Interstate 135
Interstate 135 is an approximately 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. [Route 40 in Kansas|U.S. Highway 40], and U.S. [Route 81 in Kansas|US-81] in Salina. Except for the first, I-135 overlaps US-81 its entire length. The route also runs through the cities of McPherson, Newton, and Park City.
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 currently the longest three-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 later at exit 1A and remains concurrent with it for the rest of its length. Less than 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, 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.
[Image:I-135 north end.jpg|thumb|left|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
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. It was built through the middle of the city's African-American neighborhood, known as McAdams.Until September 13, 1976, I-135 was signed as Interstate 35W. The Interstate's full length was completed in December 1979.
In 2021, work began to rebuild the northern junction with I-235 in Wichita. 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.