Interstate 635 (Kansas–Missouri)

Not to be confused with Interstate 635 (Texas).

Interstate 635
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
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Route information
Length:	12.67 mi (20.39 km)
Major junctions
South end:	I-35 / US-69 in Overland Park, KS
	K-32 in Kansas City, KS I-70 / US-24 / US-40 in Kansas City, KS K-5 in Kansas City, KS US 69 / Route 9 in Riverside, MO
North end:	I-29 / US 71 in Kansas City, MO
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Kansas numbered highways Missouri State Highway System Interstate US State Supplemental ← I-470 KS I-670 → ← Route 571 MO I-670 →

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.

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.

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 Shawnee Drive 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 public interchange before entering Missouri is K-5. A private maintenance facility crossing at grade exists between this exit and the Missouri River.

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/US-71.

History

Missouri began the plans for I-635 in 1958 when AASHO approved proposals that also included what would become I-435 and I-470; the plan for I-635 took the route eastward along what is now K-5 to U.S. 69 and northward across the Fairfax Bridge toward I-29. When money from the Highway Trust Fund became available for a new Missouri River crossing, I-635 got a more westward alignment after 1968. Part of the original alignment was built as a spur going into Fairfax as K-5.

In 1990 the highway was given the name Harry Darby Memorial Highway, in honor of U.S. Senator Harry Darby.

The interchange with I-70 and the bridge over the Santa Fe Railyard in Argentine was reconstructed.

Maintenance work on the bridge over the Missouri River finished in September 2005.

Exit list

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Johnson	Overland Park	0.00	0.00	1A	I-35 / US-69 north – Wichita, Des Moines	Southern terminus of I-635. Southbound exit and northbound entrance. Roadway continues as US-69 south (Metcalf Avenue); I-35 exits 231A-B.
Wyandotte	Kansas City			1B	Merriam Lane, Merriam Drive
				1C	Shawnee Drive
				2A	Metropolitan Avenue
				2B	Swartz Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				3	K-32 (Kansas Avenue)
				4	I-70 / US-24 / US-40 – Topeka, St. Louis	Signed as exits 4A (east) & 4B (west); I-70 east exits 418A-B; west exit 419.
				5	State Avenue
				6	Parallel Parkway
				7	K-5 north (Leavenworth Road) / 38th Street	Southern terminus of K-5 concurrency
				8	K-5 south / 18th Street	Northern terminus of K-5 concurrency
Missouri River				Kansas–Missouri state line
Platte	Riverside			9	Horizons Parkway, Argosy Casino Parkway
				10	US 69 south	Southern terminus of US 69 concurrency, southbound exit and northbound entrance
				11	US 69 north / Route 9 – Riverside, Parkville	Northern terminus of US 69 concurrency
				12	I-29 / US 71 – Kansas City International Airport, St. Joseph, Downtown	Signed as exits 12A (north) and 12B (south); northern terminus of I-635; I-29 exit 3B (MO).
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

External links

• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT