East Endpoint:
Counties Passed through: Sedgwick, Harvey, McPherson, Saline
History
I-35 was first envisioned to parallel US 50/50S to Newton, then follow US 81 and US 177 south to the Oklahoma border.� By the time the interstate highway act was passed in 1956, the Kansas Turnpike was completed.� An agreement between the Highway Commission and the the Bureu of Public Roads in December 1956 designated the Turnpike as put I-35 along the Turnpike south of Emporia.� The road between Emporia and Newton was removed, but the segment along US 81 north of Wichita was extended north to I-70 at Salina, and was designated I-35W. By 1964, the freeway was complete around Newton. � By 1969, 35W was also completed from Salina south to McPherson. By 1971, it had been extended through Newton I-235 near Wichita. In 1977, I-35W was re-designated as I-135 to comply with AASHTO policy against E/W suffixed interstates. By the time the designation was changed, the only segment not completed was the "Canal Route" through Downtown Wichita.