I40

Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States. It runs roughly 2,555 miles (4,112 km) from Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina, and passes through eight states. The route provides a transcontinental corridor linking the Pacific Coast with the Atlantic coastal region and serves numerous metropolitan areas and regional centers.

The western terminus of I-40 is at an interchange with I-15 in Barstow, California. From there, it traverses the Mojave Desert and the Southwest, continuing through Arizona and New Mexico, then across the southern Plains through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. In the eastern portion, I-40 passes through Tennessee and into North Carolina, terminating at an interchange with I-95 in Wilmington. The states along the corridor are California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Along its route, I-40 crosses diverse landscapes, including desert regions, high plains, river valleys, and the Appalachian area. In Memphis, Tennessee, it crosses the Mississippi River via the Hernando de Soto Bridge. The highway serves major urban centers such as Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Greensboro, and Wilmington, among others. I-40 intersects several other major interstates, acting as a backbone for regional and national travel and freight movement.

History notes indicate I-40 was developed as part of the original 1956 Interstate Highway System, with construction advancing in segments through the 1960s to 1980s in different states. It is maintained by state transportation departments in coordination with federal standards.