U.S. Route 240

U.S. Route 240
Washington National Pike Wisconsin Avenue
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 40
Existed:	1926 – 1972
Major junctions
South end:	US 50 in Washington, D.C.
	I-270 / MD 355 near Bethesda, MD I-70 in Frederick, MD
North end:	US 40 in Frederick, MD
Location
States:	District of Columbia, Maryland
Counties:	DC: Washington MD: Montgomery, Frederick
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Replaced ← MD 239 MD MD 242 → ← US 211 DC I‑270 →

U.S. Route 240 is a defunct designation for a short, but once very important, segment of highway between Frederick, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

This route description features US 240 as it existed in 1945, with references to today's highways to provide context.

US 240 began at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street near the White House in Washington. US 1 followed 14th Street through the intersection. Pennsylvania Avenue east of US 1 was part of District of Columbia Routes 4 and 5, which ran concurrently along Pennsylvania Avenue southeast around the Capitol and across the Anacostia River, east of which they diverged toward the D.C. ends of MD 4 and MD 5, respectively. US 240 headed west on Pennsylvania Avenue to 15th Street, then entered the White House grounds, which are today known as President's Park and features streets closed to the public. The U.S. Highway headed straight west for a block, then curved around the south side of the South Lawn (White House) to E Street, then followed E Street west to 17th Street. US 240 followed 17th Street north to Farragut Square, where the highway intersected K Street, which carried US 50.

US 240 continued north along Connecticut Avenue to Dupont Circle, which did not yet have an underpass for Connecticut Avenue. At the circle, the U.S. Highway met US 29, which used New Hampshire Avenue on both sides of the circle, and US 240 Alternate, which headed north on Connecticut Avenue. US 240 continued northwest on Massachusetts Avenue. The highway passed through Sheridan Circle, crossed Rock Creek on what is now named the Charles C. Glover Memorial Bridge, and passed along part of Observatory Circle on the edge of the circular U.S. Naval Observatory grounds. US 240 followed Massachusetts Avenue to its intersection with Wisconsin Avenue next to Washington National Cathedral. There, the U.S. Highway turned north and followed Wisconsin Avenue through Tenleytown to the District of Columbia boundary at Western Avenue in Friendship Heights.

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Wikipedia