Interstate 40 in Texas

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

Interstate 40 marker

Interstate 40
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length: 177.139 mi[1] (285.078 km)
Existed: 1959 – present
Major junctions
West end: I-40 at New Mexico state line
  US 385 in Vega
I-27 / US 60 / US 87 / US 287 in Amarillo
US 83 in Shamrock
East end: I‑40 at Oklahoma state line
Highway system
← SH 39SH 40 →
← SH 65SH 66 →

In the U.S. state of Texas, Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) runs west–east through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state. The only large city it passes through is Amarillo, where it meets the north end of Interstate 27.

History

Before the U.S. Route system, this system of interconnected highway from New Mexico to Oklahoma was part of the Texas highway system and a portion of the Ozark Trails which closely paralleled the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. When the United States Numbered Highway system was introduced in 1926, Route 66 across the Texas Panhandle was designated along existing roads in the Texas highway network. The entire route was paved by 1938. There have been various realignments, including one in 1959 to allow expansion of the Amarillo Air Force Base.

In 1956, the Interstate Highway Act designated US 66 through Texas as a section of highway eligible for limited access upgrades.

During the next 20 years, most of the highway was upgraded in place, to keep construction costs low. With the limited access of the Interstates, towns on the highway had to be bypassed. Most towns requested to remain as close to the new highway as possible to minimize tourism losses. Bypassed towns included Glenrio, Adrian, Vega, Conway, Groom, Jericho, Alanreed, McLean, and Shamrock. A new routing along the south end of downtown Amarillo was also built, connecting with the already-built expressway leading south from downtown toward Canyon. In 1985, the entire designation of U.S. Route 66 was removed as the entire route had been displaced by Interstate 40.

Route description

At grade intersection on Interstate 40 near mile marker 8 in far west Texas.

I-40 in Texas is one of a few Interstate Highways with at-grade intersections. The westernmost part of I-40 in Texas, near the New Mexico border, lacks the frontage roads typical to Texas freeways, and several driveways for ranches directly intersect the main lanes of I-40, in violation of Interstate standards.

Exit list

CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
Deaf SmithNew Mexico state line0.0000.000 I-40 west – AlbuquerqueContinues into New Mexico
 0.480.770 BL I-40 – Glenrio
Oldham 15.424.815Ivy Road
 18.029.018 FM 2858 (Gruhlkey Road)
Adrian22 BL I-40 – Adrian
23 SH 214
 28 FM 3319 – Landergin
Vega35 BL I-40 east / FM 3319 – Vega
36 US 385 – Vega
37 BL I-40 west – Vega
 42Everett Road
 49 FM 809 – Wildorado
Potter 54Adkisson Road
 57 RM 2381 – Bushland
 60Arnot Road
 62AHope Road, Helium Road
Amarillo62B BL I-40 east (Amarillo Boulevard)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
64 Loop 335 (Soncy Road) / Helium Road
65 Coulter StreetAccess to Northwest Texas Hospital and Baptist Saint Anthony's
66Bell Street, Avondale Street, Olsen Boulevard
67Western Street, Avondale Street, Olsen Boulevard
68AJulian Boulevard, Paramount Boulevard
68BGeorgia Street, Crockett Street
69ACrockett StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
69BWashington Street – Amarillo College
70 I-27 south / US 60 / US 87 / US 287 north – Canyon, Lubbock, Dumas, PampaWest end of US 287 overlap; I-27 north exit 123B, south no number signed
71Ross-Osage Street, Arthur Street
72ANelson Street, Quarter Horse Drive
72BGrand Street, Bolton Street
73Eastern Street, Bolton Street
74Whitaker Road
75 Loop 335 (Lakeside Drive)
76 Spur 468 (Airport Boulevard) – Amarillo International Airport
77 FM 1258 (Pullman Road)
78 US 287 south – Fort WorthEast end of US 287 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
 80 Spur 228 – Amarillo College East Campus
 81 FM 1912
Carson 85Durrett RoadEastbound exit only
 85 BL I-40 west (Amarillo Boulevard) / FM 2575No eastbound exit
 87 FM 2373
 89 FM 2161
 96 SH 207 – Conway, Panhandle
 98 SH 207 south – ClaudeWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
 105 FM 2880
 109 FM 294
Groom110 BL I-40 east – Groom
112 FM 295
113 FM 2300
Gray 114 BL I-40 west – Groom
Donley 121 SH 70 north – PampaNorth end of SH 70 overlap
 124 SH 70 south – ClarendonSouth end of SH 70 overlap
 128 FM 2477
Gray 132Johnson Ranch Road
Alanreed135 Loop 271 to FM 291 – Alanreed
McLean141 BL I-40 east – McLeanEastbound exit and westbound entrance
142 SH 273 / FM 3143 – McLean
143 BL I-40 west – McLeanWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
 146County Line Road
Wheeler 148 FM 1443 (Kellerville Road)
 152 FM 453 (Pakan Road)
 157 FM 1547 / FM 2474 / FM 3075 – Lela
Shamrock161 BL I-40 east – ShamrockEastbound exit and westbound entrance
163 US 83 – Shamrock, Wheeler, Wellington
164 BL I-40 west – Shamrock
167 FM 2168 (Daberry Road) – Shamrock
 169 FM 1802 (Carbon Black Road)
 176 Spur 30 east – TexolaEastbound exit and westbound entrance
Oklahoma state line177.139285.078 I‑40 east – Oklahoma CityContinues into Oklahoma
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Business routes and old alignments

I-40 has seven business routes in Texas, all of which are old alignments of US 66. A number of other old alignments of US 66 are also present; most are marked on guide signs on I-40.

Business Interstate Highway 40-A (formerly Spur 504) is a Business Spur that runs from I-40 at Glenrio, just east of the New Mexico state line, southwest to the border. In New Mexico, the road forks - the later paved alignment (ca. 1952) has been cut by Interstate 40, and the earlier alignment west to San Jon is now a dirt road that had been paved when it was US 66 prior to 1952 but the paving was later removed by Quay County, NM commissioners due to high maintenance costs and low traffic volumes. The old US 66/I-40 Business Loop through Glenrio was bypassed in 1973 by I-40.[2]

Business Interstate Highway 40-B (formerly Loop 550) is a Business Loop through Adrian. The road was bypassed ca. 1969 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[4]

Business Interstate Highway 40-C (formerly Loop 551) is a Business Loop through Vega. The road was bypassed ca. 1973 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[5]

Business Interstate Highway 40-D (formerly Loop 552) is a long Business Loop through Amarillo. An older alignment - Loop 279 - carried Business U.S. Highway 66. East of Amarillo, Farm to Market Road 2575 is old US 66, rerouted to today's Business I-40 in 1958[6] by the construction of Amarillo International Airport. Present Business I-40 was bypassed in 1968 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[7]

Farm to Market Road 2161 and State Highway 207 carry old US 66 through Conway. The road was bypassed ca. 1966 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[8]

Business Interstate Highway 40-F (formerly Loop 554) is a Business Loop through Groom. The road was bypassed ca. 1980 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[9]

The short Loop 271, in addition to providing access to Farm to Market Road 291, is old US 66 through Alanreed. The road was bypassed in 1953 by US 66,[10] but the bypass was not upgraded to a freeway until ca. 1982.[3]

Business Interstate Highway 40-H (formerly Loop 555) is a Business Loop through McLean. The road was bypassed ca. 1984 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[11]

Business Interstate Highway 40-J (formerly Loop 556) is a Business Loop through Shamrock. The road was bypassed ca. 1973 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until its 1985 decommissioning.[12]

Spur 30 is a short route from I-40 just west of the Oklahoma state line southeast to the border. In Oklahoma, the road is unnumbered though Texola, though it picks up Interstate 40 Business at exit 5 to run through Erick. The road was bypassed ca. 1972 by I-40,[3] and carried US 66 until 1976, when it was moved onto I-40 in the area.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - Interstate Highway 40
  2. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Spur 504
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 National Bridge Inventory
  4. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 550
  5. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 551
  6. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - Farm to Market Road 2575
  7. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 552
  8. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - Farm to Market Road 2161
  9. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 554
  10. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 271
  11. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 555
  12. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 556
  13. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Spur 30

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 40
Previous state:
New Mexico		 Texas Next state:
Oklahoma
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