Greens Prairie Road and SH 40 were renamed in honor of William D. Fitch in August 2006.

The road heads near residential subdivisions, becoming a divided highway with the median widening to include woodland.

The highway heads through more wooded areas with some fields and residential neighborhoods, turning to the east.

[1][3][4] A previous highway, also called SH 40, existed from March 17, 1919[5] until September 26, 1939, and ran from the Oklahoma state line north of Gainesville down through Denton, Dallas and Beaumont before ending in Sabine Pass.

SH 40A was a spur route proposed on September 16, 1926, going from St. Augustine south to Zavalla.