Road Trip: budget hotels along U.S. Route 40
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U.S. Route 40 is one of the first east-west United States highways from Atlantic City New Jersey to Park City Utah.

U.S. Route 40 is an east-west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. The western end has been truncated several times, and the route now ends at Interstate 80 just outside of Park City, Utah, near Salt Lake City.

Starting at its western terminus in Utah, U.S. 40 crosses a total of twelve states, including Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Two former and four current state capitals lie along the route. For much of its route, U.S. 40 runs parallel to or concurrently with several major Interstate Highways: Interstate 70 from Colorado, to Washington, Pennsylvania; and again from Hancock, Maryland to Baltimore, Maryland; Interstate 64 in parts of Missouri and Illinois; Interstate 68 along the Maryland Panhandle and in West Virginia; and Interstate 95 from Baltimore to New Castle, Delaware.

The route was built on top of several older highways, most notably the National Road and Victory Highway. The National Road was created in 1806 by an act of Congress to serve as the first Federally funded highway construction project. When completed it connected Cumberland, Maryland, with Vandalia, Illinois. The Victory Highway was designated as a memorial to World War I veterans and went from Kansas City, Missouri to San Francisco, California. Other important roads that have become part of U.S. 40 include Zane's Trace in Ohio, Braddock Road in Maryland and Pennsylvania, part of the Oregon Trail in Kansas, and the Lincoln Highway (the first road across America) in California. Along the highway there are hundreds of budget hotels and motels at just about every exit and in every main city. During the Summer travel months these hotels fill up quickly so try to book in advance.

New Jersey

US 40 enters New Jersey in Deepwater, New Jersey along with I-295. US 40 briefly joins the New Jersey Turnpike, and exits to the south of the toll booths. The route follows Wiley Road, parallel to the Turnpike, before joining Harding Highway in Carneys Point. US 40 will be Harding Highway through most of South Jersey. Northeast of where US 40 joins it, Harding Highway carries the NJ 48 designation; though this was once part of US 40 as well.

Delaware

US 40 crosses Delaware for about 15 miles (24 km). Entering the state from Maryland in Glasgow, it continues along the Pulaski Highway. It crosses Delaware Route 1 in the community of Bear before merging with US 13 and the Dupont Highway in State Road. The concurrent routes pass the New Castle Airport and US 40 leaves to join I-295 near Wilmington Manor. US 40, along with I-295, uses the Delaware Memorial Bridge to cross the Delaware River into New Jersey.

Maryland

U.S. Route 40 in Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over 200 miles, it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment is generally known as U.S. Route 40 Alternate, U.S. Route 40 Scenic, or Maryland Route 144.

Pennsylvania

US 40 enters Pennsylvania at West Alexander. It closely parallels I-70 from West Virginia until it reaches Washington where it follows Jefferson Avenue and Maiden Street. In Washington, US 40 passes to the south of Washington & Jefferson College. US 40 bypasses Uniontown along a limited access highway that also carries US 119. An old alignment through Uniontown is signed as "Business US 40." Southeast of Uniontown, travellers pass the Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

Ohio

US 40 enters Ohio just to the south of New Paris. Through most of Ohio, US 40 is known as National Road. The road parallels I-70 eastward towards Dayton. In Vandalia, the road passes to the south of Dayton International Airport and crosses I-75 and the Great Miami River. The road never actually enters Dayton, instead skirting the northern suburbs on the way towards Springfield.

Indiana

US 40 enters Indiana from the west at unincorporated Liggett along with I-70. US 40 leaves the interstate at exit 1 and parallels an old alignment named "Old US Hwy 40". US 40's last stop in Indiana is the city of Richmond. In Richmond, it passes a statue known as "Madonna of the Trail", one of a series of twelve statues across the U.S. to memorialize women pioneers who made the trek to settle the western U.S.

Illinois

In the state of Illinois, US 40 follows I-70 east from the Poplar Street Bridge and parallels it through most of the state. It is either directly concurrent with, or closely parallels, I-70 through the entire state. Between Pocahontas and Mulberry Grove US 40 passes through several small towns. In Vandalia, Illinois, the former state capitol, it follows Veterans Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard (with US 51) through town.

Missouri

US 40 enters Missouri following Interstate 70 across much of the state, and parallels it for the rest of its route in the state. Entering in Kansas City, it leaves in St. Louis on the Poplar Street Bridge across the Mississippi River.

Kansas

US-40 enters Kansas near the unincorporated community of Weskan. The first sizable town it enters is Sharon Springs, where it intersects K-27. From there it goes northeast to Oakley and follows Eagle Eye Road before a merge with I-70 east of town.

Colorado

Entering Colorado to the south of Dinosaur National Monument, U.S. 40 runs east through the small town of Dinosaur along Brontosaurus Boulevard. The route continues a generally easterly course though Moffat and Routt counties, passing through several small communities along the way. It generally follows the course of the Yampa River. U.S. 40 becomes Lincoln Avenue as it runs through historic downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Utah

The western terminus of U.S. 40 is in Utah at Interstate 80, several miles north of Park City, at Silver Creek Junction. The road is a limited access highway from the I-80 junction to its intersection with Utah State Route 32 south of Park City, about 13 miles . From there, the road takes a generally southerly course to Heber City before turning southeast and passing by the northern shores of Strawberry Reservoir. U.S. 40 goes through the towns of Duchesne, Roosevelt and Vernal before entering Colorado.

Find more budget hotels on a road trip

Interstate 80 - New York City to San Francisco
Interstate 90 - Boston to Seattle
U.S. Route 40 - Atlantic City to Park City
Historic Route 66 - Chicago to Los Angeles

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