Interstate 135 Kansas

Overview

I-135 Canal Route - Wichita, KS — Interstate 135, U.S. 81 and K-15 along the Canal Route through Wichita. The flood control basin and drainage ditch network feeds into the canal running between the north and southbound roadways of the freeway. 10/04/21

Interstate 135 overlays U.S. 81 from the Kansas Turnpike (I-35) and Wichita in south central Kansas to Salina and I-70. It is the fourth longest three-digit route within the Eisenhower Interstate System, following I-476 in Pennsylvania, I-495 in Massachusetts and I-287 around metro New York.

The freeway crosses Wichita mostly along the elevated Canal Route, a seven mile stretch paralleling or running above the culverted Chisholm Creek Canal. Accommodating six overall lanes, 95,700 vehicles per day (vpd) were recorded along a stretch north of U.S. 54/400 (Kellogg Avenue) and to the east of Downtown Wichita in 2015.

Mileage by State

Kansas

95.74 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Major Projects

The Wichita North Junction project is a four phase project underway through 2024. Completed in November 2021, the Green Project Phase 1 rebuilt I-235/K-96 west from the exchange with I-135/K-254 to the Arkansas River. The Gold Project Sub-Phase (Phase 2A) replaced the loop ramp from I-135/K-96 north to I-235 west with a two lane flyover. Costing $36 million, Phase 2A work commenced in April 2021 and was completed in December 2023.

Gold Project (Phase 2B) separated traffic continuing from I-235 north onto K-96 east from I-135/U.S. 81 southbound by adding a two lane direct connection. This was completed in December 2024. Phase 2B work also replaces the loop ramp joining K-96 west and I-135 south with a two lane flyover. The new two lane ramp from K-96 west to I-135 north opened to traffic on March 30, 2026 (KDOT, 2026). Estimated to cost $86 million in 2020, Phase 2B construction began in February 2023. The approximately $141 million project continues to Spring 2028.

Purple Project (Phase 3) completes the systems interchange at I-135, I-235, K-96 and K-254. Eliminating left exit ramps, planned work includes realigning the mainlines of I-135 and the connection from I-235/K-254 so that both roadways run side by side. Estimated to cost $114 million in 2020, preliminary design for Phase 3 was complete with plans for construction uncertain as of Fall 2021. KDOT has yet to proceed with letting for Purple Project as of June 2026 (Bernstein, 2026).

Remaining suburban through Park City and Valley Center, I-135-U.S. 81/K-15 leave the Wichita metropolitan area for a rural course to Newton and a 2.10 mile long overlap with U.S. 50. K-15 splits to the north from there as I-135 shifts northwest to McPherson and the north end of the expressway along K-61 connecting with Hutchinson.

Turning northward again, Interstate 135/U.S. 81 continue by Lindsborg to Salina. The freeway generally bypasses the city of nearly 50,000 to a rural cloverleaf interchange with I-70/U.S. 40. I-135 ends there, with U.S. 81 extending another 18 miles north as a freeway to Minneapolis then along an expressway to Concordia.

High Priority Corridor

I-135 in its entirety, along with the route served by U.S. 81 and U.S. 77 north to Sioux City, Iowa, is part of High Priority Corridor 23: Interstate Route 35 Corridor.

History

Central Kansas - 1965 Map — Interstate 35W utilized the preexisting Newton bypass and was complete in the Salina vicinity by 1965. The Newton bypass was constructed in the 1950s initially as a connector from U.S. 81 on Kansas Avenue to U.S. 50 at the wye interchange (Exit 33) with I-135.

Salina, KS - 1967 — The north end of Interstate 135 was a trumpet interchange with I-70 until construction of the freeway along U.S. 81 to Minneapolis – 1967 Kansas Official Highway Map.

Wichita, KS - 1977 — The Canal Route in Wichita was the last section of Interstate 135 opened to traffic – 1977 Kansas Official Highway Map.

I-135/US 81 south at US 50/K-15 - Newton, KS — U.S. 50 overlaps with I-135/U.S. 81 as part of a bypass around the Harvey County seat of Newton. K-15 accompanies the highway west from Exit 30 to connect with Kansas Avenue north into the city. 11/01/16

Correspondence between the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and the State Highway Commission of Kansas in September 1957 presumed that FAI (Federal-aid Interstate System) No. 8, from Wichita to Salina, be numbered Interstate 35W. However following considerable study to suggestions and recommendations for route numbering of the Interstate Urban networks in Kansas, the State Highway Commission advocated to AASHO in a letter dated June 4, 1958

we wish to suggest that this route being some 103 miles in length, be designated as Route No. 27, with the route going through the heart of downtown Wichita. It is noted that Interstate Route No. 25 traverses north and south of Denver and that the next Interstate route to the east running north and south is Interstate route No. 29 beginning at Kansas City and proceeding northerly. Since the area between Denver and Kansas City and the areas both to the north and south of the area between these cities is sparsely settled, it would seem unlikely that another north and south route between these points would be established in the future. Also since this route follows or nearly parallels U.S. 81 and carries high volumes of traffic through Kansas and the other states though which U.S. 81 runs, it would seem reasonable to number this Interstate route No. 27, as some time in the future this route may be extended to the north.

In case the Interstate route from Wichita to Salina is designated as No. 27, we recommend that the by-pass around the south, west and north portions of Wichita be designated as No. 27W.

Ultimately the State Highway Commission came into agreement with AASHO to designate the route from Wichita to Salina as Interstate 35W, and the loop around Wichita as Interstate 235. The urban Interstate numerology in Kansas was officially approved by AASHO on November 10, 1958.

North End ‐ Salina, KS

North at

A nearly transcontinental route, Interstate 70 meets I-135 at a cloverleaf interchange (Exits 95 A/B). I-70 connects Denver with Kansas City across the width of Kansas. 10/05/21

South at

U.S. 81 south makes a gradual curve from K-143 to cross the Saline River on the two mile approach to I-70/U.S. 40 and I-135. The city center of Salina is located 4.4 miles to the southeast of the forthcoming cloverleaf interchange. 11/01/16

East at

One mile separates Halstead Road from forthcoming Exit 250 A for I-135/U.S. 81 south along the west side of Salina. 10/06/21

West at

I-70/U.S. 40 progress west from the diamond interchange (Exit 252) with K-143 (old U.S. 81) to Exit 250 A with I-135/U.S. 81 south to Wichita and Exit 250 B for U.S. 81 north to Concordia. 05/09/22

North End - Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

at

Prior signs for I-135 at I-70 both acknowledged the U.S. 40 concurrency and used local control cities. Russell, situated at U.S. 281 (Exit 184), was referenced for Exit 95B for westbound, while Exit 95A directed traffic to adjacent Salina to the east. Photo by Michael Summa (1986).

South End ‐ Wichita, KS

South at

U.S. 81 separates from I-135 south along a three lane off-ramp to 47th Street S just after the exchange with I-235. 07/12/26

I-135 south at I-35/Kansas Tpk - Wichita

North at

The Kansas Turnpike advances two miles north from the 71st Street S overpass and city of Haysville to Interstate 135 north at Exit 42. 10/04/21

South at

Following the bridge across the Arkansas River, which was redecked during a two year project started on March 2, 2016 (Salina Scoop, 2017), the Kansas Turnpike curves southwest on the two mile approach to Exit 42 with Interstate 135 in south Wichita. 10/31/16

South End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

South at

Prior to an ARRA funded redesign between 2009-11, I-135 and U.S. 81 south separated at a cloverleaf interchange (Exits 1B/A) with 47th Street. The 94 mile long overlap with U.S. 81 concludes at 47th Street S. U.S. 81 continues southward to Wellington, just west of the parallel Kansas Turnpike. The former alignment through Wichita followed Broadway. Photo by Ben Prusia (03/02).

References

Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). Kansas Interstate 50th Anniversary. Retrieved from https://www.ksdot.org/interstate50th/default.asp
"Big Ditch bridge art on city agenda." Wichita Eagle, The (KS), October 3, 2011.
"Stimulus Money Funding 2-Year Project." Wichita Eagle, The (KS), August 29, 2009.
"$2 million break marks winning bid for McPherson County I-135 interchange project." Hutchinson News, The (KS), November 11, 2015.
"Arkansas River Bridge project to begin March." Kansas Turnpike Authority, news release. February 29, 2016.
Ribbon Cutting to Mark Completion of I-135 Interchange in McPherson County. (2017, March 31). Salina Scoop (KS).
Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). (2026, March 30). New ramp from westbound K-96 to northbound I-135 opening today. [Press release]. Retrieved August 27, 2026 from https://www.ksdot.gov/Home/Components/News/News/6083/392?widgetId=3523
Bernstein, L. (June 2026). Kansas DOT Progresses on $141M Phase of Critical Wichita North Junction Project. Construction News. Retrieved August 27, 2026 from https://www.dxc.news/CN/article/0707D302-kansas-dot-progresses-on-141m-phase-of-critical-wichita-north-junction-project

Updated August 24, 2026