Editing Interstate 68 (section)

===Cumberland Thruway===
[[File:Cumberland Thruway Wills Creek.jpg|thumb|left|The Cumberland Thruway bridge, as seen from the Baltimore Street bridge over Wills Creek in Cumberland, Maryland|alt=A highway bridge passes above a creek, with a railroad bridge visible in the background.]]

In the early 1960s, as the [[Interstate Highway System]] was being built throughout the U.S., east–west travel through western Maryland was difficult, as US&nbsp;40, the predecessor to I-68, was a two-lane country road with steep grades and hairpin turns.<ref name=mdrd/> In [[Cumberland, Maryland|Cumberland]], the traffic situation was particularly problematic, as the usage of US&nbsp;40 exceeded the capacity of the city's narrow streets.<ref name=mdrd/> Traffic following US&nbsp;40 through Cumberland entered through the [[Cumberland Narrows]] and followed Henderson Avenue to Baltimore Avenue. After the construction of I-68, this route through Cumberland became [[U.S. Route 40 Alternate (Keysers Ridge–Cumberland, Maryland)|US&nbsp;40 Alternate]] (US&nbsp;40 Alt.).<ref name=HLR/>

Construction began on one of the first sections of what would become I-68, the Cumberland Thruway, on June 10, 1965.<ref name=demolition_bridge>{{cite news |work = [[Cumberland Times-News|Cumberland News]] |date = June 10, 1965 |title = Demolition in Path of Bridge to Begin |page=12}}</ref> This portion of the highway, which consists of a mile-long ({{Convert|1|mi|km|disp=output only}}) elevated bridge, was completed and opened to the public on December 5, 1966.<ref>{{cite news |work = Cumberland News |date = December 5, 1966 |title = Cumberland Thruway Opened to Motorists |page=5}}</ref> The elevated highway connected Lee Street in west Cumberland to Maryland Avenue in east Cumberland, providing a quicker path for motorists traveling through the town on US&nbsp;40 and [[U.S. Route 220|US&nbsp;220]]. The Cumberland Thruway was extended to US&nbsp;220 and then to Vocke Road ([[Maryland Route&nbsp;658]], or MD&nbsp;658) by 1970.<ref name=To_220>{{cite news |work = [[Cumberland Times-News|Cumberland Evening Times]] |date = February 9, 1967 |title = Next Phase of Thruway Bids Asked |page=27}}</ref><ref name=Vocke>{{cite news |work = Cumberland News |date = October 18, 1969 |title = New Freeway Sections Will Open Today |page=25}}</ref> Problems quickly emerged with the highway, especially near an area called "Moose Curve". At Moose Curve, the road curves sharply at the bottom of [[Haystack Mountain (Maryland)|Haystack Mountain]], and traffic accidents are common.<ref>{{cite news |work = Cumberland Evening Times |date = July 28, 1972 |title = Transportation Department Head to Check Thruway |page=9}}</ref>