Interstate 70 in Kansas
In the U.S. state of Kansas, Interstate 70 (I-70) contains the first segment to start being paved and to be completed in the Interstate Highway System. It extends from the Colorado border near the town of Kanorado to the Missouri border in Kansas City. The route covers 424 miles (682 km) and passes through several of the state's principal cities in the process including Kansas City, Topeka, and Salina. The route also passes through the cities of Lawrence, Junction City, and Abilene.
![]() I-70 highlighted in red | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by KDOT and KTA | ||||
Length | 424.15 mi[1] (682.60 km) | |||
Existed | 1956–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() ![]() | |||
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East end | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Counties | Sherman, Thomas, Logan, Gove, Trego, Ellis, Russell, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Saline, Dickinson, Geary, Riley, Wabaunsee, Shawnee, Douglas, Leavenworth, Wyandotte | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Route description
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I-70 is concurrent with US-24 from the Colorado state line until US-24 splits at Levant and runs north of I-70. At Colby, I-70 begins to turn southeast until it reaches Oakley, where US-40 joins with I-70 for a concurrent journey through most of the state. The route remains flat until it reaches the county line between Russell and Ellsworth counties, where the road begins to traverse the Smoky Hills.
At Salina, Interstate 135 begins its journey southward toward Wichita, and I-70 continues through Abilene and Junction City, where the road begins to run through the Flint Hills.
In Topeka, I-70 intersects a child route, I-470, twice. The second time it is intersected, the Kansas Turnpike merges, making I-70 into a toll road. This is one of only two sections of I-70 that are tolled (the other is along the Pennsylvania Turnpike), with the maximum toll distance costing $3.50 as of 2018.[2] I-70 carries this designation from Topeka to Bonner Springs. It is the eastern terminus of the turnpike, and from there to 18th Street and extending on to the Kansas eastern border, the highway is free.
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I-70 enters Missouri via a main northern route on the Lewis and Clark Viaduct above the confluence of the Kansas River and Missouri River and a route designated "Alternate I-70" which has signs for I-70 as well as Interstate 670 just south of Kansas City main downtown area.
From Exit 275 at Abilene to the Missouri state line, the road is named the Dwight D. Eisenhower-Harry S. Truman Presidential Highway. It retains the designation until Exit 16 in Missouri at Independence, the location of Truman's presidential library.
History
The section of I-70 that is now the Kansas Turnpike was finished by 1956 and opened to traffic.[3][4] West of Topeka, the freeway was constructed from Topeka west to Salina at its junction with U.S. Route 81, as well as from Ogallah to Grainfield.[5] From Salina, the freeway was completed through Wilson the next year. A segment of I-70 from Levant through Ogallah was finished by 1965.[6] Another section was built the following year connecting Wilson to Grainfield.[7] The freeway was completed through Kansas with a last section near the Colorado border in 1970.[8]
Exit list
Exit numbers correspond to the mileposts where they are located (numbered east from the Colorado border), except for those between Topeka and Kansas City, which are part of the Kansas Turnpike and use its mileposts (numbered nominally north from the Oklahoma border) instead.
County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kansas–Colorado line | 0.000 | 0.000 | ![]() ![]() | |||||
Sherman | | 1.35 | 2.17 | 1 | ![]() | |||
| 9.32 | 15.00 | 9 | County Road 11 | ||||
| 12.27 | 19.75 | 12 | County Road 14 | ||||
Goodland | 17.27 | 27.79 | 17 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||
19.25 | 30.98 | 19 | ![]() ![]() | |||||
| 27.22 | 43.81 | 27 | ![]() | ||||
Thomas | | 36.34 | 58.48 | 36 | ![]() | |||
| 45.83 | 73.76 | 45 | ![]() | Eastern end of US-24 concurrency | |||
Colby | 53.81 | 86.60 | 53 | ![]() | ||||
| 54.80 | 88.19 | 54 | Country Club Drive | ||||
| 62.73 | 100.95 | 62 | County Road K | ||||
| 70.01 | 112.67 | 70 | ![]() | ||||
Logan |
No major junctions | |||||||
Gove | | 75.87 | 122.10 | 76 | ![]() | Western end of US-40 concurrency | ||
| 79.80 | 128.43 | 79 | Campus Road | ||||
| 85.75 | 138.00 | 85 | ![]() | ||||
| 93.72 | 150.83 | 93 | ![]() | ||||
| 95.68 | 153.98 | 95 | ![]() | Grainfield only signed westbound; to K-23 north via unsigned K-23 Spur; southern terminus of unsigned K-23 Spur | |||
| 99.67 | 160.40 | 99 | ![]() | ||||
Quinter | 107.31 | 172.70 | 107 | Castle Rock Road – Quinter | Former K-212 | |||
Trego | | 114.93 | 184.96 | 115 | ![]() | |||
| 119.84 | 192.86 | 120 | Voda Road | ||||
WaKeeney | 126.89 | 204.21 | 127 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||
127.93 | 205.88 | 128 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||||
| 135.11 | 217.44 | 135 | ![]() | ||||
| 140.23 | 225.68 | 140 | Riga Road | ||||
Ellis | Ellis | 145.29 | 233.82 | 145 | ![]() | |||
| 152.68 | 245.71 | 153 | Yocemento Avenue | ||||
Hays | 156.80 | 252.35 | 157 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||
159.00 | 255.89 | 159 | ![]() | |||||
| 161.31 | 259.60 | 161 | Commerce Parkway | ||||
| 163.35 | 262.89 | 163 | Toulon Avenue | ||||
| 168.34 | 270.92 | 168 | ![]() | ||||
| 172.56 | 277.71 | 172 | Walker Avenue | ||||
Russell | | 175.56 | 282.54 | 175 | 176th Street – Gorham | Former K-257 | ||
| 180.56 | 290.58 | 180 | Balta Road | ||||
Russell | 184.54 | 296.99 | 184 | ![]() | Former western terminus of US-40 Bus. | |||
| 188.56 | 303.46 | 189 | Pioneer Road | Former eastern terminus of US-40 Bus. | |||
| 192.56 | 309.90 | 193 | Bunker Hill Road | ||||
Dorrance | 199.09 | 320.40 | 199 | Dorrance | Former K-231 | |||
Ellsworth | | 205.48 | 330.69 | 206 | ![]() | |||
| 209.50 | 337.16 | 209 | Sylvan Grove | ||||
| 215.52 | 346.85 | 216 | Vesper | ||||
| 218.54 | 351.71 | 219 | ![]() | West end of K-14 overlap | |||
| 221.44 | 356.37 | 221 | ![]() | East end of K-14 overlap | |||
| 224.87 | 361.89 | 225 | ![]() | ||||
Lincoln | | 232.96 | 374.91 | 233 | Beverly, Carneiro | |||
Saline | | 237.96 | 382.96 | 238 | Brookville, Tescott | |||
| 243.97 | 392.63 | 244 | Hedville, Culver | ||||
| 248.99 | 400.71 | 249 | Halstead Road | ||||
| 250.24 | 402.72 | 250A-B | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of I-135, exits 95A-B; cloverleaf interchange. | |||
Salina | 252.02 | 405.59 | 252 | ![]() | ||||
| 253.09 | 407.31 | 253 | Ohio Street | ||||
| 259.49 | 417.61 | 260 | Niles Road | ||||
Dickinson | Solomon | 265.94 | 427.99 | 266 | Solomon Road | Former K-221 | ||
| 272.00 | 437.74 | 272 | Fair Road | ||||
Abilene | 274.54 | 441.83 | 275 | ![]() | ||||
| 277.09 | 445.93 | 277 | Jeep Road | ||||
| 280.30 | 451.10 | 281 | ![]() | ||||
| 285.54 | 459.53 | 286 | ![]() | ||||
Geary | | 289.85 | 466.47 | 290 | Milford Lake Road | |||
Junction City | 294.34 | 473.69 | 295 | ![]() ![]() | West end of K-18 overlap | |||
295.92 | 476.24 | 296 | ![]() ![]() | |||||
297.29 | 478.44 | 298 | East Street / Chestnut Street | |||||
Grandview Plaza | 298.28 | 480.04 | 299 | Flinthills Boulevard (US-40 Bus. / K-57) / J Hill Road | ||||
299.18 | 481.48 | 300 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | No westbound entrance | ||||
| 300.33 | 483.33 | 301 | Fort Riley, Marshall Field | ||||
| 302.28 | 486.47 | 303 | ![]() | East end of K-18 overlap | |||
| 303.42 | 488.31 | 304 | Humboldt Creek Road | ||||
| 306.87 | 493.86 | 307 | McDowell Creek Road | ||||
| 311.22 | 500.86 | 311 | Moritz Road | ||||
| 313.26 | 504.14 | 313 | ![]() | ||||
Riley | | 315.44 | 507.65 | 316 | Deep Creek Road | |||
| 317.61 | 511.14 | 318 | Frontage Road | ||||
Wabaunsee | | 321.76 | 517.82 | 322 | Tallgrass Road | |||
| 323.25 | 520.22 | 324 | Wabaunsee Road | ||||
| 326.73 | 525.82 | 328 | ![]() | ||||
| 329.26 | 529.89 | 330 | ![]() | ||||
| 331.19 | 533.00 | 332 | Spring Creek Road | ||||
| 332.18 | 534.59 | 333 | ![]() | ||||
| 334.28 | 537.97 | 335 | Snokomo Road | ||||
| 337.24 | 542.74 | 338 | Vera Road | ||||
| 340.22 | 547.53 | 341 | ![]() | ||||
| 341.23 | 549.16 | 342 | Keene-Eskridge Road | ||||
| 342.21 | 550.73 | 343 | Ranch Road | Private interchange put in for Raymond Brethour for the Brethour Ranch. Later Brethour Ranch sold south side of road to Hudson's and it was a shared exit. The Exit was named "Ranch Road" after "the Tod Ranch" that later became the Brethour Ranch. | |||
Shawnee | | 345.20 | 555.55 | 346 | Carlson Road | |||
| 346.70 | 557.96 | 347 | West Union Road | ||||
| 349.22 | 562.02 | 350 | Valencia Road | ||||
| 350.24 | 563.66 | 351 | Frontage Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||
| 352.26 | 566.91 | 353 | ![]() | West end of K-4 overlap | |||
Topeka | 354.65 | 570.75 | 355 | ![]() ![]() | West end of US-75 overlap; western terminus of I-470, exit 1A to 70 east westbound. | |||
355.24 | 571.70 | 356 | Wanamaker Road | |||||
356.38– 356.85 | 573.54– 574.29 | 357A | Fairlawn Road | Signed as exit 357 eastbound | ||||
357B | Danbury Lane | Westbound exit only | ||||||
357.16– 357.54 | 574.79– 575.40 | 358A | ![]() | East end of US-75 overlap; signed as exit 358 eastbound | ||||
358B | Gage Boulevard | Signed as exit 358 eastbound | ||||||
358.56 | 577.05 | 359 | MacVicar Avenue | |||||
360.23– 360.94 | 579.73– 580.88 | 361A | 1st Avenue | Provides access to Topeka Boulevard; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
361B | 3rd Street / Monroe Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||||
361.04– 361.66 | 581.04– 582.04 | 362A | 4th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
362B | 8th Avenue | Signed as exit 362 eastbound | ||||||
362C | 10th Avenue / Madison Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||||
362.11 | 582.76 | 363 | Adams Street / Branner Trafficway | |||||
363.08– 363.82 | 584.32– 585.51 | 364A | California Avenue | |||||
364B | Carnahan Avenue / Deer Creek Trafficway | |||||||
364.58 | 586.73 | 365 | Rice Road | |||||
365.39 | 588.04 | 366 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Last free exit eastbound; east end of US-40/K-4 overlap | ||||
366.29 | 589.49 | East Topeka Interchange toll plaza West end of toll road | ||||||
— | ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of Kansas Turnpike overlap; I-70 westbound exits turnpike via exit 183; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit numbers follow KTA mileage | ||||||
| 370.90 | 596.91 | Topeka Service Area | |||||
Douglas | | 379.96 | 611.49 | 197 | ![]() | Toll exit numbers follow Kansas Turnpike; access to Lecompton provided by CR-438 (North 1800 Road) | ||
Lawrence | 384.71 | 619.13 | 202 | ![]() | ||||
386.25 | 621.61 | 204 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||||
Leavenworth | | 391.71 | 630.40 | Lawrence Service Area | ||||
Tonganoxie | 394.55 | 634.97 | 212 | Tonganoxie, Eudora | ||||
| 399.55 | 643.01 | Eastern Terminal toll plaza East end of toll road | |||||
Wyandotte | Kansas City | 406.29 | 653.86 | 224 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Exit number follows Kansas Turnpike mileposts; last free exit westbound; west end of US-24/US-40 overlap; southern terminus of US-73; westbound exits signed as exit 224A (south) and 224B (north) | ||
409.19 | 658.53 | 410 | 110th Street – Kansas Speedway | Exit numbers follow mileage of I-70. | ||||
410.48 | 660.60 | 411A-B | ![]() | I-435 exits 12A-B; signed as exits 411A (south) and 411B (north) | ||||
413.20 | 664.98 | 414 | 78th Street | |||||
414.35 | 666.83 | 415 | Turner Diagonal / College Parkway | Signed as exits 415A (Turner Diagonal) and 415B (College Parkway) eastbound | ||||
415.93 | 669.37 | 417 | 57th Street | |||||
417.57 | 672.01 | 418A-B | ![]() | Signed as exits 418A (north) and 418B (south) eastbound; westbound access is part of exit 419; I-635 exits 4A-B | ||||
418.04 | 672.77 | 419 | Park Drive / 38th Street | |||||
419.32 | 674.83 | 420A | ![]() | West end of US-69 overlap; east end of Kansas Turnpike | ||||
420B | 18th Street north | |||||||
421.12 | 677.73 | 421A | Railroad Yard – No outlet, railroad use only | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
421B | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||||
420.68– 421.33 | 677.02– 678.06 | 422A | ![]() | East end of US-69 overlap | ||||
422B | ![]() | West end of US-169 overlap | ||||||
422C | Pacific Avenue | |||||||
422D | Central Avenue | |||||||
421.68– 422.26 | 678.63– 679.56 | 423A | 5th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
423B | James Street / 3rd Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||||
423C | Minnesota Avenue / Washington Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||||
423D | Fairfax District | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||||
Kansas–Missouri line | 422.82 | 680.46 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Auxiliary routes
I-70 has two auxiliary routes in Kansas:
I-470 - a loop around the southern side of Topeka, signed as the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway and overlapping the Kansas Turnpike on the southeast side of town. I-670 - an alternate route for I-70 travelers through downtown Kansas City, signed as the Dillingham Freeway and as Alternate I-70.
References
- "Route Log and Finder List - Interstate System - table 1". Federal Highway Administration. 2002-10-31. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
- "Tolls". Kansas Turnpike Authority.
- "Big Impact Seen For Local Area In Superhighway". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. October 24, 1956. pp. 1–2.
- "KTA Officials Say Traffic Heavy on Pike This Morning". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. October 20, 1956.
- 1963-1964 Kansas State Highway Map (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- 1965 Kansas State Highway Map (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- 1966 Kansas State Highway Map (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- 1970 Kansas State Highway Map (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
External links
- Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
- Big Ol' Windfarm in Kansas on YouTube - video of the Smoky Hills Wind Farm around mile 230 on Interstate 70, near Ellsworth
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