Interstate 35

Interstate 35 (IH-35 or I-35) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the American-Mexican border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 (London Road) and 26th Avenue East. Many Interstate Highways formerly had splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters (N/S/E/W), and I-35 was the only one that still had such divisions, before the recent opening of I-69C, I-69E, and I-69W in South Texas. In two stretches, both through twin cities, the highway splits into Interstate 35E—at Dallas and at Saint Paul, Minnesota—and Interstate 35W—at Fort Worth, Texas, and at Minneapolis.

At 1,568 mi (2,523 km), Interstate 35 is the ninth-longest Interstate Highway following Interstate 94, and it is the third-longest north-south Interstate Highway, following Interstate 75 and Interstate 95. Even though the route is generally considered to be a border to border highway, this highway does not directly connect to either international border. I-35's southern terminus is a traffic signal in Laredo, Texas, just short of the Mexican-American border. Travelers going south can take one of two toll bridges across the Rio Grande and the Mexican border, either straight ahead into the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge, or via Interstate 35 Business through downtown Laredo into the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge.

Interstate 35 in Texas

Interstate 35 (abbreviated I-35 or IH-35) in Texas is a major north–south Interstate Highway running from Laredo near the United States-Mexico border to the Red River north of Gainesville where it crosses into Oklahoma. Along its route, it passes through the cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Waco before it splits into two auxiliary routes just north of Hillsboro. Interstate 35E heads northeast where it passes through Dallas. Interstate 35W turns northwest to run through Fort Worth. The two branches meet up in Denton to again form Interstate 35, where it continues to the Oklahoma border. The exit numbers for Interstate 35E maintain the sequence of exit numbers from the southern segment of Interstate 35, and the northern segment of Interstate 35 follows on from the sequence of exit numbers from Interstate 35E. Interstate 35W maintains its own sequence of exit numbers.

In Texas, Interstate 35 runs for just over 407 miles (655 km), which does not include either the 85-mile (137-km) segment of Interstate 35W or the 97-mile (156-km) segment of Interstate 35E. Texas contains more miles of the overall length of Interstate 35 than any other state, almost one-third of the entire length.

Interstate 35 in Missouri

Interstate 35 (I-35) is an Interstate Highway that stretches from Laredo, Texas in the south to Duluth in the north. The portion of I-35 through Missouri travels nearly 115 miles (185 km) from just south of Kansas City, through the downtown freeway loop, and across the Missouri River before leaving the downtown area. North of Kansas City, the highway travels north-northeast towards the Iowa state line near Eagleville, paralleling U.S. Route 69 (US 69).

Route description

Kansas City metropolitan area

I-35 enters Missouri two miles (3 km) southwest of Kansas City's Central Business District as a six-lane highway. After merging with Southwest Trafficway and Broadway, it becomes eight lanes and continues north to downtown Kansas City, where it serves as the west and north legs of the Downtown freeway loop. Along the north edge of the loop, I-35 joins with I-70 immediately west of Broadway and carries six lanes of traffic with a speed limit of 45 mph (72 km/h). Upon leaving the loop, Interstate 29 begins, concurrent with I-35. The two interstates cross the Missouri River together on the Bond Bridge.