This project is likened to different websites regarding Route 66 and different exploration sites. The idea came from a ride from Belmont County, Ohio to Columbus, Ohio. I had been in belmont county for a death in the family and took advantage of a chance to shoot some pictures of what we locally refer as “The End of 40”. This is at exit 202 on I70. On the way back to Columbus, I noticed how many sections of lonely road ran parallel to I-70 with the same exact style of guard rail as I had seen at the end of 40. It was at that moment that I decided to sometime in the future, attempt to drive from Columbus to the Ohio/WVa border using as little of I-70 as possible. My project is made a bit more difficult, because in the 1930’s as part of a WPA project US Route 40 was widened/moved. This means that there is a 1930’s right of way and an older pre 1930’s right of way. The pre 1930’s right of way was typically paved with brick.
The next thought was why stop there? Why not someday try to drive from Columbus to the Ohio/In border using as much of the original US route 40 as possible. Then the next logical progression was “What the hell….40 runs through other states besides Ohio. So this is an all call to all road geeks. If you are near a section of US 40, abondoned or otherwise. Please shoot some pictures and drop me a note. I’d love to document as much of US 40 as possible.
For those of you that do not know. In alot of places such as “The End of 40”, I-70 was built over top of the existing US 40. In other places US 40 is not much more than a dirt road with an occasional house in the shadow of I-70.