Interstate 135


Interstate 135 is a 95.7-mile-long Interstate Highway in central and south-central Kansas, USA. I-135 runs between the cities of Salina and Wichita. The route also runs through the cities of McPherson, Newton, and Park City. The interstate's northern terminus is at the junction of Interstate 70 and its southern terminus is with Interstate 35.
The highway was designated as Interstate 35W until September 1976, when it was renumbered as I-135 to conform to new AASHTO policies that eliminated most suffixed Interstate highways. It is the longest 3-digit "spur", with an odd first digit, in the Interstate system.

Route description

I-135 begins from the south at Exit 42 on the Kansas Turnpike. US-81 joins I-135 half a mile later, and remains concurrent with it for the rest of its length. Less than a mile from the Kansas Turnpike tollbooth, I-235, a loop around the western side of Wichita, branches off the highway. I-135 continues northward from there, running just east of the Wichita downtown area. It reunites with I-235 at Milepost 11 at the loop's other end.
I-135 leaves Wichita and continues northward to Newton where it turns northwest around milemarker 33. The freeway continues in this direction for, returning to a due north course at McPherson.
The stretch of I-135 in Saline County from the Saline-McPherson county line to the highway's terminus at Interstate 70, is designated as the Ben E. Vidricksen Highway.
The route ends on the northwest side of Salina, at its intersection at I-70. The road continues as US-81 north of this interchange.

History

Construction on the Canal Route portion of I-135 was begun in 1971. This portion of the route took eight years to complete with a cost of $32 million.
Originally, the northern terminus of the highway at I-70 ended as a trumpet interchange. When US-81 was upgraded to a freeway between Salina and Minneapolis, Kansas, the northern terminus was rebuilt as a full cloverleaf interchange, which remains to this day.
Until September 13, 1976, I-135 was signed as I-35W. The Interstate's full length was completed in December 1979.

Exit list