the state, which is located in Amarillo at the exit for Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, serving both sides of the Interstate.

Oklahoma

I-40 goes through the heart of the state, passing through many Oklahoma cities and towns, including Erick, Sayre, Elk City,

Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...

, Weatherford, El Reno,

Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...

, Del City,

Midwest City Midwest City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,371, making it the eighth largest city in the state. The city was developed in ...

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

Okemah Okemah ( or ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Muscogee Indian tribe, is headquartered ...

, Henryetta,

Checotah Checotah is a town in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named for Samuel Checote, the first chief of the Creek Nation elected after the Civil War. Its population was 3,481 at the 2000 census. According to Census 2010, the popu ...

, Sallisaw, and

Roland Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

. I-40 covers in Oklahoma. In Downtown Oklahoma City, I-40 was rerouted south of its former alignment and a 10-lane (five in each direction) facility replaced the former I-40 Crosstown Bridge; the former I-40 alignment will be replaced with an urban boulevard currently designated as Oklahoma City Boulevard.

Arkansas

I-40 enters the west-central part of the state and runs for in Arkansas. The route passes through

Van Buren Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party, he ...

, where it intersects the southbound I-540/ US 71 to Fort Smith. The route continues east to

Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...

to intersect

I-49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas ...

north to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Running through the Ozark Mountains, I-40 serves Ozark, Clarksville, Russellville,

Morrilton Morrilton is a city in Conway County, Arkansas, United States, less than northwest of Little Rock. The city is the county seat of Conway County. The population was 6,992 at the 2020 United States census. History In 1825 a trading post was esta ...

, and Conway. The route turns south after Conway and enters North Little Rock, which brings high volume interchanges with

I-430 Interstate 430 (I-430) is a Interstate highway in Pulaski County, Arkansas, that bypasses the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock. I-430 begins at an interchange southwest of Downtown Little Rock with I-30, U.S. Highway 67 (U ...

, I-30/ US 65/ US 67/ US 167, and I-440/ Highway 440 (AR 440). The Interstate continues east through

Lonoke Lonoke () is the second most populous city in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States, and serves as its county seat. According to 2010 United States Census, the population of the city is 4,245. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little ...

Brinkley Brinkley may refer to: People * Brinkley (surname) Places * Brinkley, Arkansas, USA * Brinkley, Nottinghamshire Brinkley is a hamlet in Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands ...

, and West Memphis on the eastside. I-40 briefly overlaps I-55 in West Memphis before it crosses the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...

on the Hernando de Soto Bridge and enters

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...

Tennessee

The State of Tennessee has the longest segment of I-40 at . The Interstate goes through all of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee and its three largest cities: Memphis,

, and

. Jackson,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

, Cookeville, Crossville, and

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...

are other notable cities through which I-40 passes. Before leaving the state, I-40 enters the

Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge ...

toward

. The section of I-40 which runs between Memphis and Nashville is often referred to as the Music Highway. During reconstruction, a short section of I-40 through downtown Knoxville near the central Malfunction Junction was completely closed to traffic from May 1, 2008, and not reopened until June 12, 2009, with all traffic redirected via

I-640 Interstate 640 (I-640) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in Knoxville, Tennessee. It serves as a bypass for I-40 around Downtown Knoxville and is also an alternative route for traffic passing between I-40 and I-75. All trucks ...

, the northern bypass route. The redesigned section now has additional lanes in each direction, is less congested, and has fewer accidents.

North Carolina

, I-40 travels . It enters the state as a winding mountain freeway through the

, which frequently closes due to landslides and weather conditions. It enters the state on a mostly north–south alignment, turning to a more east–west alignment upon merging with US 74 at the eastern terminus of the

Great Smoky Mountains Expressway The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway is a four-lane divided highway that serves as the main east–west corridor through Southwestern North Carolina; connecting the towns of Bryson City, Sylva and Waynesville to Interstate 40. Its establish ...

. From there, the highway passes through Asheville,

Hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in M ...

, and Statesville before reaching the

Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedm ...

. Just east of the Triad City of

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

, it merges with I-85, and the two roads split again just west of the

Research Triangle The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, home to ...

area, passing through Durham and Raleigh. From the Triangle to its eastern terminus in Wilmington, it once again takes a more north–south alignment. A standard distance sign existed near the start of the westbound section of I-40 in Wilmington that indicated the distance to Barstow, California, as . Although NCDOT stated it would not be replaced after frequent thefts, as of August 15, 2013, the sign was still present. However, between 2013 and 2020, the sign and base were removed, replaced by a sign proclaiming the stretch as the Michael Jordan Freeway.

History

Predecessor routes

For about , I-40 follows the general route of Beale's Wagon Road from Arkansas to California. Beale's Wagon Road was built in 1857–1859 by a team led by Lt.

Edward Fitzgerald Beale Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale (February 4, 1822 – April 22, 1893) was a national figure in the 19th-century United States. He was a naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, ...

using a team of

camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. ...

s as

pack animal A pack animal, also known as a sumpter animal or beast of burden, is an individual or type of working animal used by humans as means of transporting materials by attaching them so their weight bears on the animal's back, in contrast to draft an ...

Planning and controversies

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 route running to the north of that one was chosen. The freeway intersects Central Avenue at both ends of the city. In 1957, the California Department of Highways proposed that the route be renumbered to I-30 instead because of the already existing US 40 in the state. Then, US 40 was decommissioned in California in 1964 as a part of a major revamping of California's overall highway numbering system, so the problem was resolved. The California state government submitted State Route 58 (SR 58) between Barstow and

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley (California), Central Valley r ...

for I-40 extension potential in 1956 and 1968, though those requests were rejected. This portion of SR 58 was once signed as the US 466. From 1963 to 1966, the US government considered a plan, part of Project Plowshare, to use atomic bombs to excavate a path for I-40 through California. The project was canceled largely due to the cost of developing the explosives and due to the unavailability of a "clean bomb". In Memphis, I-40 was originally intended to go through the city's Overton Park toward downtown. Several miles of freeway were actually built within the I-240 loop. That portion of highway is in regular use as the non-Interstate Sam Cooper Boulevard, reaching the eastern end of the Chickasaw Country Club. Environmentalist opposition, combined with a victory in the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point ...

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 signs existed on the dead-end route toward Overton Park. Eventually, the northern span of the I-240 loop was redesignated as I-40.

Construction

The first stretch of I-40 in Tennessee reused a short freeway in Knoxville called the Magnolia Avenue Expressway, which was opened in two segments in 1952 and 1955. The stretch between Memphis and Nashville, completed on July 24, 1966, was the first major stretch of interstate highway completed in the state. The last original planned stretch of the highway in Tennessee, located east of Knoxville, was partially opened on December 20, 1974, and fully opened on September 12, 1975. In 1971, the North Carolina State Highway Commission approved a plan to extend I-40 from

Research Triangle Park Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States, occupying in North Carolina and hosting more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. The facility is named for its location relative to the three surrounding citie ...

I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadi ...

, a distance of , at a cost of $75 million (equivalent to $ million in ). Most of the highway would be four lanes, though six lanes were likely near Raleigh, where I-40 would extend the

Beltline The Atlanta BeltLine (also Beltline or Belt Line) is a open and planned loop of multi-use trail and light rail transit system on a former railway corridor around the core of Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta BeltLine is designed to reconnect neig ...

. Several routes were being considered, but, at the time, the most likely route would have ended north of Smithfield. When the last portion of I-40, connecting Wilmington to Raleigh, was dedicated on June 29, 1990, CBS journalist Charles Kuralt stated:

Major projects

Between May 1980 and March 1982, a major project was conducted on I-40 in Knoxville that widened the route, eliminated several interchanges, added frontage roads, and reconstructed the congestion-prone cloverleaf interchange with I-75, which had earned the nickname "Malfunction Junction", into a three-level stack interchange. This was conducted as part of a larger $250 million (equivalent to $ in ) road improvement project in the Knoxville area in preparation for the 1982 World's Fair. Originally, I-40 was constructed through downtown Winston-Salem, and it continued to follow that route until a new urban bypass route was built. After the bypass was completed around 1992, I-40 was relocated to the new freeway. The old highway was then redesignated as Interstate 40 Business (I-40 Bus.), establishing a business route that was actually an expressway for its entire length, a rarity among business routes. Following a reconstruction, the expressway was renamed

Salem Parkway Salem Parkway may refer to: * Oregon Route 99E Business * Salem Parkway (North Carolina) {{roaddis ...

and redesignated as part of US 421. The " Big I" interchange in Albuquerque between I-40 and I-25 was reconstructed between 2000 and 2002 in a project that eliminated left-hand entrance ramps and added lanes. This project was given an honorable mention by the

United States Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States an ...

and the FHWA for excellence in urban highway design in 2002. The Oklahoma City Crosstown Expressway was relocated and replaced with a new wider alignment in two phases between May 2002 and October 2012. The old alignment was replaced with Oklahoma City Boulevard, and at-grade thoroughfare. In Memphis, the cancellation of the Overton Park stretch of I-240, along with increased traffic volumes and safety hazards, rendered both interchanges with I-240 unable to effectively handle unplanned traffic patterns, thus necessitating their reconstruction. This was accomplished in three phases between January 2001 and December 2016. A $203.7 million two-phase project dubbed "SmartFix 40" resulted in a complete closure of a short stretch of I-40 through Knoxville between May 1, 2008, and June 12, 2009. This was done in order to accelerate the construction timeline, and during this time, through traffic was required to use

. Both phases of the project won an America's Transportation Award from AASHTO in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

Geological difficulties

Landslides are common in the Pigeon River Gorge section along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. Here, the roadway was cut into the slopes of several steep mountains. Accidents on the winding road are also common especially during bad weather. On October 25, 2009, I-40 was closed at the North Carolina and Tennessee border due to a landslide at milemarker 2.6 just east of the Tennessee state line. All traffic was detoured via I-26 and I-81, and non-heavy-load traffic via US 25 and US 70. The roadway was reopened on April 25, 2010, with some remaining limitations on westbound traffic.

Major incidents

The I-40 bridge disaster occurred on May 26, 2002, when a barge collided with a bridge foundation member near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing a section of the I-40 bridge to plunge into the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United S ...

. Automobiles and semitrailers fell into the water, killing 14 people. On May 11, 2021, the Hernando de Soto Bridge carrying I-40 over the Mississippi River was closed following the discovery of a split in one of the bridge members.

Major junctions

;California : in Barstow : west-northwest of Needles. The highways travel concurrently to Needles. ;Arizona : in Kingman. The highways travel concurrently to east-northeast of Kingman. : in Flagstaff : in Flagstaff. I-40/US 180 travels concurrently to Holbrook. : in Chambers. The highways travel concurrently to Sanders. ;New Mexico : in

: in

: in Clines Corners : west-northwest of Santa Rosa. The highways travel concurrently to Santa Rosa. : in Santa Rosa. The highways travel concurrently to Tucumcari. ;Texas : in

Vega Vega is the brightest star in the northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United Sta ...

: in Amarillo. I-40/US 287 travels concurrently through Amarillo. : in

Shamrock A shamrock is a young sprig, used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The name ''shamrock'' comes from Irish (), which is the diminutive o ...

;Oklahoma : in Sayre : in

: in Hinton : west of El Reno. The highways travel concurrently to northwest of

. : in El Reno : in

: in Oklahoma City. I-35/I-40/US 62 travels concurrently through Oklahoma City. : in Oklahoma City : northwest of Shawnee : south-southeast of

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

: in

. The highways travel concurrently to Henryetta. : northeast of Clearview. The highways travel concurrently to Henryetta. : southwest of

: in Warner : in Sallisaw : in Sallisaw : in

;Arkansas : in

. I-40/US 71 travels concurrently to

. : in Alma : in Clarksville : in Lamar : in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

: in Conway. The highways travel concurrently to North Little Rock. : in Conway : in North Little Rock : in North Little Rock. I-40/US 67/US 167 travels concurrently through North Little Rock. : in North Little Rock : in Hazen. The highways travel concurrently to West Memphis. : in

: south of Jennette. The highways travel concurrently to West Memphis. : in West Memphis. I-40/I-55/US 61/US 64 travels concurrently through West Memphis. ;Tennessee : in Memphis : in Memphis. I-40/I-69 travels concurrently through Memphis. : in Memphis : on the Memphis–

Bartlett Bartlett may refer to: Places *Bartlett Bay, Canada, Arctic waterway * Wharerata, New Zealand, also known as Bartletts United States * Bartlett, Illinois ** Bartlett station, a commuter railroad station * Bartlett, Iowa Bartlett is an uninc ...

city line : in Arlington : east of Brownsville : in Jackson. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Jackson. : in Jackson : northeast of Jackson : southeast of

Holladay Holladay is a city in central Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area and abuts the Wasatch National Forest. The population was 31,965 at the 2020 census, a significant increas ...

: southeast of Burns : in

: in Nashville : in Nashville : in Nashville : in Nashville. The highways travel concurrently through Nashville. : in Nashville : in Nashville : in Nashville : in Nashville. The highways travel concurrently through Nashville. : in

: in

: in Lebanon : in Cookeville : in Cookeville : in

Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...

: in Crossville : in Harriman : in Lenoir City : west of Farragut. The highways travel concurrently to

. : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville : in Knoxville. I-40/US 25W travels concurrently through Knoxville. : in Knoxville : west of

Dandridge Dandridge is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bartholomew Dandridge (1737–1785), American lawyer, jurist, and planter. * Bartholomew Dandridge (1691–c.1754), English portrait painter. * Bob Dandridge (1947), American baske ...

: north-northeast of Dandridge : in

: in Newport ;North Carolina : in

Cove Creek A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. Coves usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are of ...

: north-northwest of Clyde. The highways travel concurrently to Asheville. : in Asheville : in Asheville : in Asheville : in Asheville : in

Black Mountain Black Mountain may refer to: Places Australia * Black Mountain (Australian Capital Territory), a mountain in Canberra * Black Mountain, New South Wales, a village in Armidale Regional Council, New South Wales * Black Mountain, Queensland, a loca ...

. The highways travel concurrently to southwest of Old Fort. : southeast of West Marion : in Morganton : in

: in Statesville : in Statesville : in Statesville : in Statesville : east-northeast of Statesville : west-northwest of Mocksville : in Mocksville : in Winston-Salem : in Winston-Salem : in Winston-Salem : in Winston-Salem : west of Greensboro. The highways travel concurrently to Greensboro. : in Greensboro : in Greensboro. The highways travel concurrently through Greensboro. : in Greensboro. The highways travel concurrently through Greensboro. : in Greensboro. I-40/I-85 travels concurrently to southwest of

Hillsborough Hillsborough may refer to: Australia *Hillsborough, New South Wales, a suburb of Lake Macquarie Canada *Hillsborough, New Brunswick *Hillsborough Parish, New Brunswick * Hillsborough, Nova Scotia, in Inverness County *Hillsborough (electoral d ...

. : in Durham : in Durham : in Durham : in Raleigh. I-40/US 64 travels concurrently through Raleigh. : in Raleigh : in Raleigh : in Garner. The highways travel concurrently to west-southwest of Clayton. :
near Clayton. : in Benson : south-southeast of Newton Grove : south-southeast of

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...

: east-southeast of Willard : in Murraysville : on the Kings Grant–Murraysville CDP line

Auxiliary routes

* I-140: Alcoa–

– Oak Ridge area * I-140:

* I-240:

* I-240: Asheville, North Carolina * I-440:

Little Rock, Arkansas ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

* I-440:

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...

* I-440:

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the South ...

* I-540: spur to

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

* I-540:

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state ...

* I-840: partial beltway around

* I-840:

In Oklahoma City, the designation I-440 had been given to a stretch of Interstate Highway from I-240 to US 66. It was a part of Grand Boulevard that had been built in compliance with

Interstate Highway standards Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway ...

. 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 state line 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 Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in southwestern Oklahoma, approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton, Oklahoma, metropolitan statistical ...

. The I-440 number was dropped at the time.

Business routes

* Interstate 40 Business in California: Needles *Interstate 40 Business in Arizona: spur to Winslow, loops through Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, Ash Fork, Seligman, and Kingman *Interstate 40 Business in New Mexico: Tucumcari, Santa Rosa,

, Grants, Mount Taylor, and

*Interstate 40 Business in Texas:

McLean MacLean, also spelt Maclean and McLean, is a Gaelic surname Mac Gille Eathain, or, Mac Giolla Eóin in Irish Gaelic), Eóin being a Gaelic form of Johannes (John). The clan surname is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Gille Eathain" ...

Groom A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man ...

, Amarillo,

Adrian, Texas Adrian is a city on historic route 66 in Oldham County, Texas, United States. The population was 166 at the 2010 census, up from 159 at the 2000 census. Geography Adrian is located at . It is situated along Interstate 40 (Old Route 66) in sout ...

, and

Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas Glenrio, formerly Rock Island, is an unincorporated community in both Deaf Smith County, Texas, and Quay County, New Mexico, United States. Located on the former U.S. Route 66, the ghost town sits on the Texas–New Mexico state line. It includes ...

*Interstate 40 Business in Oklahoma: Sallisaw, Henryetta, El Reno, Weatherford,

, Elk City, Sayre, and Erick, Oklahoma *Interstate 40 Business in North Carolina: Winston-Salem and formerly in Greensboro, now Salem Parkway; Raleigh, now I-440

References

External links

*
Interstate-Guide: I-40

{{Authority control 40

040 The Motorola 68040 ("''sixty-eight-oh-forty''") is a 32-bit microprocessor in the Motorola 68000 series, released in 1990. It is the successor to the 68030 and is followed by the 68060, skipping the 68050. In keeping with general Motorola nami ...

Route description

California

Arizona

New Mexico

Texas

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Tennessee

North Carolina

History

Predecessor routes

Planning and controversies

Construction

Major projects

Geological difficulties

Major incidents

Major junctions

Auxiliary routes

Business routes

See also

References

External links