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
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Route information
Defined by Streets and Highways Code § 340
Maintained by Caltrans
Length: 154.623 mi[3] (248.842 km)
Existed: August 7, 1947 by FHWA[1]
July 1, 1964 by Caltrans[2] – present
Major junctions
West end: I-15 in Barstow
  US 95 in Needles
East end: I-40 at the Arizona state line
Highway system
← SR 39 SR 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.[1] 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.[2] 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 Interstate 40, but it was rejected both times.[1] 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. However, there is no current push to apply for Interstate designation.

Needles business loop

Interstate 40 Business
Location: Needles, California

Interstate 40 Business is a Business loop in Needles, California. It provides access to downtown Needles as Broadway Street.[citation needed] It also follows the former routing of U.S. Route 66.

Exit list

The entire route is in San Bernardino County.

Location mi[3] km Exit[3] Destinations Notes
Barstow 0.00 0.00 I-15 south (Mojave Freeway) to SR 58 west – San Bernardino Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western terminus; no direct access to I-15 north; I-15 south exit 184, north exit 184A
0.79 1.27 1 I-15 Bus. / CR 66 west (E. Main Street) to I-15 north / Montara Road West end of CR 66 overlap; E. Main St. was former US 66 west
2.35 3.78 2 Marine Corps Logistics Base
​ 4.71 7.58 5 CR 66 east (Nebo Street) East end of CR 66 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former US 66 east
Daggett 7.18 11.56 7 A Street – Daggett
​ 12.19 19.62 12 Airport Road – Barstow-Daggett Airport
Newberry Springs 18.45 29.69 18 CR 66 (National Trails Highway) – Newberry Springs Former US 66
​ 23.33 37.55 23 Fort Cady Road – Newberry Springs
​ 28.50 45.87 Desert Oasis Rest Area
​ 32.50 52.30 33 Hector Road
Ludlow 49.98 80.44 50 CR 66 (Crucero Road) – Ludlow Former US 66
​ 78.17 125.80 78 Kelbaker Road
​ 99.73 160.50 100 Essex Road – Essex
​ 106.94 172.10 John Wilkie Rest Area - Fenner
Fenner 107.17 172.47 107 CR 66 (Goffs Road) – Essex Former US 66
​ 115.19 185.38 115 Mountain Springs Road
​ 119.97 193.07 120 Water Road
​ 132.73 213.61 133 US 95 north / CR 66 west – Searchlight, Las Vegas West end of US 95/CR 66 overlap; former US 66 west
Needles 139.11 223.88 139 CR 66 east (River Road Cutoff) East end of CR 66 overlap; Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
141.01 226.93 141 I-40 Bus. / CR 66 (W. Broadway Street / River Road) W. Broadway St. was former US 66 east
142.37 229.12 142 J Street – Downtown Needles
143.76 231.36 144 US 95 south / CR 66 (E. Broadway Street) – Blythe East end of US 95 overlap; former US 66
​ 148.19 238.49 148 CR 66 west (Five Mile Road) to US 95 – Blythe Former US 66 west; West end of CR 66 overlap
​ Agricultural Inspection Station (westbound only)
​ 153.31 246.73 153 Park Moabi Road
​ 154.64 248.87 I-40 east – Kingman Continuation into Arizona; Eastern terminus of CR 66
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

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External links

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Interstate 40
Previous state:
Terminus		 California Next state:
Arizona
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