Highways 5 and 65 could become Interstate 435 in the Des Moines metro

[afguy]

Highways 5 and 65 could become Interstate 435 in the Des Moines metro. What happens next?

Proponents of designating 28 miles of Highways 5 and 65 in the Des Moines metro as interstate say it could be done to boost economic development without driving away agricultural interests.

Gov. Kim Reynolds in May signed House File 1025 into law, designating Highways 5 and 65 as part of the federal interstate system, from the Iowa Highway 5 interchange with Interstate 35 in West Des Moines to the Highway 65 interchange with Interstate 80 in the northwest corner of Altoona. But not so fast — minimum speed limits and maximum weight restrictions are issues that have to be addressed because of agricultural traffic, and federal and other needed approvals could take years.

In the best-case scenario, it may not be until the end of 2026 or early 2027 when the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials would approve what could be called Interstate 435 on the metro's south and east sides, said Ryan Moon, director of government relations and public policy for the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/2025/06/17/highway-5-highway-65-altoona-west-des-moines-could-become-i-435-iowa-dot/83993358007/

[The Ghostbuster]

If this comes to fruition, they would likely renumber the exits. Having the exit numbers based on both IA 5's and US 65's mileage is likely confusing to out-of-towners. I wonder if the IA 5 designation would be truncated to end at present-day Exit 72 when an Interstate designation is added.

[kphoger]

Proponents ... say it could be done to boost economic development

*groan*

magic blue signs
you can't afford not to, lol

[Bobby5280]

It looks like they might need to do some shoulder improvement work on the SH-5 portion of the existing freeway. The inner left shoulders in some locations look a bit on the narrow side.

[edwaleni]

Proponents ... say it could be done to boost economic development

*groan*

magic blue signs
you can't afford not to, lol

That term is currently suffering from a state of overuse and presents over expectations.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think it would be simultaneously very sensible and incredibly stupid to overlay it all the way around DSM to create a full beltway.

[Molandfreak]

The economic development arguments are cringey, but this would improve navigation by unifying the corridor under a single number and getting rid of a wrong-way concurrency. Of course the same would happen if they just signed it as Iowa 435 or some other number, but this makes sense as an interstate bypass to me.

At the very least, this makes more sense than the I-135 proposal from a decade ago.

[LilianaUwU]

DOTs slapping Interstate shields on existing freeways for "economic development":

[Henry]

At the very least, this makes more sense than the I-135 proposal from a decade ago.

I thought they were going to call it I-335; in fact, there was a thread buried deep in the Central States section from a long time back mentioning that.

[Rothman]

DOTs slapping Interstate shields on existing freeways for "economic development":

Wonder if the "we just want 90% reimbursement" argument is too blatantly practical.

[paulthemapguy]

At the very least, this makes more sense than the I-135 proposal from a decade ago.

I thought they were going to call it I-335; in fact, there was a thread buried deep in the Central States section from a long time back mentioning that.

But this isn't Oklahoma! Because Iowa isn't Oklahoma, they can think of numbers that don't start with three.

[DandyDan]

This is overdue and should have been proposed when it was originally completed. I wonder if they have thought of extending the freeway beyond its current endpoints.

[SEWIGuy]

The economic development arguments are cringey, but this would improve navigation by unifying the corridor under a single number and getting rid of a wrong-way concurrency. Of course the same would happen if they just signed it as Iowa 435 or some other number, but this makes sense as an interstate bypass to me.

At the very least, this makes more sense than the I-135 proposal from a decade ago.

Yep. Agreed.

[kphoger]

To me, the main thing that needs to be fixed is that it doesn't carry a single number.  IMHO, they could simply terminate IA-5 at US-65 and then just call the whole bypass IA-135 or whatever, cosigned with US-65 for the northeastern half.

[The Ghostbuster]

Since the previous IA 135 was decommissioned in 1980, the designation is available. However, it would make more sense to either give the freeway an Interstate designation, or leave the designations as-is, rather than give it a new state highway designation.

[SEWIGuy]

Right. If it's interstate compatible, and they want one number for the entire route, it may as well be an interstate.

[Molandfreak]

This is overdue and should have been proposed when it was originally completed. I wonder if they have thought of extending the freeway beyond its current endpoints.

There has been vague discussion about an extension from the I-80 interchange to I-35 in the Ankeny area, but no formal plans as far as I know.

[CoreySamson]

At the very least, this makes more sense than the I-135 proposal from a decade ago.

I thought they were going to call it I-335; in fact, there was a thread buried deep in the Central States section from a long time back mentioning that.

But this isn't Oklahoma! Because Iowa isn't Oklahoma, they can think of numbers that don't start with three.

   

I wish the like button was still around.

[Scott5114]

735, 835, and 935 have never been used for Interstates. I wish they would use one of those rather than duplicating one that already exists if they don't really have to.

[tdindy88]

735, 835, and 935 have never been used for Interstates. I wish they would use one of those rather than duplicating one that already exists if they don't really have to.

I just realized that if they turn this beltway into Interstate 435, when you travel south on I-35 out of Des Moines, the next interstate you cross after I-435 will be...I-435 (in Kansas City.)

[Scott5114]

735, 835, and 935 have never been used for Interstates. I wish they would use one of those rather than duplicating one that already exists if they don't really have to.

I just realized that if they turn this beltway into Interstate 435, when you travel south on I-35 out of Des Moines, the next interstate you cross after I-435 will be...I-435 (in Kansas City.)

Geez, I didn't realize they'd be so close—only 172 miles. I know there's instances of duplication closer than that (like the 470s in Kansas and Missouri), but still, that's only two hours' drive...

[hotdogPi]

735, 835, and 935 have never been used for Interstates. I wish they would use one of those rather than duplicating one that already exists if they don't really have to.

I just realized that if they turn this beltway into Interstate 435, when you travel south on I-35 out of Des Moines, the next interstate you cross after I-435 will be...I-435 (in Kansas City.)

Geez, I didn't realize they'd be so close—only 172 miles. I know there's instances of duplication closer than that (like the 470s in Kansas and Missouri), but still, that's only two hours' drive...

You should look at the two I-291s.

[SEWIGuy]

735, 835, and 935 have never been used for Interstates. I wish they would use one of those rather than duplicating one that already exists if they don't really have to.

I just realized that if they turn this beltway into Interstate 435, when you travel south on I-35 out of Des Moines, the next interstate you cross after I-435 will be...I-435 (in Kansas City.)

Geez, I didn't realize they'd be so close—only 172 miles. I know there's instances of duplication closer than that (like the 470s in Kansas and Missouri), but still, that's only two hours' drive...

You think people are going to be confused or something?

[Scott5114]

You think people are going to be confused or something?

No idea. Normies don't exactly understand that numbers are allowed to be duplicated. It's not like 435 is the least bad option of several bad ones, though. Using 835 neatly avoids any need to even contemplate whether it might or might not cause a problem, since the closest road to Iowa with that number is probably the one in Ohio.

[WhitePoleRD]

Instead of making 35 the parent route, label it as 1080 and make flipping Iowa of all places the first to do a 4di.

Call it the Highway of the Resolution.