One more old alignment of US 40 and the National Road lurks in western Indiana, and it takes us from West Terre Haute almost to the Illinois border. It’s highlighted in green on this image.
At one time, as best as I can piece together, the road curved south just before it crossed Sugar Creek (at upper right on the image above). The bridge is gone and buildings stand in the former roadway on both sides of the creek, but the old road is accessible via the next crossroads. Here’s the old road westbound.
After the road curves again it crosses another little creek. This time, the bridge is still intact.
This bridge was built in 1919. Indiana had just formed its first numbered highway system two years before, and the National Road was State Road 3. It wouldn’t become US 40 until 1926.
Not far beyond the bridge is one final connection to current US 40. Beyond it, the road fades away. Modern US 40 and I-70 merge just past the end of the road.
And so ended my trip along the National Road and US 40 in western Indiana.
On another day, I continued into Illinois. This alignment resumes past the confluence of I-70 and modern-day US 40. It emerges from a woods as a brick road — abandoned for miles and miles. Check it out here and here.
I’ve driven the National Road from its beginning in Baltimore, MD to its end in Vandaila, IL. To read everything I’ve ever written about it, click here.
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