On May 26, 2002, a barge collided with a bridge support near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing a 580 foot section of the I-40 bridge to plunge into the Arkansas river. Automobiles and semi-trucks fell into the water killing 14 people, including a three-year-old girl.
At each end of I-40 there is a sign giving the distance to the other end.
Because I-40 goes through the Mojave Desert in California (just like Route 66 before it), its unofficial name is the Mojave Freeway.
In Memphis, I-40 was originally intended to go through the city's Overton Park toward downtown. Several miles of interstate were actually built within the I-240 loop; this portion of highway still exists and is in regular use as Sam Cooper Boulevard, reaching Chickasaw Country Club at its western end. However, public opposition, combined with a court victory by opponents of the Overton Park route, forced abandonment of the plans, and the road never reached the park. For several years, I-40 signage existed on the dead-end route toward Overton Park. Eventually, the northern portion of the I-240 loop was redesignated as I-40.
In North Carolina, I-40 merges with I-85 between Greensboro and Hillsborough, just west of Durham. In Alamance County, the highway is also known as the Sam Hunt Freeway. Due to a recent rerouting of I-85 around Greensboro, I-40 departs from it eight miles (13 km) east of the original split.
A Business Loop of I-40, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is actually a freeway for its entire length, a rarity for Business Interstates. That's because I-40 was originally routed through downtown Winston-Salem, and it continued to follow that route until a new bypass was built. After the bypass was completed, I-40 was relocated to the new freeway. There are arguments that the former I-40 freeway in Winston-Salem should become an interstate again, and with the arrival of Interstate 74 in North Carolina, many highway mavens would like to see the freeway renamed I-274. This seems to be a logical choice, since North Carolina plans to use the Interstate 840 designation for the northern loop of a beltway that's being built around nearby Greensboro.
Future Interstate 840 around Nashville, Tennessee was once planned to completely surround the city. But in October2003, Tennessee DOT discontinued plans for a northern loop around the city. Currently the Highway is signed as Tennessee 840 .
The original route number for I-240 in Oklahoma City was I-440. It was renamed to alleviate confusion with Interstate 44 which connects to I-240 at the western end.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, I-40 was originally meant to replace Central Avenue through the center of the city. However, due to development and public opposition, a path going northward was chosen. The freeway intersects Central at either end of the city.
In violation of Interstate standards, I-40 has at least one at-grade crossing, but it may be entirely unofficial. About eight miles (13 km) into Tennessee, when going westbound from North Carolina, one may see a sign for "Hurricane Road". Hurricane Road is a dirt road whose quality is below that of the breakdown lane. A few of these may also exist in New Mexico and Texas; reports are conflicting.[1]
