U.S. Route 240

U.S. Route 240 is a defunct designation for a short, but once very important, segment of highway between Frederick, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Route description

This route description features US 240 as it existed in 1945, with references to today's highways to provide context.

Washington, D.C.

US 240 began at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street near the White House in Washington. US 1 followed 14th Street through the intersection. Pennsylvania Avenue east of US 1 was part of District of Columbia Routes 4 and 5, which ran concurrently along Pennsylvania Avenue southeast around the Capitol and across the Anacostia River, east of which they diverged toward the D.C. ends of MD 4 and MD 5, respectively. US 240 headed west on Pennsylvania Avenue to 15th Street, then entered the White House grounds, which are today known as President's Park and features streets closed to the public. The U.S. Highway headed straight west for a block, then curved around the south side of the South Lawn (White House) to E Street, then followed E Street west to 17th Street. US 240 followed 17th Street north to Farragut Square, where the highway intersected K Street, which carried US 50.