North Carolina is like the girlfriend that says “you should just know “, and gets mad at you for not remembering her favorite dessert.

I remember driving west on I40 at night coming out of Amarillo in a U-Haul just listening to the radio (20 yrs ago). Eventually lost all radio signal and continued driving west through that barren country. After driving in complete silence and darkness for 30+ min, when that radio final picked up a signal it absolutely scared the crap out of me to hear sound again. Finally stopped in Tucumcari and crashed in a motel that looked straight outta the 1960’s. Good times!

JSYK: You CAN get to Durham, NC via I-40; the route takes you to the south and east of town before heading toward RTP and Raleigh.

I'm a truck driver and I-40 has probably received most of my mileage. So I'm very familiar with this route.The bridge in Memphis had been open for about 2 months now.

As someone who lives in North Carolina I agree. We do have terrible signing like signs being too small or having very old signs. I wish we had the Clearview font for our signs.

The bridge at 6:15 in Oklahoma City is the Skydance Bridge, a pedestrian bridge to a city park. The sculpture is made to resemble the Scissortail Flycatcher, Oklahoma's state bird. At night, the sculpture is lit up in changing colors and is very cool to see.

You are amazing Todd! I talk about you all the time

If my memory is correct, I-40 used to run straight through downtown Oklahoma City as an elevated highway overpass. But within the last decade they tore the overpass down and converted into an at grade parkway. While the new route for I 40 is a mile south of downtown. Without the overpass getting in the way, OKC’s downtown region has more room to expand and develop

I did see END FREEWAY several years ago at I-40 east end.

16:15 Fayetteville is a correct choice for a control city at the 95 junction because Fayetteville is home of Fort Bragg. Also it is the halfway mark between Miami and New York. It also has a lot of rest destinations as the most hotel choices along the 95 route

You roasting NC was so funny.

The 123 exit is pretty useful FOR NORTH CAROLINAINS for a lot of people from Statesville and parts of North Charlotte that’s how you get to the high country And Gastonia is about 20 minutes from Charlotte on a good day

@Control City Freak I-40 does go into city limits of Durham, NC.

The Welcome to North Carolina sign at 11:49 is awesome!

When I Was Drving To Albuquerque, New Mexico I Saw Mileage Signs that Listed I-40 as US-40 In the Outskirts.

I spent my birthday in a Holiday Inn in Santa Rosa, NM in 1983! We were driving coast to coast with diversions for Grand Canyon / Painted Desert / Petrified Forest / Zion / Lake Tahoe

I love the thumbnail for this video, it is part of the reason why I-40 is such a grand road! :)

The only cities in NC that should appear on interstate signs, at least major ones, would be Wilmington, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Asheville. Maybe Fayetteville on 95. The 785 exit should say Danville, VIRGINIA to more specific. I-40 does go through Durham to be fair. Southpoint, US501 and those points south are in the city limits.

I wasn’t too surprised that this video was under 20 minutes long because outside of California, New Mexico and North Carolina I-40’s not terribly signed

The end of I-40 reminds me of the time I drove the entire route of U.S. 13. Started in the Philadelphia area and when I got to the end near Fayetteville I was disappointed there was no "End U.S. 13" sign. Florida tends to be the same way, especially U.S. 92 & U.S. 98.

Very good

My favorite thing about I-40....Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

Biltmore estate is on the sign because it is the major tourist attraction in Asheville.

My favorite part of I-40 is riding across the Cumberland Plateau from Knoxville TN to Cookeville TN I rode to Cookeville TN across the Cumberland Plateau back in March of 2020 it was a lot of fun

I've been on stretches of I-40 between Kingman, AZ & Holbrook, AZ & the Painted Dessert, in AZ, to Oklahoma City, OK. Also, I-49 will be routed along a bypass, East of Ft. Smith, AR, that will head South from North I-49's junction with I-40.

One of the mileage signs on I 40 just east of the US 95 northbound exit, Flagstaff is signed at the bottom for the first time just before you enter Needles. It says Needles 8, Kingman 72, and Flagstaff 221

I’ve driven i40 from Wilmington to Nashville, Tn many times. Nice to see the Wilmington mileage sign at beginning if I 40 east as I have seen the Barstow, ca sign a lot on western beginning

depending on the day and time, taking 840 around nashville can be the same amt of time as taking 40 thru nashville. nashvilles inner loop and freeways around the city can be horrendous

14:14. For travelers that's the sign directing you straight into 'Death Valley." All those highways coming together into four lanes (in either direction,) lots of crashes ... the name fits. Salem Parkway used to be routed as Business 40 to go through Winston-Salem but lawmakers in the area went with just 421/Salem Parkway.

pretty sure when i was younger my dad pointed out a sign similar to the one you guys have when we were leaving wilmington - headed back to raleigh … it said that city in california 2500 miles … so that’s how you know where the highway starts … not sure why the video couldn’t tell where it ends - but every time i’ve gone, it leads me basically to downtown wilmington

The Sign at 9:37 with “Jackson Miss” Reminds me from the I-29 Video where one of the Mileage signs having “Omaha Nebr.” Very Odd.

Interstate 40 between Bartow and Oklahoma City was U.S. 66 at one time. I would not mind the smaller control cities on that route, but dual control cities would be plus too. Interstate 840 outside Nashville is sign correctly for Knoxville, because thru traffic is encouraged to drive around city, not into Nashville. In North Carolina, you made a comment about Interstate 95 at the junction with Interstate 40. Todd , I like big cities as control cities, but sometimes you can suggest control cities at are too far away at certain points in your videos. At that junction, St. Petersburg is a good control city going north on Interstate 95 and Fayetteville is a good control city going south. Fort Bragg is in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Great video of Interstate 40 control cities going east. Great job.

Fayetteville, Florence, and Savannah make sense on south 95 instead of going straight to Jacksonville.

You missed my favorite sign of all times, the overhead "Y" sign south of Barstow showing the split between Las Vegas and Needles - I 15 and I 40 (the sign is about a quarter mile before the first I 40 sign you showed.) I love this sign because it is where my 2 favorite destinations start. No, not Needles. My kids live in Pittsburgh where I grew up, so this is where I start my cross country trips after leaving Los Angeles with I 40 being the first cross country route in the LA Metro area that I frequent - I avoid I 10. And Las Vegas is where I spend my free time on weekends. Also, cross country travelers are looking for a place to eat and sleep. Santa Rosa is one of those spots. Great hotel choices and plenty of comfort food restaurants. Tucumcari was the hot spot back in the 70's and 80's, but none of the 1,000 rooms advertised were ever upgraded and fell into horrible disrepair causing most of the motels to close. Road signage, like the Interstate repair, is mandated by the states, and the people on the boards deciding what signs to display are local business people. Of course they want to bring business to their establishments so those cities get top priority in signage. Amarillo signage is usurped by FREE 72 OZ STEAK signs from the famous Big Texan Restaraunt in Amarillo. You will find Big Texan signs 8 hours before you get there. Why? Beacuse travelers start thinking about dinner right after breakfast. Being on the road makes you hungry. Texas promotes state routes because the Texas state routes are equally as grand as any interstate. Even Texas "Farm Roads" look like interstates. The first time I saw Farm Road 1960 in Houston, I was totally amazed, and that was back in 1968.

There's a BIG cave in the Smoky Mountains.

The sign for Exit 301 at 15:32 now has I-87 on the sign. The city hasn't changed though. Also, they're working on Exit 310 for the NC 540 interchange. Finally great video, I like I-40 it's very cool.

Santa Rosa! Amazing! Good call on your part.

There should be a sign on Interstate 🛣️ 40 east from Exit 414 saying EAST I-40 ENDS 5 MILES.

I-540 south of I-40 is not planned to be part of I-49. I-49 south of 40 will run on a new alignment.

A couple things to note about 40 in NC. It is signed for Biltmore because it is preferred that motorists use 40 rather than 240 or 26 to get there. So it's not really a control, just an advisory to Biltmore traffic. Also, Hickory by itself isn't a large city, but it is the largest of a conglomerate of fairly decent-sized cities in Catawba and Caldwell counties, the metro population is actually about 150,000. A lot of manufacturing is located there, so I suspect that particular control is for truck traffic. Also 285/52 should probably be signed for Salisbury anyway. Much larger town with a fairly decent-sized industrial-corporate presence on the way to Charlotte. Also, 85 Business in Greensboro used to be the alignment for 85 through Greensboro until about 15-20 years ago. That's why it gets equal billing, which is why Durham is on that sign. And lastly, Fayetteville has 200k+ population, and the largest military base in the country nearby at Fort Bragg, so it should be signed on 95.

I’m good with flagstaff being the first one since 40 begins in the desert already. Maybe kingman but I’d vote flagstaff

The graffiti on the 40, 24 East sign is crazy. I wonder if the painters survived getting it up there!

Finally the big 40!

Marine Corps. MCLB West Barstow. Wilmington N.C. is a decent sized port.

That point where I-40 crosses I-95 and you say 95 south should be Jacksonville. I think you also could say Savannah since that's also an important city.

The worst control city on a sign I've seen is on I-77 north in Cleveland. There's a sign for I-490 to I-71 with Toledo as the control city. If they made it I-490 to I-90 with Toledo as a control city, that would be fine. But they used I-71, which isn't where most people would be going, and used a control city that is 100 miles from the highway they show. Oh, and when you get to I-90, the highway likes to exit itself.

There was an end I-40 sign in 2017-18 not sure why they got rid of it.

My Control Cities for I-40 East Flagstaff / Albuquerque Albuquerque Amarillo Oklahoma City Fort Smith / Little Rock Little Rock Memphis Nashville Knoxville Asheville Winston-Salem Greensboro Raleigh Wilmington

8:30 signage for Blytheville is for major truck traffic running to/from the steel mills there. Makes sense to me because of that

I been on I-40 quite a few times I have family who lives in Wilmington AKA the port city.

I've been I-40 West as far as Dickson, TN and it seems to be a good road. Thanks! I've been on Interstate 40 East from the North Carolina Border to Wilmington in certain times not the whole trip.

Chapter one: California chapter two: Arizona chapter three: New Mexico chapter four: Texas chapter five: Oklahoma chapter six: Arkansas chapter seven: Tennessee chapter eight: North Carolina

Raleigh is the largest NC city on I40, yet it gets very little signage as a control city until you are practically on top of it.

Santa Rosa was a major Railroad junction town where the Southern Pacific meets the Rock Island

Thanks for mentioning I-57. I was wrong on the I-30 video to suggest that it would be extended to Missouri. You are correct that it will be I-57

Wilmington was not where I-40 originally terminated. This section was built a lot later then then original highway system in the 1960s and 1970s. As someone who has done a fare amount of traveling on the interstate system as a military dependent, the signage is more likely from the early time period of the highways and before GPS. It most likely made for less confusion and time to keep looking at hard copy maps.

One sign from Tucumcari says 40 east San Jon. SAN JON ONLY HAS 216 PEOPLE LIVING THERE!!!

Fun fact: Basketball player James Worthy, former Los Angeles Lakers great, is from Gastonia, North Carolina. 😀

You will sincerely enjoy I-70 westbound from Baltimore to Columbus. There are no signs on I-70 west of Frederick that mention Pittsburgh. Breezewood, yup. The Turnpike has such signs, and I-70 west of New Stanton point out Washington, PA and Wheeling, but some of the small towns...Lover, Speers, Eighty Four, West Alex....

It took forever for them to finish it in NC. At 14:30 in the video 85N should be signed to Richmond VA because that's the road you would take to Petersburg then catch a short run on 95 to Richmond (like 20 miles). I used to drive it all the time Richmond to Atlanta.

It's tough to figure what to sign 95 for when going east on 40, because anyone on 40 east who wanted to go to Richmond or Washington should have just taken 85 out of the Triangle. However, NC of course didn't sign Richmond for 85 when it should have, so that does make an argument for Richmond on 95.

Sorry random note. I drive I-90 every week for work, I-90 in NY breaks the mile marker rule. Eastbound numbers go down, westbound they go up. I believe it's supposed to be a countdown to NYC but not sure why they broke the rules. Also NY does exits chronologically and not based on mile marker.

Although the pull through control city heading east from Albuquerque is Santa Rosa, there is a mileage sign just past I-25 at the Wyoming Blvd interchange giving distance to Amarillo (281 miles). My guess is that when I-57 is completed down to Little Rock, the control city will be St. Louis, as the sign on US 67 (future I-57) just north of I-40 already lists St. Louis. Chicago would be almost 650 miles away, which is pretty far for a control city.

I'll go out of my way not to take I-40 here in North Carolina. People in Raleigh especially have no idea how to drive. It's always a mess.

Kingman will be the western intersection with the future I-11 that supplants US 93 as the bulk of the Las Vegas-Phoenix route. That is a good control. I-40 would make more sense turned northeastward to the highly-populous southeastern part of Virginia than to Wilmington, Switch it with 87, which would make sense.

For a while on EB I10, between Flatonia and Luling, SCHULENBURG was listed as a control city.

16:08; 95 South Savannah. That would be the next place up and then from Savannah would be Brunswick (Secondary) and Jacksonville (Primary)

This could be a long list, so I’m preparing myself for a difficult time. But here goes: FLAGSTAFF: BEGINNING-Arizona Exit 178 (13.5 miles to the first exit in Flagstaff) ALBUQUERQUE: Arizona Exit 178-New Mexico Exit 117 (22.6 miles to the first exit in Albuquerque) AMARILLO: New Mexico Exit 117-Texas Exit 49 (13.1 miles to the first exit in Amarillo) OKLAHOMA CITY: Texas Exit 49-Oklahoma Exit 108 (24.3 miles to the first exit in Oklahoma City) FORT SMITH: Oklahoma Exit 108-Oklahoma Exit 151B (173.1 miles to the first exit with service to Fort Smith) WICHITA/FORT SMITH: Oklahoma Exit 151B-(I 35) Oklahoma Exit 128 (REAL Exit 153; 149.9 miles to the first exit in Wichita) FORT SMITH: Oklahoma Exit 128-Oklahoma Exit 321 (4.2 miles to the first exit with service to Fort Smith) LITTLE ROCK: Oklahoma Exit 321-Arkansas Exit 135 (11.9 miles to the first exit with service to Little Rock) MEMPHIS: Arkansas Exit 135-Arkansas Exit 265 (20.3 miles to the first exit in Memphis) JACKSON TN: Arkansas Exit 265-Arkansas Exit 277 (84.6 miles to the first exit in Jackson TN) JACKSON TN/JACKSON MS: Arkansas Exit 277-Arkansas Exit 279B (via I 55 S; 204.4 miles to the first exit with service to Jackson MS; 205.3 miles to the first exit in Jackson MS) JACKSON TN: Arkansas Exit 279B-Tennessee Exit 42 (34.1 miles to the first exit in Jackson TN) NASHVILLE: Tennessee Exit 42-Tennessee Exit 182 (11.6 miles to the first exit in Nashville) KNOXVILLE: Tennessee Exit 182-Tennessee Exit 208 (166.6 miles to the first exit in Knoxville) HUNTSVILLE/KNOXVILLE: Tennessee Exit 208-Tennessee Exit 210 (via I 65 S; 81.3 miles to the first exit with service to Huntsville; 109 miles to the only exit in Huntsville) KNOXVILLE: Tennessee Exit 210-Tennessee Exit 211 (163.4 miles to the first exit in Knoxville) CHATTANOOGA/KNOXVILLE: Tennessee Exit 211-Tennessee Exit 213A (via I 24 E; 122.3 miles to the first exit in Chattanooga) KNOXVILLE: Tennessee Exit 213A-Tennessee Exit 364 (10.7 miles to the first exit in Knoxville) KINGSPORT/ASHEVILLE: Tennessee Exit 364-Tennessee Exit 368 (via I 81 N; 110.2 miles to the first exit in Kingsport; 128.2 miles to the first exit in Asheville) ASHEVILLE/ RICHMOND: Tennessee Exit 368-Tennessee Exit 385 (via I 75 N; 140 miles to the first exit in Richmond) KINGSPORT/ASHEVILLE: Tennessee Exit 385-Tennessee Exit 421 (via I 81 N; 55.9 miles to the first exit in Kingsport) ASHEVILLE: Tennessee Exit 421-North Carolina Exit 33 (11.1 miles to the first exit in Asheville) HICKORY: North Carolina Exit 33-North Carolina Exit 119 (4 miles to the first exit in Hickory) WINSTON-SALEM: North Carolina Exit 119-North Carolina Exit 180 (7.9 miles to the first exit in Winston-Salem) GREENSBORO: North Carolina Exit 180-North Carolina Exit 203 (3.9 miles to the first exit in Greensboro) BURLINGTON: North Carolina Exit 203-(I 85) North Carolina Exit 132 (REAL Exit 228; 8 miles to the first exit in Burlington) DURHAM: North Carolina Exit 132-(I 85) North Carolina Exit 163 (REAL Exit 259; via I 85 N; 9.3 miles to the first exit in Durham North; 15.9 miles to the first exit in Durham South) DURHAM SOUTH: North Carolina Exit 163-North Carolina Exit 266 (8.4 miles to the first exit in Durham South) RALEIGH: North Carolina Exit 266-North Carolina Exit 284 (5.1 miles to the first exit in Raleigh) FAYETTEVILLE/WILMINGTON: North Carolina Exit 284-North Carolina Exit 328A (via I 95 S; 26 miles to the first exit with service to Fayetteville; 32 miles to the only exit in Fayetteville) WILMINGTON: North Carolina Exit 328A-North Carolina Exit 414 (5.4 miles to the first exit in Wilmington) Usually, I’m not in favor of adding suffixes to controls like states or cardinal directions, but this particular direction on I 40 has one instance of each where it may be necessary. There’s no reason why I 40 E and I 55 S should continue to prioritize Memphis as a primary when already in West Memphis (in my part of the country, controls get downgraded to secondaries a ways out from the actual city limits; I understand it because by now, it is all but guaranteed that the traffic is headed to the former primary control). As such, I start to prioritize the NEXT control. However, since both routes lead to different cities of the same name the state abbreviation is necessary here. Instance two is I 40 E and I 85 N approaching Durham. I was initially going to just delegate I 85 to Durham, but I 40 has SIX exits in Durham itself, so here, the cardinal direction would be a major help for motorists seeking a certain part of Durham. As for overhead signs, Needles and Barstow are really the only boo-boos made by California that I can find. Considering the size of the state, I’d say it does very good overall. Currently, Kingman isn’t quite big enough for my rules, but it is very close. Other than that, Arizona really is almost perfect. New Mexico, however, is a different story. While Gallup is sort of well known, when I hear Santa Rosa, I’m always going to think of Northern California before New Mexico, and Tucumcari is worse. In Tennessee, sticking with my new rule of treating Bristol like one city, it is fine as a control for I 81, but since I 81 also has FIVE exits in Kingsport, I’d like to see both as equals. But I’m not going to say this prevents Tennessee from being possibly a Top 3 state. As for North Carolina, I really don’t think it does too bad outside of Statesville (more akin to Albert Lea than Lake City is in my opinion). Benson gets off because leaving Raleigh, it looks like Wilmington is prioritized, as it should be.

I can't wait until i77 or i81 where you can go North on 81 while also at the same time going south on 77

0:35 Why is Tennessee part of North Carolina (or vice versa)

US 287 is divided highway from Amarillo to Ft worth... 75 mph... Major Trucking route

He ranting about Lexington 13:26

8:37 Whenever state abbreviations are on signs, they should be in all caps for better readability. I saw a sign in Missouri that had "Dryersburg Tn" on the sign. Honestly, it looks so weird to not see two letter state abbreviations in all caps.

North Carolina deletes few US routes in favor of Interstates. Contrast California, Arizona, new Mexico, Texas, Michigan, and Ohio. The idea was to have far fewer "messy" signs.

US 287 should be converted to interstate standards from Amarillo to Fort Worth, major truck route. Then extend I-27 to I-70 in Limon, CO - cheaper than extending I-27 to North Dakota. Control city for US 287 should be Wichita Falls after Amarillo, since it’s a major city in Texas. Control city after Flagstaff would be Bakersfield on I-40. Since I-40 is planned to be extended west of Barstow. They’re converting CA 58 to interstate standards between I-5 & CA 99, which is called the Westside Phwy - that will soon be I-40.

The ending/beginning of i40 in Wilmington is non-existent. They just expect you to know.

epic cali freeway

I-40 should be expanded west at least to I-5 if not to San Luis Obispo, and in the east should be rerouted along what is being built as “I-87” Raleigh to Wilmington should be a new interstate called I-97 that goes to Myrtle Beach via what NC plans to build as I-74.

I do think they should extend 57 to Little Rock, but the control city should be St. Louis. It will be faster to take it to 55 to get to St. Louis than to go all the way to West Memphis

The i 40 bridge in Memphis reopend in August 2021

77mph in 75, lol, wow.

I think that from Barstow, 40 east should be signed for the Grand Canyon. And that if they extend it to I-5 which they should, the control cities from Flagstaff westbound should be: Kingman or Las Vegas (because of I-11) Bakersfield (maybe LA and SF also) San Luis Obispo/San Francisco I say SF from Bakersfield because that is fastest way to the Bay Area, and there’s not much on I-5 between what is currently CA-58 and Tracy. It should not be Sacramento because CA 99 is the better way there from Bakersfield, especially if they upgrade it to an interstate

8:32....Sorry Ms. Jackson....I am for real....

With 81 North, if not Bristol, what do you go with? Wytheville? Probable not. Nearest big(ish) city would be Roanoke. So I think Bristol makes sense

Here is how I'd sign the control cities for I-40 East: Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Amarillo, OKC, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Durham/Raleigh (during the I-85 concurrency), Raleigh, Wilmington, Downtown

Never say top-sail North Carolinians HATE it, it’s top-sole

It is easier to go through downtown Nashville to 40 Knoxville. 840 Is out of the way

Drove through eastern NC earlier This year , saw signage for I87 , any chance on an episode or mention? It’s supposedly not finished yet

Can’t wait till you get to I-79 so my chunk of NW Pa gets some love

You know, for the mileage signs, they should sign some Route 66 cities and towns. However, a few of them should be signed in overhead signs. Here's my opinion on how they should be signed for overhead signs: -Kingman, AZ •Flagstaff, AZ -Gallup, NM | •Albuquerque, NM •Albuquerque, NM •Amarillo, TX •Oklahoma City •Fort Smith, AR •Little Rock, AR •Memphis, TN •Nashville, TN •Knoxville, TN •Asheville, NC •Winston-Salem, NC •Greensboro, NC •Durham, NC •Raleigh, NC •Wilmington, NC

What is L.R.A.F.B

I totally agree with the 95 north/south signs at 16:08. So bad by the NC DOT. North for Richmond/DC and South for Jacksonville would be infinitely better!

I want to get an I-40 shirt sometime soon, what color would look best with the highway shield?

Anyone think that I-40 should continue all the way to LA via CA-14 it would make a lot more sense in my opinion

Where are all these sigt

it should be Amarillo LOL

9:49 why not “Franklin/Huntsville”?

yay I-40

When was the picture at 15:30 taken? I ask because according to GMaps, there should also be an “I-87 North” on that sign.

I 990 the highest number.