Interstate 40 in California

Interstate 40 marker

Interstate 40
Needles Freeway

I-40 highlighted in red
Route information
Defined by Streets and Highways Code § 340
Maintained by Caltrans
Length: 154.623 mi[1] (248.842 km)
Existed: August 7, 1947 by FHWA[2]
July 1, 1964 by Caltrans[3] – present
Major junctions
West end: I-15 in Barstow
  US 95 in Needles
East end: I-40 at the Arizona state line
Location
Counties: San Bernardino
Highway system
← SR 39SR 41 →

In the State of California, Interstate 40 (I-40) begins on the west at its interchange with Interstate 15 in Barstow. Sometimes called the Needles Freeway, it is a major east—west highway of the Interstate Highway System that goes all the way to Wilmington, North Carolina. I-40 goes east from Barstow across the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County past the Clipper Mountains to Needles, before it crosses over the Colorado River into Arizona east of Needles. All 155 miles of I-40 in California are in San Bernardino County.

Route description

This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System[4] and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System.[5] However, it is not a scenic highway as designated by Caltrans.[6] Interstate 40 from Interstate 15 to the Arizona State Line is known as the Needles Freeway, as named by Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 in 1968.[7] Interstate 40 goes through the Mojave Desert on its entire journey through California.

I-40 starts out at a junction with Interstate 15 in Barstow. The freeway passes through Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow before leaving the city limits. I-40 provides access to the town of Daggett but passes south of the town. After passing south of the Barstow-Daggett Airport, I-40 goes through Newberry Springs and Ludlow before traveling along the south end of Mojave National Preserve. Several miles east of the preserve, I-40 intersects 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.[8]

The maximum speed limit for the entire California segment of Interstate 40 is 70 mph (110 km/h).

History

The segment of I-40 in California was approved as a chargeable Interstate on July 7, 1947.[2] In 1957, the California Department of Highways proposed that the route be renumbered to Interstate 30 instead because of the already existing U.S. Route 40 in the state.[3] However, this was rejected, and eventually U.S. 40 was decommissioned in favor of Interstate 80.

Today, the Needles Freeway replaced the former Route 66 across the Mojave Desert. As a result, a number of communities along the former route like Amboy have become ghost towns.[9]

In the early 1960s, a proposal as part of Operation Plowshare would have detonated 22 nuclear explosions to excavate a massive roadcut through the Bristol Mountains to accommodate a better alignment of Interstate 40 and a new rail line. This proposal was definitively abandoned in 1968.[10][11]

A sign in California showing the distance to Wilmington, North Carolina has been stolen several times.[12]

Former mileage sign at start of Interstate 40 in Barstow, California

Future

The State of California submitted the segment of what is now State Route 58 between Barstow and Bakersfield for chargeable Interstate approval twice, in 1956 and 1968, presumably as an extension of I-40, but it was rejected both times.[2] As a result of these rejections, this segment of SR 58 is being upgraded to freeway standards piece-by-piece as Caltrans has funds available. Between Bakersfield and Barstow, SR 58 exists mostly as freeway with a few exceptions: a 12-mile (19 km) section from Mojave to California City is four lanes with at-grade intersections, and a 33-mile (53 km), two-lane section from west of Kramer Junction, through Hinkley, to Barstow. Caltrans is currently constructing an Interstate-grade bypass around Hinkley and has plans in place to construct a similar bypass around Kramer Junction when funding becomes available. Completion of the bypasses around Hinkley and Kramer Junction would leave the Mojave–California City segment of SR 58 as the last remaining non-freeway section between Barstow and Bakersfield. However, there is no current push to apply for Interstate designation.

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 BernardinoWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; western terminus; no direct access to I-15 north; I-15 south exit 184, north exit 184A
0.791.271 To I-15 north / Montara Road / East Main Street (CR 66 west) – Las VegasWest end of CR 66 overlap; former US 66
2.353.782Marine Corps Logistics Base
​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
Newberry Springs18.4529.6918National Trails Highway (CR 66) - Newberry SpringsFormer US 66
​23.3337.5523Fort Cady Road – Newberry Springs
​28.5045.87Desert Oasis Rest Area
​32.5052.3033Hector Road
Ludlow49.9880.4450Ludlow (CR 66)
​78.17125.8078Kelbaker Road
​99.73160.50100Essex Road – Essex
​106.94172.10John Wilkie Rest Area - Fenner
Fenner107.17172.47107Goffs Road (CR 66) - EssexFormer US 66
​115.19185.38115Mountain Springs Roadformer US 66 west
​119.97193.07120Water Road
​132.73213.61133 US 95 north (CR 66 west) – Searchlight, Las VegasWest end of US 95 / CR 66 overlap
Needles139.11223.88139River Road Cutoff (CR 66 east)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; east end of CR 66 overlap
141.01226.93141West Broadway (I-40 Bus. east / CR 66) / River Roadformer US 66
142.37229.12142J Street – Downtown
143.76231.36144 US 95 south (East Broadway / I-40 Bus. west / CR 66) – BlytheEast end of US 95 overlap; former US 66
​148.19238.49148 To US 95 south / Five Mile Road (CR 66 west) – BlytheFormer US 66
​149.10239.95Agricultural Inspection Station (westbound only)
​153.31246.73153Park Moabi Road
​154.64248.87 I-40 east – Kingman, FlagstaffContinuation into Arizona
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Needles business loop

Interstate 40 Business
Location: Needles, California

Interstate 40 Business is a business loop in Needles. It provides access to downtown Needles as Broadway Street. It also follows the former routing of US 66.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Warring, KS (January 8, 2008). "Interstate 40 Freeway Interchanges" (PDF). California Numbered Exit Uniform System. California Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 "California Highways: Interstate Highway Types and the History of California's Interstates". Cahighways.org. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "California Highways: Interstate 40". Cahighways.org. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  4. ↑ "CA Codes (shc:250-257)". Leginfo.ca.gov. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  5. ↑ "CA Codes (shc:260-284)". Leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways". California Department of Transportation. December 7, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  7. ↑ 2008 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California (PDF). Caltrans. p. 74. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  8. ↑ San Bernardino County Street Atlas (Map). Thomas Brothers. 2008.
  9. ↑ Anton, Mike (January 17, 2007). "Destiny in the desert". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Project Carryall Marker". Hmdb.org. January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Preliminary Design Studies In A Nuclear Excavation: Project Carryall". Trb Publications Index. July 26, 1994. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  12. ↑ "I-40 Barstow, Calif., sign gone for good". Star-News. November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.

Route map: Google

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Interstate 40
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