I-40's first open segment 1959 Official

I-40 open from western Burke to Hildebran 1960 Official

I-40 open from Conover to Statesville 1960 Official

I-40 open from NC 801 through Winston-Salem 1960 Official

The 1961 Official shows I-40 open from Black Mountain to Old Fort utilizing the US 70 alignment down the escarpment that was built in 1954; also from NC 226 Marion east to Exit 94; also NC 90 to US 64 on the other side of Statesville utilizing the US 64 Bypass of Statesville first built about 1954.

I-40 shown open from Black Mtn to Old Fort and Marion to Burke Co 1961 Official

I-40 finished on Statesville Bypass 1961 Official

The 1962 Official shows I-40 open from Old Fort to NC 226.
The 1963 Official shows I-40 open from east Winston-Salem to Kernersville.
The 1964 Official shows I-40 open from what is now the US 74 split at Clyde east to a connector called US 23-A just inside Buncombe County (now exit 37).

I-40 shown open from Old Fort to Marion 1962 Official

I-40 finished in Kernersville area 1964 Official

I-40 finished in Canton area 1964 Official

The 1967 Official shows I-40 open from NC 191 to US 25 in Asheville.
In 1968, I-40 was opened from the Tennessee Line to US 276 at Cove Creek.
In Nov 1968, NCDOT requested from the Bureau of Public Roads to extended I-40 east through Greensboro and Raleigh to end at I-95.
The 1969 Official shows I-40 open from US 19-23 Enka to NC 191.

I-40 shown open from NC 191 to US 25 1967 Official

I-40 shown open from Tenn to US 276 1969 Official

The 1970 Official shows I-40 open from US 64 Mocksville to NC 801.
The 1971 Official shows I-40 open from Exit 37 to US 19-23 Enka; also US 64 Statesville to US 64 Mocksville.

I-40 shown open from Mocksville to NC 801 1970 Official

I-40 shown open from Statesville to Mocksville 1971 Official

In Dec 1971 (NCDOT), I-40 was open from what is now NC 147 RTP to what is now Exit 289 Wade Ave in Raleigh. Although maps show Wade Ave as a continuous freeway with I-40. I have found NO official map or Wake County map that shows anything on Wade Ave east of where it now leaves I-40 as part of I-40. I cannot vouch from experience how Wade Ave was posted from what is now I-440 at that time. on the west end, there is no map evidence I-40 was ever assigned to what is now NC 147 heading north into Durham.
The 1972 Official shows I-40 open from US 25 to Oteen.

I-40 shown open from Canton to Enka 1971 Official

I-40 shown open from US 25 to Oteen 1972 Official

The 1974 Official shows I-40 open from US 276 to Exit 37; also Oteen to Swannanoa
The 1976 Official shows I-40 open from Hildebran to NC 16.
The 1979 Official shows I-40 open from Swannanoa to Black Mountain, making I-40 continuous from Tennessee to Greensboro.

I-40 shown open from US 276 to Swannanoa 1975 Official

I-40 shown open from Swannanoa to Black Mountain 1980 Official

In Jan 1982 (NCDOT), I-40 was officially assigned to US 70 between Black Mountain and Old Fort. This is odd since every official map from 1961 onward shows this as an interstate. However, the official county maps only showed this as US 70.
In 1983 or 1984, I-40 was opened from Wade Ave south to US 1, then along the southside of the newly opened Raleigh Beltline.
In Aug 1984 (NCDOT), I-40 was assigned to the freeway from its current eastern end north to US 117 south of Wallace. This was briefly assigned as NC 132 prior to this. The 1985 Official showed I-40 as actually opened only from NC 210 to US 117.
The 1986 Official showed I-40 as open from NC 55 to NC 147; also NC 210 south to its present end at Exit 420.

I-40 shown open from RTP to Raleigh 1972 Official

I-40 shown open from on south part of beltline 1985 Official

I-40 shown open from NC 55 to NC 147 1986 Official

The 1987 official showed I-40 open from US 117 to NC 41 at Wallace.

I-40 shown open from NC 210 to US 117 1985 Official

I-40 shown open from END to NC 210 1986 Official

I-40 shown open from US 117 to NC 41 1987 Official

The 1988 Official showed I-40 open from US 15-501 to NC 55; also the Raleigh Beltline south to US 70 Garner.
The 1989 Official showed I-40 open from I-85 to US 15-501; also US 70 Garner to NC 210 (Johnston Co)
The 1990 Official showed I-40 open from NC 210 to I-95 Benson; also US 117 Warsaw to NC 41 Wallace.

I-40 shown open from US 15-501 to NC 55; Beltline to Garner 1988 Official

I-40 shown open from I-85 to US 15-501; Garner to NC 210 1989 Official

I-40 shown open from NC 210 to I-95 1990 Official

In Jan 1991 (NCDOT), I-40 was assigned to the freeway from I-95 Benson to US 117 Wallace.

I-40 shown open from Warsaw to Wallace 1990 Official

I-40 shown open from I-95 to Warsaw 1992 Official

In Nov 1992 (NCDOT), I-40 was given its freeway bypass of Winston-Salem. A portion of this utilized the US 311 freeway built in the mid-1980s but otherwise was all new construction. The old route through Winston-Salem became I-40 Business and remained part of US 421.
In Feb 2008 (per interstate guide.com), I-40 was placed on a bypass of Greensboro using newly constructed freeway and being added to the recently opened I-85 bypass of Greensboro. The old route through Greensboro became I-40 Bus.

I-40 bypasses Winston-Salem 1993 Official

I-40 bypasses Greensboro 2008 Official

In Sept 2008 (per interstate guide.com), I-40 was returned to its original Greensboro routing. The southwest piece of the bypass route became I-73 while the southeast part remained I-85.

I-40 has a ways to go yet...

...to reach the other end

EXIT 7: FR 288 Cold Springs Creek Rd EXIT 15: SR 1388 Fines Creek Rd EXIT 20: US 276 EXIT 24: NC 209 EXIT 27: US 74 WEST EXIT 31: NC 215 EXIT 33: SR 1004 Newfound Rd EXIT 37: SR 1200 Wiggins Rd EXIT 44: US 19, US 23, US 74-A EXIT 46: I-26, I-240 EXIT 47: NC 191 EXIT 50: US 25 EXIT 51: US 25-A EXIT 53: I-240, US 74-A EXIT 55: SR 2753 Porters Cove Rd EXIT 59: SR 2740 Patton Cove Rd EXIT 64: NC 9 EXIT 65 (WB only): US 70 WEST EXIT 66: SR 2531 Dunsmore Ave EXIT 72 (EB only): US 70 EAST EXIT 73: SR 1103 Bat Cave Rd EXIT 75: SR 1234 Parker Padgett Rd EXIT 81: SR 1001 Sugar Hill Rd EXIT 83: SR 1168 Ashworth Rd EXIT 85: US 221 EXIT 86: NC 226 EXIT 90: SR 1717 Harmony Grove Rd EXIT 94: SR 1129 Dysartsville Rd EXIT 96: SR 1138 Kathy Rd EXIT 98: SR 1147 Causby Rd EXIT 100: SR 1129 Jamestown Rd EXIT 103: US 64 EXIT 104: SR 1922 Enola Rd EXIT 105: NC 18 EXIT 106: SR 1704 Bethel Rd EXIT 107: NC 114 EXIT 111: SR 1712 Flat Gap Rd EXIT 112: SR 1744 Mineral Springs Mountain Rd EXIT 113: SR 1741 Rutherford College Rd EXIT 116: SR 1761 Old NC 10 EXIT 118: SR 1761 Old NC 10 EXIT 119: SR 1002 Henry River Rd EXIT 121: SR 1124 Old Shelby Rd EXIT 123: US 321 EXIT 125: SR 1534 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd EXIT 126: McDonald Pkwy EXIT 128: SR 1476 Fairgrove Church Rd EXIT 130: SR 1007 Old US 70 EXIT 131: NC 16 Bus (removed) EXIT 132: NC 16 EXIT 133: SR 1709 Rock Barn Rd EXIT 135: SR 1715 N. Oxford St EXIT 138: NC 10 EXIT 141: SR 1502 Sharon School Rd Rd EXIT 144: SR 1005 Old Mountain Rd EXIT 146: SR 1512 Stamey Farm Rd EXIT 148: US 64, NC 90 EXIT 150: NC 115 EXIT 151: US 21 EXIT 152: I-77 EXIT 153 (EB only): US 64 EXIT 154: SR 2158 Old Mocksville Rd EXIT 162: US 64 EXIT 168: US 64 EXIT 170: US 601 EXIT 174: SR 1410 Farmington Rd EXIT 180: NC 801 EXIT 182 : SR 1101 Harper Rd EXIT 184: SR 1103 Lewisville Clemmons Rd EXIT 188: I-40 Bus, US 421 EXIT 189: US 158 EXIT 190 (WB only): Hanes Mall Blvd EXIT 192: NC 150 EXIT 193C (WB only): SR 1528 Silas Creek Pkwy EXIT 193: US 52, US 311 NORTH, NC 8 EXIT 195: NC 109 EXIT 196: US 311 SOUTH EXIT 201: SR 2643 Union Cross Rd Rd EXIT 203: NC 66 EXIT 206 (WB only): I-40 Bus, US 421 NORTH EXIT 208: SR 1850 Sandy Ridge Rd EXIT 210: NC 68

EXIT 211: SR 1554 Gallimore Dairy Rd EXIT 212: I-73, US 421 SOUTH EXIT 213: SR 1546 Guilford College Rd EXIT 214: SR 1561 Wendover Ave EXIT 216 (EB only): SR 4238 Patterson St EXIT 217: High Point Rd EXIT 218: US 220 SOUTH EXIT 219: I-85 Bus SOUTH, US 29 SOUTH, US 70 WEST EXIT 220: SR 1007 Randleman Rd EXIT 221: SR 1400 Elm St EXIT 222: SR 1401 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd EXIT 223 (EB only): US 29 NORTH, US 70 EAST, US 220 NORTH EXIT 224: SR 4240 E. Lee St EXIT 226: SR 3000 McConnell Rd EXIT 227: I-85 SOUTH, I-785, I-840 EXIT 132: SR 3045 Mt. Hope Church Rd EXIT 135: SR 3056 Rock Creek Dairy Rd EXIT 138: NC 61 EXIT 140: University Dr EXIT 141: SR 1149 Huffman Mill Rd EXIT 143: NC 62 EXIT 145: NC 49 EXIT 147: NC 87 EXIT 148: NC 54 EXIT 150: SR 1928 Jimmie Kerr Rd EXIT 152: SR 1981 Trollingwood Hawfields Rd EXIT 153: NC 119 EXIT 154: SR 1007 Mebane Oaks Rd EXIT 157: SR 1114 Buckhorn Rd EXIT 160: SR 1120 Mt. Willing Rd EXIT 161: SR 1279 Interstate 85 Connector EXIT 259: I-85 NORTH EXIT 261: SR 1009 Old NC 86 EXIT 263: SR 1723 New Hope Church Rd EXIT 266: NC 86 EXIT 270: US 15, US 501 EXIT 273: NC 54 EXIT 274: NC 751 EXIT 276: SR 1118 Fayetteville Rd EXIT 278: NC 55 EXIT 279: NC 147 EXIT 280: SR 1999 Davis Dr EXIT 281: SR 1959 Miami Blvd EXIT 282: SR 1973 Page Rd EXIT 283: I-540, NC 540 EXIT 284: SR 1640 Airport Blvd EXIT 285: SR 1002 Aviation Pkwy EXIT 287: SR 1655 N. Harrison Ave EXIT 289: Wade Ave EXIT 290: NC 54 EXIT 291: Cary Towne Blvd EXIT 293: I-440, US 1, US 64 WEST EXIT 295: Gorman St EXIT 297: SR 1009 Lake Wheeler Rd EXIT 298: US 70, US 401, NC 50 EXIT 299: Hammond Rd EXIT 300: SR 2564 Rock Quarry Rd EXIT 301: I-440, US 64 EAST EXIT 303: SR 2547 Jones Sausage Rd EXIT 306: US 70 WEST, US 70 Bus EXIT 309: US 70 EAST EXIT 312: NC 42 EXIT 319: NC 210 EXIT 325: NC 242 EXIT 328: I-95 EXIT 334: NC 96 EXIT 341: NC 50, NC 55 EXIT 343: US 701 EXIT 348: SR 1722 Suttontown Rd EXIT 355: US 117 Conn, NC 403 EXIT 364: NC 24 WEST, NC 24 Bus EXIT 369: US 117 EXIT 373: NC 24 EAST, NC 903 EXIT 380: SR 1102 Charity Rd EXIT 384: NC 11 EXIT 385: NC 41 EXIT 390: US 117 EXIT 398: NC 53 EXIT 408: NC 210 EXIT 414: SR 1002 Holly Shelter Rd EXIT 416: I-140, US 17 EXIT 420: US 117, NC 132