Interstate 135

Interstate 135 (I-135) is an approximately 95.7-mile-long (154.0 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in central and south-central Kansas, United States. I-135, which is signed as north–south, runs between I-35 and the Kansas Turnpike in Wichita north to I-70, U.S. Highway 40 (US-40), and US-81 in Salina. Except for the first 0.46 miles (0.74 km), I-135 overlaps US-81 its entire length. The route also runs through the cities of McPherson, Newton, and Park City.

"I-135" redirects here. For the isotope of iodine (I-135 or 135I), see Iodine-135.

Interstate 135 marker

Interstate 135

I-135 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-35
Maintained by KDOT
Length95.738 mi (154.075 km)
ExistedSeptember 13, 1976–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-35 / Kansas Turnpike in Wichita
Major intersections
North end I-70 / US-40 / US-81 in Salina
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesSedgwick, Harvey, McPherson, Saline
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← K-134→ K-136

The highway was designated as Interstate 35W (I-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 currently the longest three-digit "spur", with an odd first digit, in the Interstate System.

In 2021, work began to rebuild the northern junction with I-235.

Route description
I-135 begins at this exit from the Kansas Turnpike.
the southern end of I-135 from I-135

I-135 begins from the south at exit 42 on the Kansas Turnpike. (The exit is signed as I-135/I-235/US-81 for Wichita and Salina.) US-81 joins I-135 0.5 miles (0.80 km) later at exit 1A (East 47th Street South) and remains concurrent with it for the rest of its length. Less than one mile (1.6 km) from the Kansas Turnpike tollbooth, I-235, a loop around the westside of Wichita, branches off the highway at exit 1C. I-135 continues northward from there, running just east of the Wichita downtown area. It reunites with I-235 at exits 11A and 11B 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 20 miles (32 km), 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 I-70, is designated as the Ben E. Vidricksen Highway, in honor of a state senator who was active in pushing for the highway's enlargement.[1][2]

I-135 ends at this interchange with I-70; US-81 continues north.

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

Interstate 35W marker

Interstate 35W

LocationKansas
Existed1971[3]–September 13, 1976[4]

Construction on the Canal Route portion of I-135 (in Wichita, where the Chisholm Creek Canal runs through the median of the highway) was begun in 1971.[3] This portion of the route took eight years to complete with a cost of $32 million (equivalent to $97.8 million in 2021[5]).[3] It was built through the middle of the city's African-American neighborhood, known as McAdams.[6]

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 Interstate 35W (I-35W). The Interstate's full length was completed in December 1979.[4]

In 2021, work began to rebuild the northern junction with I-235.[7] A two-lane flyover ramp connecting northbound I-135 to southbound I-235 which replaced the previous one-lane loop ramp opened on May 31, 2023.[8]

Exit list
CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
SedgwickWichita0.00–
0.43		0.00–
0.69		 I-35 / Kansas Turnpike – Oklahoma City, Kansas CitySouthern terminus; Kansas Turnpike toll booth; I-35/Kansas Tpke. exit 42; trumpet interchange
0.460.741A
 US-81 south (47th Street South)		South end of US-81 overlap; last free exit southbound
0.811.301C
 I-235 north		Left exit and entrance northbound; I-235 exit 1A southbound (to I-135 north); tri-stack interchange; former US 81 Byp. north
2.323.732Hydraulic Avenue
3.215.173A
 K-15 south (Southeast Boulevard)		Southbound exit and northbound entrance; south end of K-15 overlap
3.946.343BPawnee Street
4.937.934Harry Street
5.438.745ALincoln Street
5.969.595B US-54 / US-400 (Kellogg Avenue)Signed as exit 6A southbound
6.60–
6.76		10.62–
10.88		6B1st Street North, 2nd Street NorthSigned as exit 6C southbound
6.9811.237ACentral AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
7.4812.047B8th Street North, 9th Street North
8.0212.91813th Street North
9.0014.48921st Street North
10.5717.0110
 K-96 east / 29th Street North, Hydraulic Avenue		Signed as exits 10A (K-96) and 10B (29th St., Hydraulic) northbound; south end of K-96 overlap
11.7818.9611A

 I-235 south / K-96 west – Hutchinson		North end of K-96 overlap; I-235 exits 16A-B; I-235 is former US 81 Byp. south
11B
 K-254 east – El Dorado		Left exit and entrance southbound
13.2121.261353rd Street North
Park City14.2322.901461st Street North
Kechi–Grant
township line		16.2526.151677th Street North
Grant Township17.2327.731785th Street North
19.2330.9519101st Street North
Sedgwick–Harvey
county line		Grant–Darlington
township line		22.2735.8422125th Street North
HarveyDarlington Township25.2740.6725
 K-196 east – Whitewater, El Dorado
Newton28.2845.5128SE 36th Street (CR 576)
30.11–
30.32		48.46–
48.80		30

 US-50 west / K-15 north – Hutchinson		South end of US-50 overlap; north end of K-15 overlap; serves Newton Medical Center; left exit and entrance northbound
31.34–
31.87		50.44–
51.29		31First Street, Broadway Street
32.6552.5533
 US-50 east – Peabody, Emporia		Northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of US-50 overlap
34.7855.9734 K-15 – North Newton, Abilene
Hesston40.5265.2140Lincoln Boulevard
McPhersonMound Township46.1074.1946
K-260 west – Moundridge		Counterclockwise terminus of K-260; serves Mercy Hospital and Moundridge Municipal Airfield
48.6878.3448
 K-260 east – Moundridge		Clockwise terminus of K-260; serves Mercy Hospital
Lone Tree–King City
township line		54.4487.6154Comanche Road (CR 445) / 18th Avenue (CR 319)
King City Township58.3993.9758
 US 81 Bus. / K-61 – McPherson, Hutchinson
McPherson60.5197.3860
 US-56 / US 81 Bus. – McPherson, Marion
McPherson Township62.94101.2963Mohawk RoadOpened 2017
New Gottland Township65.93106.1065Pawnee Road (CR 448)
68.03–
68.60		109.48–
110.40		Rest Area, located in the median; left exits and entrances
Smoky Hill Township72.93117.3772Smoky Valley Road (CR 429) – Lindsborg, RoxburyFormer US 81 Bus. north, previously signed as I-135 BL north
SalineSmoky View Township77.86125.3078
 K-4 west (Old Highway 81) – Bridgeport, Lindsborg		South end of K-4 overlap; former US 81 Bus. south, previously signed as I-135 BL south
81.96131.9082
 K-4 east (Assaria Road) / Falun Road		North end of K-4 overlap
Smolan Township86.01138.4286
 K-104 east (Mentor Road) / Smolan Road
Salina88.00141.6288Water Well Road
89.03143.2889Schilling Road
90.04144.9190Magnolia Road
92.39148.6992Crawford Street
93.43150.3693
 K-140 west (State Street)
95.74154.0895A-B
 US-81 north / I-70 / US-40 – Concordia, Topeka, Hays		Northern terminus; north end of US-81 overlap; signed as exits 95A (I-70 east) and 95B (I-70 west); I-70 exits 250A-B; freeway continues north as US-81 (Frank Carlson Memorial Highway); cloverleaf interchange.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. "Kan. Stat. § 68-1056 - Section 68-1056 - Designating part of interstate highway 135 as the Ben E. Vidricksen highway". Casetext.com. casetext. July 1, 2002. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  2. "Ben Vidricksen, former Kansas Senator, dies at 88; flags to be lowered to half-staff Saturday". Topeka Capital-Journal. September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  3. "Canal Route on I-135". Kansas Celebrates 50 Years of Interstates. Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  4. "1970s". Kansas Celebrates 50 Years of Interstates. Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  5. Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved January 1, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series.
  6. "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form" (PDF). Kansas State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  7. "North Junction reconstruction project begins, will include new flyover ramp from I-135 to southbound I-235". KSN-TV. 2021-04-05. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  8. McMillan, Laura (May 31, 2023). "New I-135 ramp opens to I-235 in north Wichita". KSN-TV. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
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