# Interstate 70 in Kansas

Interstate 70 (I-70) is a mainline route of the Interstate Highway System in the United States connecting Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland. In the US state of Kansas, I-70 extends just over 424 miles (682 km) from the Colorado border near the town of Kanorado to the Missouri border in Kansas City. I-70 in Kansas contains the first segment in the country to start being paved and to be completed in the Interstate Highway System. The route 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.
The section of I-70 from Topeka to the Missouri border is co-designated as the Kansas Turnpike; only the section between Topeka and just west of Kansas City is tolled.

## Route description

I-70 runs concurrently with U.S. Highway 24 (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. Initially, the route remains high and unusually level as it follows a projection of the High Plains into the state. From exit 140 (Riga Road), the route lowers from the High Plains into the Blue Hills region, as indicated by gentle undulations in the road and the unusual appearance of stone posts in the countryside. Approaching Russell, the route passes over three active sinkholes, the largest being the Crawford Sinkhole at mile 179. Past Russell, the route follows a ridge between the Smoky Hill River and its tributary, the Saline River, where the highway passes through the Smoky Hills Wind Farm. Reaching the county line between Russell and Ellsworth counties, the road begins to traverse the Smoky Hills.
At Salina, I-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); as of 2018, the maximum toll on this section of I-70 is $3.50. I-70 and the turnpike are concurrent from Topeka to Bonner Springs, the turnpike's eastern terminus. From Bonner Springs to 18th Street and extending on to the Kansas eastern border, the highway is free.
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 I-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. West of Topeka, the freeway was constructed from Topeka west to Salina at its junction with US 81, as well as from Ogallah to Grainfield. From Salina, the freeway was completed through Wilson the next year. On October 9, 1959, the section of I-70 opened from Junction City west to Abilene through a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A segment of I-70 from Levant through Ogallah was finished by 1965. Another section was built the following year connecting Wilson to Grainfield. The freeway was completed through Kansas with a last section near the Colorado border in 1970.

## 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 |
| Sherman | Stateline Township | 0.00 | 0.00 | | I-70 west / US 24 west – Denver | Continuation into Colorado |
| Sherman | Stateline Township | 1.35 | 2.17 | 1 | K-267 – Kanorado | |
| Sherman | Lincoln Township | 9.32 | 15.00 | 9 | County Road 11 | |
| Sherman | Logan Township | 12.27 | 19.75 | 12 | County Road 14 | |
| Sherman | Goodland | 17.27 | 27.79 | 17 | US 24 Bus. east / K-27 – Sharon Springs, St. Francis | |
| Sherman | Goodland | 19.25 | 30.98 | 19 | US 24 Bus. west – Goodland | |
| Sherman | Washington Township | 27.22 | 43.81 | 27 | K-253 – Edson | |
| Thomas | West Hale Township | 36.34 | 58.48 | 36 | K-184 – Brewster | |
| Thomas | East Hale Township | 45.83 | 73.76 | 45 | US-24 east – Levant | Eastern end of US-24 concurrency |
| Thomas | Colby | 53.81 | 86.60 | 53 | K-25 – Leoti, Atwood | |
| Thomas | Morgan Township | 54.80 | 88.19 | 54 | Country Club Drive | |
| Thomas | North Randall Township | 62.73 | 100.95 | 62 | County Road K | |
| Thomas | South Randall Township | 70.01 | 112.67 | 70 | US-83 – Oakley, Rexford | |
| Logan | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions |
| Gove | Oakley | 75.87 | 122.10 | 76 | US-40 west – Oakley, Sharon Springs | Western end of US-40 concurrency |
| Gove | Grinnell Township | 79.80 | 128.43 | 79 | Campus Road | |
| Gove | Grinnell Township | 85.75 | 138.00 | 85 | K-216 – Grinnell | |
| Gove | Grainfield Township | 93.72 | 150.83 | 93 | K-23 – Grainfield, Gove | |
| Gove | Grainfield Township | 95.68 | 153.98 | 95 | K-23 north (via K-23 Spur) – Grainfield, Hoxie | Grainfield only signed westbound |
| Gove | Payne Township | 99.67 | 160.40 | 99 | K-211 – Park | |
| Gove | Quinter | 107.31 | 172.70 | 107 | Castle Rock Road – Quinter | Former K-212 |
| Trego | Collyer Township | 114.93 | 184.96 | 115 | K-198 north – Collyer | |
| Trego | Collyer Township | 119.84 | 192.86 | 120 | Voda Road | |
| Trego | WaKeeney | 126.89 | 204.21 | 127 | US 40 Bus. east / US-283 – WaKeeney, Ness City | |
| Trego | WaKeeney | 127.93 | 205.88 | 128 | US 40 Bus. west to US-283 north – WaKeeney, Hill City | |
| Trego | Ogallah Township | 135.11 | 217.44 | 135 | K-147 – Ogallah | |
| Trego | Ogallah Township | 140.23 | 225.68 | 140 | Riga Road | |
| Ellis | Ellis | 145.29 | 233.82 | 145 | K-247 – Ellis | |
| Ellis | Big Creek Township | 152.68 | 245.71 | 153 | Yocemento Avenue | |
| Ellis | Hays | 156.80 | 252.35 | 157 | US 183 Byp. – Hays, La Crosse | |
| Ellis | Hays | 159.00 | 255.89 | 159 | US-183 – Hays, Stockton | |
| Ellis | Big Creek Township | 161.31 | 259.60 | 161 | Commerce Parkway | |
| Ellis | Big Creek Township | 163.35 | 262.89 | 163 | Toulon Avenue | |
| Ellis | Herzog Township | 168.34 | 270.92 | 168 | K-255 – Victoria | |
| Ellis | Herzog Township | 172.56 | 277.71 | 172 | Walker Avenue | |
| Russell | Big Creek Township | 175.56 | 282.54 | 175 | 176th Street – Gorham | Former K-257 |
| Russell | Big Creek–Grant township line | 180.56 | 290.58 | 180 | 181st Street | |
| Russell | Russell | 184.54 | 296.99 | 184 | US-281 – Russell, Hoisington | Former US 40 Bus. |
| Russell | Grant Township | 188.56 | 303.46 | 189 | 189th Street | Former US 40 Bus. |
| Russell | Center Township | 192.56 | 309.90 | 193 | 193rd Street | |
| Russell | Dorrance | 199.09 | 320.40 | 199 | Dorrance | Former K-231 |
| Ellsworth | Wilson Township | 205.48 | 330.69 | 206 | K-232 – Wilson, Lucas | |
| Ellsworth | Wilson Township | 209.50 | 337.16 | 209 | Sylvan Grove | |
| Ellsworth | Columbia Township | 215.52 | 346.85 | 216 | Vesper | |
| Ellsworth | Sherman Township | 218.54 | 351.71 | 219 | K-14 south – Ellsworth | Western end of K-14 overlap |
| Ellsworth | Sherman Township | 221.44 | 356.37 | 221 | K-14 north – Lincoln | Eastern end of K-14 overlap |
| Ellsworth | Garfield Township | 224.87 | 361.89 | 225 | K-156 – Ellsworth, Great Bend | |
| Lincoln | Madison Township | 232.96 | 374.91 | 233 | Beverly, Carneiro | |
| Saline | Glendale Township | 237.96 | 382.96 | 238 | Brookville, Tescott | |
| Saline | Pleasant Valley Township | 243.97 | 392.63 | 244 | Hedville, Culver | |
| Saline | Elm Creek Township | 248.99 | 400.71 | 249 | Halstead Road | |
| Saline | Elm Creek Township | 250.24 | 402.72 | 250A-B | I-135 south / US-81 – Wichita, Concordia | I-135 exits 95A-B |
| Saline | Salina | 252.02 | 405.59 | 252 | K-143 (Ninth Street) | |
| Saline | Cambria Township | 253.09 | 407.31 | 253 | Ohio Street | |
| Saline | Cambria–Dayton township line | 259.49 | 417.61 | 260 | Niles Road | |
| Dickinson | Solomon | 265.94 | 427.99 | 266 | Solomon Road | Former K-221 |
| Dickinson | Lincoln–Grant township line | 272.00 | 437.74 | 272 | Fair Road | |
| Dickinson | Abilene | 274.54 | 441.83 | 275 | K-15 – Abilene, Clay Center | |
| Dickinson | Grant Township | 277.09 | 445.93 | 277 | Jeep Road | |
| Dickinson | Center Township | 280.30 | 451.10 | 281 | K-43 – Enterprise | |
| Dickinson | Noble Township | 285.54 | 459.53 | 286 | K-206 – Chapman | |
| Geary | Smoky Hill Township | 289.85 | 466.47 | 290 | Milford Lake Road | |
| Geary | Junction City | 294.34 | 473.69 | 295 | US-77 / K-18 west – Marysville, Herington | Western end of K-18 overlap |
| Geary | Junction City | 295.92 | 476.24 | 296 | US 40 Bus. east (Washington Street) | |
| Geary | Junction City | 297.29 | 478.44 | 298 | East Street / Chestnut Street | |
| Geary | Grandview Plaza | 298.28 | 480.04 | 299 | Flinthills Boulevard ( US 40 Bus. / K-57) / J Hill Road | |
| Geary | Grandview Plaza | 299.18 | 481.48 | 300 | US 40 Bus. west / K-57 – Council Grove | No westbound entrance |
| Geary | Jefferson Township | 300.33 | 483.33 | 301 | Fort Riley, Marshall Field | |
| Geary | Jefferson Township | 302.28 | 486.47 | 303 | K-18 east – Manhattan | Eastern end of K-18 overlap |
| Geary | Jefferson Township | 303.42 | 488.31 | 304 | Humboldt Creek Road | |
| Geary | Wingfield Township | 306.87 | 493.86 | 307 | McDowell Creek Road | |
| Geary | Jackson Township | 311.22 | 500.86 | 311 | Moritz Road | |
| Geary | Jackson Township | 313.26 | 504.14 | 313 | K-177 – Council Grove, Manhattan | |
| Riley | Zeandale Township | 315.44 | 507.65 | 316 | Deep Creek Road | |
| Riley | Zeandale Township | 317.61 | 511.14 | 318 | Frontage Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Wabaunsee Township | 321.76 | 517.82 | 322 | Tallgrass Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Wabaunsee Township | 323.25 | 520.22 | 324 | Wabaunsee Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Wabaunsee Township | 326.73 | 525.82 | 328 | K-99 – Wamego, Alma | |
| Wabaunsee | Wabaunsee–Newbury township line | 329.26 | 529.89 | 330 | K-185 – McFarland | |
| Wabaunsee | Newbury Township | 331.19 | 533.00 | 332 | Spring Creek Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Newbury Township | 332.18 | 534.59 | 333 | K-138 – Paxico | |
| Wabaunsee | Newbury Township | 334.28 | 537.97 | 335 | Snokomo Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Newbury–Maple Hill township line | 337.24 | 542.74 | 338 | Vera Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Maple Hill Township | 340.22 | 547.53 | 341 | K-30 – Maple Hill | |
| Wabaunsee | Maple Hill Township | 341.23 | 549.16 | 342 | Keene-Eskridge Road | |
| Wabaunsee | Maple Hill Township | 342.21 | 550.73 | 343 | Ranch Road | Private interchange put in for the Brethour Ranch |
| Shawnee | Dover Township | 345.20 | 555.55 | 346 | Carlson Road | |
| Shawnee | Dover Township | 346.70 | 557.96 | 347 | West Union Road | |
| Shawnee | Dover Township | 349.22 | 562.02 | 350 | Valencia Road | |
| Shawnee | Dover Township | 350.24 | 563.66 | 351 | Frontage Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Mission Township | 352.26 | 566.91 | 353 | K-4 west (Auburn Road) | Western end of K-4 overlap |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 354.65 | 570.75 | 355 | I-470 east / US-75 south – Topeka | Western end of US-75 overlap; I-470 exit 1A to 70 east westbound. |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 355.24 | 571.70 | 356 | Wanamaker Road | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 356.38– 356.85 | 573.54– 574.29 | 357A | Fairlawn Road | Signed as exit 357 eastbound |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 356.38– 356.85 | 573.54– 574.29 | 357B | Danbury Lane | Westbound exit only |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 357.16– 357.54 | 574.79– 575.40 | 358A | US-75 north - Holton | Eastern end of US-75 overlap; signed as exit 358 eastbound |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 357.16– 357.54 | 574.79– 575.40 | 358B | Gage Boulevard | Signed as exit 358 eastbound |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 358.56 | 577.05 | 359 | MacVicar Avenue | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 360.23– 360.94 | 579.73– 580.88 | 361A | 1st Avenue | Provides access to Topeka Boulevard; eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 360.23– 360.94 | 579.73– 580.88 | 361B | 3rd Street / Monroe Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 361.04– 361.66 | 581.04– 582.04 | 362A | 4th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 361.04– 361.66 | 581.04– 582.04 | 362B | 8th Avenue | Signed as exit 362 eastbound |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 361.04– 361.66 | 581.04– 582.04 | 362C | 10th Avenue / Madison Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 362.11 | 582.76 | 363 | Adams Street / Branner Trafficway | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 363.08– 363.82 | 584.32– 585.51 | 364A | California Avenue | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 363.08– 363.82 | 584.32– 585.51 | 364B | Carnahan Avenue / Deer Creek Trafficway | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 364.58 | 586.73 | 365 | Rice Road | |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 365.39 | 588.04 | 366 | I-470 west / Kansas Turnpike west / US-40 east / K-4 east – Wichita | Last free exit eastbound; eastern end of US-40/K-4 overlap |
| Shawnee | Topeka | 366.29 | 589.49 | 183 | I-470 west / Kansas Turnpike west to I-335 south – South Topeka, Wichita | Western end of Kansas Turnpike overlap; eastern terminus of I-470; westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Shawnee | Tecumseh Township | 370.90 | 596.91 | Topeka Service Area | Topeka Service Area | Topeka Service Area |
| Douglas | Kanwaka Township | 379.96 | 611.49 | 197 | K-10 east (South Lawrence Trafficway) – Lecompton, Lawrence | Access to Lecompton provided by CR-438 (North 1800 Road) |
| Douglas | Lawrence | 384.71 | 619.13 | 202 | To US-59 south – Lawrence | |
| Douglas | Lawrence | 386.25 | 621.61 | 204 | US-40 / US-59 to US-24 – Lawrence | |
| Leavenworth | Reno Township | 391.71 | 630.40 | Lawrence Service Area | Lawrence Service Area | Lawrence Service Area |
| Leavenworth | Tonganoxie | 394.55 | 634.97 | 212 | Tonganoxie, Eudora | |
| Wyandotte | Bonner Springs | 406.29 | 653.86 | 224 | US-24 west / US-40 west / US-73 north / K-7 – Bonner Springs, Leavenworth | Last free exit westbound; western end of US-24/US-40 overlap; westbound exits signed as exit 224A (south) and 224B (north) |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 409.19 | 658.53 | 410 | 110th Street – Kansas Speedway | Exit numbers correspond to I-70 |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 410.48 | 660.60 | 411 | I-435 | I-435 exits 12A-B; signed as exits 411A (south) and 411B (north) |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 413.20 | 664.98 | 414 | 78th Street | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 414.35 | 666.83 | 415 | Turner Diagonal / College Parkway | Diverging Diamond Interchange |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 415.93 | 669.37 | 417 | 57th Street | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 417.57 | 672.01 | 418 | I-635 – St Joseph, Wichita | Signed as exits 418A (north) and 418B (south) eastbound; westbound access is part of exit 419; I-635 exits 4A-B |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 418.04 | 672.77 | 419 | Park Drive / 38th Street | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 419.32 | 674.83 | 420 | US-69 south (18th Street Expressway) / 18th Street north Kansas Turnpike ends | Signed as exits 420A (south) and 420B (north); eastern terminus of Kansas Turnpike |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.12 | 677.73 | 421A | Railroad Yard – No outlet, railroad use only | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.12 | 677.73 | 421B | I-670 east (I-70 Alt.) to I-35 south – St. Louis | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 420.68– 421.33 | 677.02– 678.06 | 422A | US-69 north (7th Street Trafficway) | Eastern end of US-69 overlap |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 420.68– 421.33 | 677.02– 678.06 | 422B | US-169 south (7th Street Trafficway) | Western end of US-169 overlap |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 420.68– 421.33 | 677.02– 678.06 | 422C | Pacific Avenue | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 420.68– 421.33 | 677.02– 678.06 | 422D | Central Avenue | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.68– 422.26 | 678.63– 679.56 | 423A | 5th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.68– 422.26 | 678.63– 679.56 | 423B | James Street / 3rd Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.68– 422.26 | 678.63– 679.56 | 423C | Minnesota Avenue / Washington Boulevard / Lewis and Clark Trail | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 421.68– 422.26 | 678.63– 679.56 | 423D | Fairfax District | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | 422.82 | 680.46 | | I-70 east / US 24 east / US 40 east / US 169 north / Lewis and Clark Trail – Kansas City, St. Louis | Continuation into Missouri |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Tolled |||||||

## Auxiliary routes

I-70 has two auxiliary routes in Kansas. I-470 is a loop around the southern side of Topeka that is signed as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway and overlaps the Kansas Turnpike on the southeast side of town. I-670 is an alternate route for I-70 travelers through downtown Kansas City that is signed as the Dillingham Freeway and as Alternate I-70.