Interstate 235

Interstate 235 is the designation for three Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to Interstate 35:

Interstate 235 (Kansas)

Interstate 235 (abbreviated I-235) in Kansas is a 16.52 mile-long north–south bypass spur route of Interstate 35 that travels through the western part of Wichita. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with K-96 and Interstate 135/U.S. Route 81 north of the city, where the freeway continues east as K-254. The southern is at I-135/US-81 shortly before US-81 separates from I-135 and I-135 connects to Interstate 35 (here known as the Kansas Turnpike) at I-135's own southern terminus.

History

Aside from the Kansas Turnpike, I-235 is the first component of the Interstate system to be built in Wichita. The vast majority of its length, running from its original southern terminus at the Kansas Turnpike to the Broadway Ave. interchange in north Wichita, was built in 1960-61 and was open to traffic by 1962. The remaining unbuilt length, connecting Broadway Ave. to the northern terminus, was open to traffic by July 1965. The short length of I-235 between the Turnpike interchange and the present I-135/I-235 split later became part of I-135.

Interstate 235 (Oklahoma)

Interstate 235 (abbreviated I-235) in Oklahoma is also known as the Centennial Expressway. The spur route of Interstate 35 is a 5.4-mile-long north–south spur route in central and north-central Oklahoma City. It connects northbound to U.S. Highway 77 on to suburban Edmond and southbound at Interstate 44 on to Interstate 35 and Interstate 40 at downtown Oklahoma City. U.S. Highway 77 is concurrent with I-235 for the entire route. South of its junction with I-40, I-235 becomes Interstate 35.

Route description

I-235's route forms the eastern edge of Automobile Alley, the Deep Deuce urban residential neighborhood, and the Bricktown Entertainment District, all of which are in the eastern section of downtown Oklahoma City.

History

The I-235 designation was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on July 13, 1976. Only 3.66 miles (5.89 km) were complete in 1978. It finally opened in 1989.

Interstate 235 in Oklahoma officially finished a major reconstruction in September 2008, which changed the section of I-235 between N.W. 50th Street, on the north end, and N.W. 23rd, on the south end. It added a third lane and an exit lane, changing the two-lane stretch into four lanes.