U.S. Route 340

US 340 has a length of in Virginia. The U.S. Highway passes to the north of Rion Hall, crosses over CSX's Shenandoah Subdivision rail line, and meets the southern end of WV 230 (Shepherdstown Pike) at Halltown. Along the southern edge of the town of Bolivar, US 340 meets the western end of US 340 Alt. (Washington Street), which is the main street of Bolivar and Harpers Ferry, and the entrance to the visitors center of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, which is next to the Allstadt House and Ordinary. Harpers Ferry to Frederick in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. This bridge also carries the Appalachian Trail over the river. US 340 reduces to two lanes and begins its traversal of the Potomac Water Gap, where that river passes through two ridges. The highway descends to and crosses over the Shenandoah Subdivision and the Shenandoah River, then it follows the east bank of the river to the river's confluence with the Potomac River. US 340 follows the south bank of the Potomac River as the river passes between Blue Ridge Mountain to the south and Elk Ridge, also known as Maryland Heights. At Blue Ridge Mountain, the U.S. Highway enters Loudoun County. US 340 has its sole intersection in its second run through Virginia with SR 671 (Harpers Ferry Road) in Loudoun Heights. The route then crosses the Potomac River into Washington County, Maryland, on a southwest–northeast angle on a two-lane steel continuous deck truss bridge that passes above Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, CSX's Cumberland Subdivision rail line, and Sandy Hook Road. US 340 expands to a four-lane freeway at the community of Sandy Hook, curves east through a trumpet interchange with MD 67 (Rohrersville Road), and crosses Israel Creek at Weverton. The highway, the canal, and the railroad parallel the Potomac River through the second ridge, which comprises South Mountain in Maryland and Short Hill Mountain in Virginia. US 340's name changes to Jefferson National Pike as it enters Frederick County. The highway leaves the Potomac Water Gap and enters the Middletown Valley at its partial interchange with MD 180 (Jefferson Pike) at Knoxville; there is no access from westbound US 340 to eastbound MD 180 or from westbound MD 180 to eastbound US 340. The U.S. highway meets MD 17 (Burkittsville Road) at a diamond interchange near Rosemont and crosses Little Catoctin Creek. East of Petersville, US 340 has a diamond interchange with MD 180 and crosses Catoctin Creek. On the western edge of Jefferson, westbound US 340 receives a ramp from MD 180. Full access to Jefferson is provided by a diamond interchange with Lander Road. The U.S. highway passes through a wide gap in Catoctin Mountain and has a partial interchange with US 15 (Catoctin Mountain Highway), which heads south toward Point of Rocks. Access from northbound US 15 to westbound US 340 and from eastbound US 340 to southbound US 15 is provided through performing a U-turn at the concurrent highways' next interchange, a diamond interchange with Mt. Zion Road. US 340 and US 15 cross over Ballenger Creek before reaching a diamond interchange with Jefferson Technology Parkway, which is unsigned MD 872G. The highway's partial interchange with I-70 (Eisenhower Memorial Highway) features ramps from eastbound I-70 to both directions of US 340, a ramp from westbound I-70 to westbound US 340, and a ramp from eastbound US 340 to eastbound I-70 and access to southbound I-270 just to the east. Immediately to the northeast, US 340 and US 15 have a four-loop-ramp interchange with MD 180, which heads west as Jefferson Pike and south briefly as Ballenger Creek Pike. US 340 reaches its eastern terminus at the third interchange, which is a partial cloverleaf interchange with the Frederick Freeway. The first ramp from eastbound US 340 provides access to westbound I-70; the second ramp leads to the northbound Frederick Freeway (US 40), onto which US 15 exits. The ramps from westbound US 340 provide full access to I-70, I-270, US 15, and US 40. The roadway continues northeast as Jefferson Street, which reduces to a two-lane undivided street that heads toward an intersection with MD 144 (South Street eastbound and Patrick Street westbound) just west of downtown Frederick. The portion of Jefferson Street between the overpass of US 40 and just west of Jefferson Street's intersection with Pearl Street is unsigned US 15B. ==History==

In Maryland, US 340 follows the corridor of the old road from Frederick to Harpers Ferry, part of which was organized as the Frederick and Jefferson Turnpike between the two towns. Sandy Hook Bridge US 340 originally followed Sandy Hook Road south and west from what is now Keep Tryst Road in Sandy Hook and paralleled the Potomac River west to Maryland Heights directly across the river from downtown Harpers Ferry. There, the U.S. highway crossed the river on a converted railroad bridge immediately upstream from the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers and downstream from the two railroad bridges—one for CSX's Cumberland Subdivision on the north and the other for the Shenandoah Subdivision—that presently cross the river at the site. After the highway bridge was destroyed in the March 1936 flood, a wooden floor was placed on the Shenandoah Subdivision bridge for that bridge to temporarily serve both rail and automobile traffic. Later in 1936, Maryland and West Virginia acquired the right-of-way of the destroyed toll bridge owned by the Harpers Ferry and Potomac Bridge Company by eminent domain with an aim to build a new bridge at the site. In August 1939, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia decided to instead embark on a tri-state road and bridge program to replace the destroyed bridge. Plans for bridges across the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers and connecting highways were completed in August 1940. The new bridge across the Potomac river was to be placed at Sandy Hook to exploit the scenic views of the Potomac Water Gap. However, in December 1940, construction was delayed and plans needed to be modified to eliminate a sharp turn at the Virginia landing of the bridge. Despite a late request from the Virginia State Highway Department to move the Potomac River crossing upstream in June 1941, the concrete substructure of the Sandy Hook bridge was started in autumn 1941. The substructure was completed in March 1943. A request for bids for the Sandy Hook bridge's steel superstructure was advertised in November 1941. However, with the U.S. entering into World War II the following month, the construction of the superstructure of the bridge would be delayed until after the war due to the unavailability of steel. The Maryland State Roads Commission advertised for bids for the Sandy Hook bridge's superstructure in December 1945. Construction started shortly thereafter and the superstructure was completed in January 1947. The Maryland and Virginia approach roads were completed later in 1947 and the bridge officially opened October 19, 1947. Although the residents of Harpers Ferry lobbied for an on-site replacement of the bridge over the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry so US 340 would continue to pass directly through the historic town, the West Virginia State Road Commission completed a new roadway and a new Shenandoah River crossing along US 340's present alignment in 1949. US 340 was rerouted onto its present course over the two new bridges by 1950. ==Future==

Construction had begun to expand the West Virginia portion of the road between the Virginia state line and Wheatland, which is south of Charles Town, West Virginia. This will convert the highway into four lanes. The highway is being realigned near the town of Rippon, which will impact many homes and businesses. Road name and address changes will happen in the area. This project was planned to be completed in 2025. The two-lane portion of the highway between Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and the Virginia state line is often burdened by heavy traffic, and the West Virginia Department of Transportation is examining ways to mitigate backups. An interchange has been planned for the future section of Monocacy Boulevard within the planned Jefferson Tech Park in Frederick, Maryland. ==Major intersections==

US 340 is signed north–south from US 11 in Greenville, VA, to the Virginia-Maryland state line and east–west from the Virginia-Maryland state line to US 15/US 40/Jefferson St in Frederick, MD. {{MDint|exit {{MDint|exit {{MDint|exit ==Special routes==

Virginia truck route U.S. Route 340 Truck (US 340 Truck) is a truck route of US 340 in the city of Waynesboro, Virginia. The route follows US 250/Broad Street through downtown. The route was formed in the 1990s. Virginia business route U.S. Route 340 Business (US 340 Bus.) is a business route of US 340 in Page County, Virginia. West Virginia alternate route U.S. Route 340 Alternate (US 340 Alt.) is an unsigned alternate route of US 340. It is a spur following Washington Street and High Street through the towns of Bolivar and Harpers Ferry. ==See also==