U.S. Route 40 Scenic
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 40 Scenic is a scenic route
of U.S. Route 40
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. US 40 Scenic is the old alignment of US 40 over Town Hill
in eastern Allegany County
and Sideling Hill
in far western Washington County
. The highway was originally constructed as part of the National Road
in the early 19th century and paved as a modern road in the mid 1910s. US 40 was relocated over Sideling Hill in the early 1950s and over Town Hill in the mid 1960s. The US 40 Scenic designation was first applied to the old highway over Town Hill in 1965. Following the completion of Interstate 68
(I-68) at Sideling Hill, US 40 Scenic was extended east along old US 40's crossing of the mountain in the late 1980s. US 40 Scenic is one of only two U.S.-numbered scenic routes, the other being US 412 Scenic in Oklahoma
.
The scenic route includes an officially-referenced and fully state-maintained section that runs 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from Fifteen Mile Creek Road in Green Ridge State Forest
near Exit 62 of I-68 and US 40 to the Washington County line within eastern Allegany County. US 40 Scenic also includes an unofficially-referenced but signed section in western Washington County that has a concurrency with I-68 and has sections maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration
and Washington County. The solely signed section runs from the official section at High Germany Road near I-68 Exit 72 just west of the Allegany–Washington county line east to MD 144
near I-68 Exit 77 west of Hancock
. The signed section between Fifteen Mile Creek Road to MD 144 is 16.1 miles (25.9 km) eastbound and 17.5 miles (28.2 km) westbound. The difference in mileage is due to the westbound scenic route following Mountain Road, which is unsigned MD 903, to its entrance to I-68.
, descends the mountain to the community of Piney Grove, where the highway intersects Orleans Road. At Mann Road, the highway turns south to cross over I-68. The scenic route turns east again at Turkey Farm Road and parallels the eastbound side of I-68 until the highway reaches High Germany Road, which is unsigned MD 948Y
, in the hamlet of Bellegrove.
The referenced portion of US 40 Scenic continues east to its the official terminus at Sideling Hill Creek at the Washington County line. Signed US 40 Scenic turns north onto High Germany Road and joins I-68 in a concurrency at Exit 72. The scenic route crosses Sideling Hill Creek into Washington County and begins its ascent of Sideling Hill on I-68. US 40 Scenic exits I-68 at Exit 74, a partial interchange (eastbound exit and westbound entrance) on the western slope of the mountain. Eastbound US 40 Scenic exits the freeway on a sweeping curve ramp that ends at the southern end of Mountain Road. Mountain Road is a two-lane road that heads north as a state highway, signed as US 40 Scenic west and unsigned as 0.91 miles (1.5 km) long MD 903. MD 903's northern terminus is at US 40 Scenic's ramp onto westbound I-68. US 40 Scenic continues south as National Pike from the junction of its two directions as a county-maintained, three-lane road, two lanes eastbound and one lane westbound, ascending Sideling Hill. During the climb, the scenic route intersects McFarland Road, the original alignment of US 40 that heads west to the official eastern terminus of US 40 Scenic. As US 40 Scenic approaches the top of Sideling Hill, the eastbound climbing lane ends. The scenic route makes a hairpin turn to the north and begins to descend the mountain, again a three-lane road but with two lanes westbound. US 40 Scenic curves to the east and then to the southeast, paralleling and gradually approaching I-68. The westbound climbing lane ends just west of the scenic route's eastern terminus at MD 144 (Western Pike) just south of I-68 Exit 77.
between Cumberland and Hancock that needed to be crossed first by the Baltimore and Cumberland Turnpike, then US 40, and most recently I-68. The portion of US 40 Scenic from its western terminus over Town Hill to Sideling Hill Creek follows the original alignment of the National Road and US 40 except for deviations at both ends due to construction of the new alignments of US 40 and I-68. The National Road and later US 40 rose abruptly from Sideling Hill Creek to climb the west flank of Sideling Hill, following what is today McFarland Road east, turning south at Hixon Road, and continuing south along the same line, now abandoned, to join the present line at the top of the mountain. On the east flank, the old road began along the current alignment, then turned east a short distance south of the present curve to the east for a steeper descent that followed Western Pike before joining the present alignment a short distance west of MD 144.
The original state road between Cumberland and Hancock was paved from Fifteen Mile Creek to Green Ridge in 1913, Green Ridge to Sideling Hill Creek in 1915, and from Sideling Hill Creek to the modern MD 144 junction in 1914. Early improvements to the state road included a new bridge over Fifteen Mile Creek in 1917, a new bridge over Sideling Hill Creek in 1925, and the modification of a nasty curve just east of the new Sideling Creek Bridge at the same time. The highway was widened and curves banked and modified in 1929 and 1930 as part of improvements over 47 miles (75.6 km) of US 40 between Cumberland and Hagerstown. Passing lanes 800 to 1000 ft (243.8 to 304.8 m) in length were added on Sideling Hill around 1942.
Despite the improvements, Sideling Hill remained a formidable obstacle to traffic between Cumberland and Hancock until a construction project began in 1949 to build a new highway over the mountain. US 40 was relocated for 6.94 miles (11.2 km) from just west of Sideling Hill Creek east over the mountain to just west of the modern MD 144 intersection. The relocation involved a box culvert over Little Bear Creek and a high level bridge over Sideling Hill Creek. The new roadway was held to a maximum gradient of 6% and had a third climbing lane for 90% of the length of the relocation. By the time the project was completed in 1952, over 1300000 cubic yards (993,921.3 m³) of earth had been excavated.
US 40 Scenic was assigned to old US 40 from Fifteen Mile Creek Road over Town Hill to the Mann Road intersection when US 40 was moved to its and I-68's present alignment over Town Hill in 1965. US 40 was expanded to a divided highway and moved to a new alignment from High Germany Road to the sweeping curve that is now Exit 74 in 1983. The section of old US 40 from the 1949–1952 Sideling Hill relocation immediately around Sideling Hill Creek was dismantled. The upgraded US 40 became a part of I-68 that passes through a cut in Sideling Hill around 1987.. The old alignment over Sideling Hill was transferred to county maintenance and designated US 40 Scenic around 1989. However, US 40 Scenic temporarily followed the old McFarland Road alignment of US 40 on the west side of Sideling Hill until the completion of Exit 74 in 1991.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|Fifteen Mile Creek Road south – Green Ridge State Forest
|Western terminus
|-
|0.18
|
|I-68 Exit 62
|-
|0.27
|
|Old alignment of US 40
|-
|5.77
|Orleans Road south to
|
|-
|7.23
|Mann Road north
|US 40 Scenic turns south at this intersection
|-
|7.32
|Turkey Farm Road west
|US 40 Scenic turns east at this intersection
|-
|8.78
|High Germany Road north to
|The official and signed portions of US 40 Scenic split at this intersection.
|-
|9.50
|Bridge over Sideling Hill Creek
|Official eastern terminus; Washington County
line
Scenic route
A scenic route, tourist road, tourist route, theme route, or scenic byway is a specially designated road or waterway that travels through an area of natural or cultural beauty...
of U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. US 40 Scenic is the old alignment of US 40 over Town Hill
Town Hill
Town Hill is a mountain range located in Allegany County, Maryland and Bedford and Fulton Counties in Pennsylvania. Its southern end is 2.25 miles northwest of Kiefer in Allegany County. It trends northeasterly, and ends about 1.5 miles south of the town of Emmaville in Fulton County...
in eastern Allegany County
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
and Sideling Hill
Sideling Hill
Sideling Hill is a long, steep, narrow mountain ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley physiographic province of the Appalachian Mountains, located in Washington County in western Maryland and adjacent West Virginia and Pennsylvania, USA...
in far western Washington County
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
. The highway was originally constructed as part of the National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
in the early 19th century and paved as a modern road in the mid 1910s. US 40 was relocated over Sideling Hill in the early 1950s and over Town Hill in the mid 1960s. The US 40 Scenic designation was first applied to the old highway over Town Hill in 1965. Following the completion of Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
(I-68) at Sideling Hill, US 40 Scenic was extended east along old US 40's crossing of the mountain in the late 1980s. US 40 Scenic is one of only two U.S.-numbered scenic routes, the other being US 412 Scenic in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
The scenic route includes an officially-referenced and fully state-maintained section that runs 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from Fifteen Mile Creek Road in Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest is a state forest in Western Maryland. Approximately in size, it is situated along Green Ridge and Town Hill in eastern Allegany County.Camping, Hiking, Biking, ORV, Fishing, and Boating are all permitted in Green Ridge State Forest...
near Exit 62 of I-68 and US 40 to the Washington County line within eastern Allegany County. US 40 Scenic also includes an unofficially-referenced but signed section in western Washington County that has a concurrency with I-68 and has sections maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration
Maryland State Highway Administration
The Maryland State Highway Administration is the state agency responsible for maintaining Maryland numbered highways outside of Baltimore City...
and Washington County. The solely signed section runs from the official section at High Germany Road near I-68 Exit 72 just west of the Allegany–Washington county line east to MD 144
Maryland Route 144
Maryland Route 144 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 between Cumberland and Baltimore...
near I-68 Exit 77 west of Hancock
Hancock, Maryland
Hancock is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,725 at the 2000 census. The Western Maryland community is notable for being located at the narrowest part of the state...
. The signed section between Fifteen Mile Creek Road to MD 144 is 16.1 miles (25.9 km) eastbound and 17.5 miles (28.2 km) westbound. The difference in mileage is due to the westbound scenic route following Mountain Road, which is unsigned MD 903, to its entrance to I-68.
Route description
US 40 Scenic begins on the edge of Green Ridge State Forest 0.05 mile (0.080467 km) south of the eastbound ramps for Exit 62 of I-68 and US 40 (National Freeway). Fifteen Mile Creek Road heads south as an unimproved road through Green Ridge State Forest. US 40 Scenic passes over I-68 and passes by the westbound Exit 62 ramps before intersecting the eastern end of MD 144 (Old National Pike), which heads west as the local complement to the National Freeway. The scenic route crosses Fifteenmile Creek then makes a sharp curve to the east, intersecting Fifteen Mile Creek Road and beginning the short climb to the top of Green Ridge. After a short descent, the highway begins its curvy ascent of Town Hill, which has no climbing lanes. US 40 Scenic, which passes through the Billmeyer Wildlife Management AreaBillmeyer Wildlife Management Area
Billmeyer Wildlife Management Area is a Wildlife Management Area in Allegany County, Maryland adjacent to Green Ridge State Forest.-External links:*...
, descends the mountain to the community of Piney Grove, where the highway intersects Orleans Road. At Mann Road, the highway turns south to cross over I-68. The scenic route turns east again at Turkey Farm Road and parallels the eastbound side of I-68 until the highway reaches High Germany Road, which is unsigned MD 948Y
Maryland Route 948
Maryland Route 948 is a collection of unsigned state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are service roads, state-maintained portions of county highways, and connectors in the vicinity of Interstate 68 in Garrett County and Allegany County. MD 948B, 948H, and 948K are located...
, in the hamlet of Bellegrove.
The referenced portion of US 40 Scenic continues east to its the official terminus at Sideling Hill Creek at the Washington County line. Signed US 40 Scenic turns north onto High Germany Road and joins I-68 in a concurrency at Exit 72. The scenic route crosses Sideling Hill Creek into Washington County and begins its ascent of Sideling Hill on I-68. US 40 Scenic exits I-68 at Exit 74, a partial interchange (eastbound exit and westbound entrance) on the western slope of the mountain. Eastbound US 40 Scenic exits the freeway on a sweeping curve ramp that ends at the southern end of Mountain Road. Mountain Road is a two-lane road that heads north as a state highway, signed as US 40 Scenic west and unsigned as 0.91 miles (1.5 km) long MD 903. MD 903's northern terminus is at US 40 Scenic's ramp onto westbound I-68. US 40 Scenic continues south as National Pike from the junction of its two directions as a county-maintained, three-lane road, two lanes eastbound and one lane westbound, ascending Sideling Hill. During the climb, the scenic route intersects McFarland Road, the original alignment of US 40 that heads west to the official eastern terminus of US 40 Scenic. As US 40 Scenic approaches the top of Sideling Hill, the eastbound climbing lane ends. The scenic route makes a hairpin turn to the north and begins to descend the mountain, again a three-lane road but with two lanes westbound. US 40 Scenic curves to the east and then to the southeast, paralleling and gradually approaching I-68. The westbound climbing lane ends just west of the scenic route's eastern terminus at MD 144 (Western Pike) just south of I-68 Exit 77.
History
US 40 Scenic is the old alignment of US 40 over Town Hill and Sideling Hill, two of the many north–south ridges of the Ridge-and-Valley AppalachiansRidge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
between Cumberland and Hancock that needed to be crossed first by the Baltimore and Cumberland Turnpike, then US 40, and most recently I-68. The portion of US 40 Scenic from its western terminus over Town Hill to Sideling Hill Creek follows the original alignment of the National Road and US 40 except for deviations at both ends due to construction of the new alignments of US 40 and I-68. The National Road and later US 40 rose abruptly from Sideling Hill Creek to climb the west flank of Sideling Hill, following what is today McFarland Road east, turning south at Hixon Road, and continuing south along the same line, now abandoned, to join the present line at the top of the mountain. On the east flank, the old road began along the current alignment, then turned east a short distance south of the present curve to the east for a steeper descent that followed Western Pike before joining the present alignment a short distance west of MD 144.
The original state road between Cumberland and Hancock was paved from Fifteen Mile Creek to Green Ridge in 1913, Green Ridge to Sideling Hill Creek in 1915, and from Sideling Hill Creek to the modern MD 144 junction in 1914. Early improvements to the state road included a new bridge over Fifteen Mile Creek in 1917, a new bridge over Sideling Hill Creek in 1925, and the modification of a nasty curve just east of the new Sideling Creek Bridge at the same time. The highway was widened and curves banked and modified in 1929 and 1930 as part of improvements over 47 miles (75.6 km) of US 40 between Cumberland and Hagerstown. Passing lanes 800 to 1000 ft (243.8 to 304.8 m) in length were added on Sideling Hill around 1942.
Despite the improvements, Sideling Hill remained a formidable obstacle to traffic between Cumberland and Hancock until a construction project began in 1949 to build a new highway over the mountain. US 40 was relocated for 6.94 miles (11.2 km) from just west of Sideling Hill Creek east over the mountain to just west of the modern MD 144 intersection. The relocation involved a box culvert over Little Bear Creek and a high level bridge over Sideling Hill Creek. The new roadway was held to a maximum gradient of 6% and had a third climbing lane for 90% of the length of the relocation. By the time the project was completed in 1952, over 1300000 cubic yards (993,921.3 m³) of earth had been excavated.
US 40 Scenic was assigned to old US 40 from Fifteen Mile Creek Road over Town Hill to the Mann Road intersection when US 40 was moved to its and I-68's present alignment over Town Hill in 1965. US 40 was expanded to a divided highway and moved to a new alignment from High Germany Road to the sweeping curve that is now Exit 74 in 1983. The section of old US 40 from the 1949–1952 Sideling Hill relocation immediately around Sideling Hill Creek was dismantled. The upgraded US 40 became a part of I-68 that passes through a cut in Sideling Hill around 1987.. The old alignment over Sideling Hill was transferred to county maintenance and designated US 40 Scenic around 1989. However, US 40 Scenic temporarily followed the old McFarland Road alignment of US 40 on the west side of Sideling Hill until the completion of Exit 74 in 1991.
Junction list
The entire officially-referenced portion of US 40 Scenic is in a sparsely-populated area of eastern Allegany CountyAllegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|Fifteen Mile Creek Road south – Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest is a state forest in Western Maryland. Approximately in size, it is situated along Green Ridge and Town Hill in eastern Allegany County.Camping, Hiking, Biking, ORV, Fishing, and Boating are all permitted in Green Ridge State Forest...
|Western terminus
|-
|0.18
|
|I-68 Exit 62
|-
|0.27
|
|Old alignment of US 40
|-
|5.77
|Orleans Road south to
|
|-
|7.23
|Mann Road north
|US 40 Scenic turns south at this intersection
|-
|7.32
|Turkey Farm Road west
|US 40 Scenic turns east at this intersection
|-
|8.78
|High Germany Road north to
|The official and signed portions of US 40 Scenic split at this intersection.
|-
|9.50
|Bridge over Sideling Hill Creek
|Official eastern terminus; Washington County
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
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