U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 (US 40) in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over 200 miles (320 km), it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment is generally known as U.S. Route 40 Alternate, U.S. Route 40 Scenic, or Maryland Route 144. West of Baltimore, the portions where it does not overlap an Interstate highway are mostly two-lane roads. The portion east of Baltimore is a four-lane divided highway, known as the Pulaski Highway (named for Casimir Pulaski).
From Cumberland west to Pennsylvania, US 40 is the successor to the historic National Road. East of Cumberland, towards Baltimore, US 40 follows several former turnpikes, most notably the Cumberland Turnpike and Baltimore and Frederick-town Turnpike. The route from Baltimore northeast to the Delaware state line follows another historic corridor towards Philadelphia, including the old Baltimore and Havre-de-Grace Turnpike (now mostly bypassed as Maryland Route 7).
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 (US 40) is an east–west United States Highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, US 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1926 U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the western United States, US 40 was functionally replaced by Interstate 80 (I-80), resulting in the route being truncated multiple times. US 40 currently ends at a junction with I-80 in Silver Summit, Utah, just outside Park City.
Starting at its western terminus in Utah, US 40 crosses a total of 12 states, including Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Three former and four current state capitals lie along the route. For much of its route, US 40 runs parallel to or concurrently with several major Interstate Highways: Interstate 70 from Colorado to Washington, Pennsylvania; and again from Hancock, Maryland to Baltimore, Maryland; Interstate 64 in parts of Missouri and Illinois; Interstate 68 along the Maryland Panhandle; and Interstate 95 from Baltimore to New Castle, Delaware.
U.S. Route 40 in Utah
The west end of U.S. Route 40 is in the U.S. state of Utah at Silver Creek Junction in Silver Summit(about 20.7 miles (33.3 km) east of Salt Lake City) with Interstate 80. From there it heads southeast through Heber City and east into Colorado on its way to the Mid-Atlantic.
Route description
U.S. Route 40 begins at I-80 at Silver Creek Junction in Silver Summit, traveling south-southeast as a full freeway in a broad valley northeast of Park City. At the south end of the valley, Jordanelle Reservoir comes into view and US-40 continues south high on the slope above its western shore while Utah State Route 248 climbs away to the east on the slope overlooking the northern shore. The freeway passes through several large cuttings in the side of the mountains that were dug when US-40 was relocated to make way for the reservoir; Utah State Route 319 provides access down the slope to a state park on the shore of the reservoir. South of the reservoir, the dam is visible on the left and the road loses elevation quickly before abruptly connecting to a (suburban or exurban) non-freeway segment with frequent curb cuts and building frontage. In central Heber, U.S. Highway 189 continues south, but US-40 turns east to leave the city. US-40 continues south and east through mountains and the Uintah Basin to the Colorado border near Dinosaur National Monument.
U.S. Route 40 in West Virginia
In the U.S. state of West Virginia, U.S. Route 40 (US 40) runs for 16 miles (26 km) through the Northern Panhandle region. The highway enters the state on the Military Order of the Purple Heart bridge concurrent with US 250, crossing Wheeling Island, before joining Interstate 70 (I-70) over the Fort Henry Bridge before leaving the interstate. The highway travels north around Wheeling Hill, before traveling through the northeastern suburbs of Wheeling, Triadelphia and Valley Grove before entering Pennsylvania. A majority of the route still follows the old National Road which predates the U.S. Highway System.
History
Before the construction of I-70, US 40 continued southeast along Zane Street to Virginia Street, crossing the east channel of the Ohio River on the Wheeling Suspension Bridge.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Ohio County.
See also
References
External links
Media related to U.S. Route 40 in West Virginia at Wikimedia Commons
Podcasts:
