Interstate 335 Kansas

Overview

Interstate 335 follows the Kansas Turnpike between I-35 at Emporia and I-470 at Topeka. A lone service plaza and interchange (Exit 147) with U.S. 56 near the city of Admire line the 50.17 mile long rural stretch. 2018 traffic counts ranged from 9,150 vehicles per day (vpd) north from Emporia to 9,500 vpd south of Topeka.

A number of overpasses along the I-335 section of the Kansas Turnpike do not meet Interstate height standards. Therefore over height trucks are directed off the turnpike northbound at Emporia or southbound at the South Topeka interchange.

History

The Kansas Turnpike was constructed in 1955 and 1956, with the entire toll road opening on October 21, 1956. The portions of the Kansas Turnpike that carry I-35, I-70, and I-470 were approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for inclusion in the Interstate Highway System in 1957.¹ The turnpike is signed as I-35 from the Oklahoma State line north to Emporia (Exit 127); I-335 from Emporia northeast to I-470 (Exit 177); I-470 from Exit 177 to I-70 (Exit 182); and I-70 from Exit 182 east to U.S. 24-40-73/K-7 (Exit 224) at Bonner Springs. The turnpike system utilizes one exit number system regardless of the route number.

Also as approved by the FHWA, Interstate 335 was designated on the unnumbered section of the Kansas Turnpike on October 23, 1987. Kansas sought Interstate status for this stretch of the turnpike as part of the law passed by Congress that raised the speed limit from 55 to 65 miles per hour on rural Interstate routes (those outside urban areas with populations exceeding 50,000). Inclusion of the unnumbered section of the Turnpike into the Interstate system qualified the route for the higher speed limit.²

Changes were made to the south end of Interstate 335, where I-35 overtakes the Kansas Turnpike southwest from Emporia to El Dorado. A $32.9 million project both reconfigured a directional interchange with left side ramps joining I-35 with adjacent U.S. 50, and relocated the trumpet interchange with the freeway and toll road. Previously I-35 utilized a TOTSO (turn off to stay on) connection from the Emporia bypass to the Kansas Turnpike toll plaza. Replacing the previous ramp configuration dubbed by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) as the “spaghetti bowl,” the freeway was realigned to meet Interstate 335 directly with a new diamond interchange and roundabout system. Work on the new exchange was completed in November 2008.³

Route Information

North End – Topeka, KS
South End – Emporia, KS
Mileage – 50.13
Cities – Emporia, Topeka
Junctions –

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Interstate 335 appeared for the first time on the Rand McNally North American Road Atlas in the 1989 edition.

The original ramp system between I-35, I-335 and U.S. 50 at Emporia – 2003-04 Kansas Official Highway Map

North End – Topeka, Kansas

North at

Interstate 335 lowers in elevation from hills to the southwest of Topeka to enter the city limits at the SW 49th Street underpass. I-470 west / U.S. 75 north serve the west side of the capital city while I-470 east to I-70/U.S. 40 west serve eastern reaches of the city. 06/18/15

Interstate 335 passes under the U.S. 75 freeway leading north from Topeka Regional Airport (FOE) one half mile ahead of the Kansas Turnpike transition to I-470 east at Exit 177. 06/18/15

Northbound motorists enter the trumpet interchange (Exit 177) with Interstate 470 west. U.S. 75 ties into Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway just to the west, while adjacent Exit 6 connects with South Topeka Boulevard (old U.S. 75) north to Downtown. 06/18/15

An end shield for Interstate 335 north stands within the exchange at I-470. Interstate 470 lines the ensuing 6.88 mile segment of the Kansas Turnpike to eastern Shawnee County. 06/18/15

West at

Interstate 470 provides a bypass of Topeka and the Polk-Quincy Viaduct section of I-70 by Downtown for long distance travelers headed to Denver, Colorado. Denver is not referenced at the I-70 and 470 split prior however. 10/31/16

Traveling through suburban areas of southeast Topeka, I-470 west approaches the trumpet interchange (Exit 177) with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Parkway, U.S. 75 and Topeka Boulevard (old U.S. 77 north to Downtown). I-335 overtakes the Kansas Turnpike southwest from the upcoming exchange. 10/31/16

All over height trucks must exit the Kansas Turnpike at Interstate 470 west. I-335 otherwise bee lines southwest to U.S. 56 between Lyndon and Council Grove. U.S. 75 initially leads south by the turnpike as a freeway to Carbondale. 10/31/16

Interstate 470 west utilizes a TOTSO connection at Exit 177 for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Parkway, a freeway encircling southwest Topeka from South Topeka Boulevard to I-70, U.S. 40 and K-4. U.S. 75 overlaps with I-470 as part of a bypass around Topeka as well. 10/31/16

East at

Just beyond the split with U.S. 75 south, Interstate 470 enters a trumpet interchange with access roads for both South Topeka Boulevard and the Kansas Turnpike (I-335 south). 10/31/16

Motorists pass through a toll plaza and partition into ramps for Interstate 470 east to I-70 for Lawrence and Kansas City and Interstate 335 south to I-35 for Emporia and Wichita. 10/31/16

South Topeka Blvd at

This set of shields for I-335, I-470 and U.S. 75 direct motorists onto the freeway access road west from South Topeka Boulevard (former U.S. 75) and Kansas Avenue. Originally a trumpet interchange connected the arterial route with Interstate 470. It was removed after U.S. 75 was realigned westward onto a freeway. 10/17/04

Following the connector west from South Topeka Boulevard, traffic partitions for I-470 west / U.S. 75 north around Topeka and I-470 east to the Kansas Turnpike and I-335 south. 10/17/04

North End Throwback

Previous guide signs for Exit 177 along the Kansas Turnpike west referenced Interstate 70 in addition to I-470 and U.S. 75. South Topeka was replaced with both Topeka and Salina on replacements. 10/17/04

The half mile guide sign now references next exit 30 miles in place of “Last Topeka Exit.” Interstate 470 returns to I-70 west in 6.69 miles. 10/17/04

Interstate 335 takes over for the Kansas Turnpike as I-470 departed to the west to meet U.S. 75. A new sign bridge replaced this assembly by 2007. 10/17/04

South End – Emporia, Kansas

South at

Interstate 335 concludes a 19.84 mile exit less stretch on the west side of Emporia in two miles. The toll road spans the Neosho River on the two mile approach to Exit 127. 10/31/16

The Kansas Turnpike straddles the western city limits of Emporia from W 30th Avenue to the trumpet interchange (Exit 127) with Interstate 35 north. 10/31/16

Interstate 35 travels east across the city of Emporia along the original U.S. 50 bypass. U.S. 50 stays south of the freeway along 6th Avenue while the freeway parallels the Neosho River. 10/31/16

Exit 127 loops away from Interstate 335 south. I-35 north and U.S. 50 combine from the east side of Emporia to Ottawa, Olathe, Lenexa and Overland Park. The toll free section of Interstate 35 was completed in 1974. 10/31/16

An end shield for Interstate 335 precedes the departure of Exit 127 and underpass for U.S. 50. 10/31/16

The previous set of ramps between I-35 and I-335 were located further north. Photo by Jeff Royston (03/19/05).

North at

Interstate 335 north begins at Exit 127 where I-35 branches east from the Kansas Turnpike across the city of Emporia. 10/05/21

The trumpet interchange (Exit 127) with the departing I-35 lies just north of U.S. 50. I-335 runs along the northwest side of Emporia on the ensuing stretch to the Neosho River. 10/05/21

South at

Prior to merging with the Kansas Turnpike at the south end of I-335, Interstate 35 angles southwest from Industrial Road to a roundabout interchange (Exit 127A) for U.S. 50. There is no Exit 127B, as Exit 127A is a leftover from the “spaghetti bowl” interchange. 06/17/15

Travelers enter a toll plaza just west of Exit 127A before emerging at the ramp split for I-335 north back to Topeka, and the continuation of I-35 southwest to the Flint Hills and Wichita. 06/17/15

South End Throwback

North at

The northbound split of Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike prior to the reconfiguring of Exit 127. Ottawa was replaced with Kansas City on sign replacements. Photo by Richie Kennedy (03/01).

Sign changes made by early 2001 denoted that Interstate 335 will eventually connect to Kansas City via I-70.⁴ Photo by Ben Prusia (2002).

South at

Ground level guide sign posted at the original trumpet interchange joining Interstate 35 south with the Kansas Turnpike. Photo by Jeff Royston (03/19/05).

Prior to the 2006-08 reconstruction, U.S. 50 met Interstate 35 directly at a expansive interchange with left exit ramps. This connection was replaced by a roundabout and access road leading north to I-35, with U.S. 50 remaining on a separate alignment to the south. Photo by Jeff Royston (03/19/05).

This sign bridge was posted by the Kansas Turnpike mainline (I-35) overpass on U.S. 50 east. A new entrance ramp was added here for the continuation of I-35 south. Exit 127C no longer exists, as a single ramp (Exit 127A) departs from I-35 to the U.S. 50 access road now. Photo by Jeff Royston (03/19/05).

Shields for I-35 and I-335 preceded the directional cloverleaf interchange taking U.S. 50 north to I-35 south. U.S. 50 was realigned through a single lane roundabout to the south. Photo by Jeff Royston (03/19/05).

Sources:

Kansas Interstate 50th Anniversary
“65 MPH Approved for Route.” Wichita Eagle, The (KS), October 24, 1987.
“Winter has done little to delay interchange project.” Emporia Gazetta, The (KS), January 30, 2007.
Tarman, Jason.

Page updated June 30, 2022.