Interstate 635 (Kansas–Missouri)

Interstate 635 (abbreviated I-635) is a connector highway between Interstate 35 in Overland Park, Kansas and Interstate 29 in Kansas City, Missouri, approximately 12 miles (19.5 kilometers) long. It is mostly in the U.S. state of Kansas, servicing the city of Kansas City, Kansas, but extends into Kansas City, Missouri as well. The freeway's southern terminus is at a stack interchange with I-35. South of this, the mainline becomes an expressway carrying U.S. 69 (further south, U.S. 169, Metcalf Avenue.)

The freeway provides a route around downtown Kansas City by crossing through residential areas of Kansas City, Kansas and Riverside, Missouri. It also provides another direct route to Kansas City International Airport.

In both Kansas and Missouri, the road has signs identifying it as the Harry Darby Memorial Highway, named after a U.S. Senator from Kansas.

Route description

Kansas

Interstate 635 begins at I-35 in Johnson County, near Shawnee, Kansas. There is a Parclo Interchange with Merriam Drive almost immediately after its terminus. It then enters Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. There is a diamond interchange with Gibbs Road and a Parclo Interchange with Metropolitan Avenue upon entering the Argentine neighborhood. There is an interchange with K-32/Kansas Avenue and then crosses the Kansas River into central Kansas City, KS. Immediately after crossing the river, there is an interchange with I-70. There are several interchanges further north, including State Avenue, Parallel Parkway, and Leavenworth Road. The last interchange before entering Missouri is K-5.

Missouri

Like Interstate 435, I-635's mileposts do not reset after crossing into Missouri.

I-635 crosses the Missouri River from Kansas into Platte County and the city of Riverside, MO. There is an interchange with Horizons Parkway, then US-69. US-69 briefly runs concurrently with I-635 north before exiting at the interchange with MO-9. I-635 runs a few more miles north, then terminates at I-29.

History

At one point during planning of Interstate 635, it was to be built into and through the Fairfax Area and cross the Fairfax Bridge and the Platte Purchase Bridge in Kansas City, KS. Instead, I-635 bypassed the Fairfax Area just to the north, into Riverside, MO. However, part of the originally proposed alignment was built as a spur going into Fairfax as K-5.^[2]

Projects to reconstruct the interchange with I-70 and the bridge over the Santa Fe Railyard in Argentine have been recently been completed. Maintenance work on the bridge over the Missouri River finished in September 2005.

Exit list

References

External links

• Interstate Guide: I-635 (Kansas/Missouri)