Interstate 40 in California

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This article is about the section of Interstate 40 in California. For the entire route, see Interstate 40.

Interstate 40 marker

Interstate 40

Needles Freeway
Map
I-40 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Caltrans
Length154.64 mi[1] (248.87 km)
Existed1964 (1964)–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-15 in Barstow
Major intersections US 95 in Needles
East end I-40 at the Arizona state line near Topock, AZ
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountiesSan Bernardino
Highway system
← SR 39→ SR 41

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

Needles, before it crosses over the Colorado River into Arizona
east of Needles. All 155 miles (249 km) of I-40 in California are in San Bernardino County.

Route description

A 1997 photo of the mileage sign at the start of I-40 in Barstow, showing the distance to the freeway's eastern terminus in Wilmington, North Carolina. This sign had been stolen several times.[2]

I-40 goes through the

U.S. Route 95 (US 95), and the two highways run concurrently into the city of Needles. In Needles, US 95 continues south while I-40 continues east through Mojave National Preserve and across the Colorado River into Arizona.[3]
The maximum speed limit for the entire California segment of I-40 is 70 mph (110 km/h).

I-40 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is part of the National Highway System,[4][5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[6] I-40 is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System,[7] but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation.[8] I-40 from I-15 to the Arizona state line is known as the Needles Freeway, as named by Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 in 1968.[9]

History

In 1957, the California Department of Highways proposed that the route be numbered as I-30 because of the already existing

US 40 in the state. However, this was rejected, and, eventually, US 40 was decommissioned in favor of I-80
.

Today, the Needles Freeway replaced the former

ghost-towns.[10]

In the early 1960s, Project Carryall, a component of Project Plowshare, would have detonated 22 nuclear explosions to excavate a massive roadcut through the Bristol Mountains to accommodate a better alignment of I-40 and a new rail line. This proposal was abandoned by the California State Department of Highways in 1968.[11][12] The section between Ludlow and Needles was constructed using conventional explosives and excavation and designed with culverts for migrating Bighorn sheep and water tanks. It opened to traffic on April 13, 1973.[13]

A sign at that start of I-40 in Barstow showing the distance to Wilmington, North Carolina, had been stolen multiple times.[2]

Exit list

The entire route is in San Bernardino County.

Locationmi[1]kmExit[1]DestinationsNotes
Barstow0.000.00


 I-15 south to SR 58 west – San Bernardino		Western terminus; access to I-15 north via exit 1; exit 184A on I-15
0.791.271
 Montara Road to
CR 66
Eastbound signage


 East Main Street /
CR 66) to I-15 north – Las Vegas
Westbound signage; west end of CR 66 overlap; former US 66
2.353.782Marine Corps Logistics Base (East Main Street)
4.717.585Nebo Street (
CR 66
east)		East end of CR 66 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Daggett7.1811.567A Street – Daggett
​12.1919.6212Airport Road – Barstow-Daggett Airport
US 66
​23.3337.5523Fort Cady Road – Newberry Springs
​28.5045.87Desert Oasis Rest Area
​32.5052.3033Hector Road
US 66
​78.17125.8078Kelbaker Road
​99.73160.50100Essex Road – Essex
​106.94172.10John Wilkie Rest Area - Fenner
US 66
​115.19185.38115Mountain Springs Road
​119.97193.07120Water Road
​132.73213.61133
US 66
west
US 66
east
141.01226.93141W. Broadway (
US 66
142.37229.12142J Street –
Downtown
143.76231.36144
US 66
​148.19238.49148Five Mile RoadFormer
US 66
​149.10239.95Agricultural Inspection Station (westbound)
​153.31246.73153Park Moabi Road
Colorado River154.64248.87California–Arizona line

 I-40 east – Kingman		Continuation into Arizona
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Related routes

California does not have any auxiliary Interstate Highways associated with I-40.

One

business loop of I-40 exists in the state, running through Needles. It is also designated as Historic Route 66 since it follows the former routing of US 66
.

See also

  • sign 
    California Roads portal

References

  1. ^
    California Numbered Exit Uniform System. California Department of Transportation
    . December 26, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "I-40 Barstow, Calif., sign gone for good". Star-News. November 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  3. ^ San Bernardino County Street Atlas (Map). Thomas Brothers. 2008.
  4. ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (South) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  6. ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. ^ "Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets & Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  9. ^ California Department of Transportation; California State Transportation Agency (January 2021). 2020 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California (PDF). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 10, 2022.
  10. ^ Anton, Mike (January 17, 2007). "Destiny in the desert". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  11. ^ "Project Carryall Marker". Hmdb.org. January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  12. ^ Fry, J. G.; Stane, R. A.; Crutchfield Jr, W. H. (July 26, 1994). "Preliminary Design Studies In A Nuclear Excavation: Project Carryall". TRB Publications Index (50). Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  13. Newspapers.com
    .

External links

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Interstate 40
Previous state:
Terminus 		California Next state:
Arizona
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