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90-575: The Blanchette Memorial Bridge carries Interstate 70 across the Missouri River between St. Louis County and St. Charles County , Missouri . It is formed from a pair of twin cantilever bridges and opened in 1959, with a second bridge opened in 1979. At the bridge's crossing, the Missouri River reaches an average depth of 45 feet. It is the area's busiest bridge, handling an average of 165,000 vehicle transits per day. Construction of

180-735: A four-leaf clover . A cloverleaf is the minimum interchange required for a four-legged system interchange. Although they were commonplace until the 1970s, most highway departments and ministries have sought to rebuild them into more efficient and safer designs. The cloverleaf interchange was invented by Maryland engineer Arthur Hale, who filed a patent for its design on May   24, 1915. The first one in North America opened on December   15, 1929, in Woodbridge, New Jersey, connecting New Jersey Route   25 and Route   4 (now U.S. Route   1/9 and New Jersey Route   35). It

270-407: A teardrop shape, with the points facing towards the center of the interchange. Longer ramps are often required due to line-of-sight requirements at roundabouts. A partial cloverleaf interchange (often shortened to the portmanteau, parclo ) is an interchange with loops ramps in one to three quadrants, and diamond interchange ramps in any number of quadrants. The various configurations are generally

360-399: A complex appearance and are often colloquially described as Mixing Bowls , Mixmasters (for a Sunbeam Products brand of electric kitchen mixers ), or as Spaghetti Bowls or Spaghetti Junctions (being compared to boiled spaghetti ). However, they consume a significantly smaller area of land compared to a cloverleaf interchange. A combination interchange (sometimes referred to by

450-479: A contract for pavement, other oddities happened with I-70 as well. As first proposed, the western terminus of I-70 was to be Denver . Utah and Colorado, however, pressured the federal government to extend the planned freeway farther west, arguing a direct link between Denver and Salt Lake City was vital for an effective highway system. The proposal was to follow what is now US 6 west and connect to I-15 at Spanish Fork, Utah . Federal planners, influenced by

540-475: A directional T interchange) is typically used when a three-way interchange is required for two or three highways interchanging in semi-parallel/perpendicular directions, but it can also be used in right-angle case as well. Their connecting ramps can spur from either the right or left side of the highway, depending on the direction of travel and the angle. Directional T interchanges use flyover/underpass ramps for both connecting and mainline segments, and they require

630-412: A dumbbell interchange or a dogbone interchange, is similar to the diamond interchange, but uses a pair of roundabouts in place of intersections to join the highway ramps with the crossroad. This typically increases the efficiency of the interchange when compared to a diamond, but is only ideal in light traffic conditions. In the dogbone variation, the roundabouts do not form a complete circle, instead having

720-563: A few hundred people along I-70's path in Utah. The second town with more than a few hundred people served by I-70 is Salina . Upon leaving the valley near Salina, I-70 crosses the 7,923-foot (2,415 m) Salina Summit and then crosses a large geologic formation called the San Rafael Swell . Prior to the construction of I-70, the swell was inaccessible via paved roads and relatively undiscovered. Once this 108-mile (174 km) section

810-667: A moderate amount of land and moderate costs since only two levels of roadway are typically used. Their name derives from their resemblance to the capital letter T, depending upon the angle from which the interchange is seen and the alignment of the roads that are interchanging. It is sometimes known as the "New England Y", as this design is often seen in the northeastern United States, particularly in Connecticut. This type of interchange features directional ramps (no loops, or weaving right to turn left) and can use multilane ramps in comparatively little space. Some designs have two ramps and

900-454: A parclo AB features a loop ramp approaching the crossroad in one direction, and beyond the crossroad in the opposing direction, as in the example image. A diverging diamond interchange (DDI) or double crossover diamond interchange (DCD) is similar to a traditional diamond interchange, except the opposing lanes on the crossroad cross each other twice, once on each side of the highway. This allows all highway entrances and exits to avoid crossing

990-439: A safer modification of the cloverleaf design, due to a partial or complete reduction in weaving, but may require traffic lights on the lesser-travelled crossroad. Depending on the number of ramps used, they take up a moderate to large amount of land, and have varying capacity and efficiency. Parclo configurations are given names based on the location of and number of quadrants with ramps. The letter A denotes that, for traffic on

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1080-543: A small angle and meet the non-freeway at almost right angles. These ramps at the non-freeway can be controlled through stop signs , traffic signals , or turn ramps. Diamond interchanges are much more economical in use of materials and land than other interchange designs, as the junction does not normally require more than one bridge to be constructed. However, their capacity is lower than other interchanges and when traffic volumes are high they can easily become congested. A double roundabout diamond interchange, also known as

1170-401: A three-level semi-directional T at Highway 407 and a two-level semi-directional T at Highway 401 . Service interchanges are used between a controlled-access route and a crossroad that is not controlled-access. A full cloverleaf may be used as a system or a service interchange. A diamond interchange is an interchange involving four ramps where they enter and leave the freeway at

1260-509: A three-way interchange. However, in a semi-directional T, some of the splits and merges are switched to avoid ramps to and from the passing lane , eliminating the major disadvantage of the directional T. Semi-directional T interchanges are generally safe and efficient, though they do require more land and are costlier than trumpet interchanges. Semi-directional T interchanges are built as two- or three-level junctions, with three-level interchanges typically used in urban or suburban areas where land

1350-442: A toll road meets another toll road or a free highway. They are also useful when most traffic on the terminating highway is going in the same direction. The turn that is used less often would contain the slower loop ramp. Trumpet interchanges are often used instead of directional or semi-directional T or Y interchanges because they require less bridge construction but still eliminate weaving. A full Y-interchange (also known as

1440-422: A traditional stack interchange. A three-level roundabout interchange features a grade-separated roundabout which handles traffic exchanging between highways. The ramps of the interchanging highways meet at a roundabout , or rotary, on a separated level above, below, or in the middle of the two highways. These interchanges can also be used to make a "linking road" to the destination for a service interchange, or

1530-607: Is 55 mph (89 km/h). From New Stanton to Breezewood , I-70 overlaps I-76 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike . This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70 (the other is in Kansas, where the portion of the Kansas Turnpike east of Topeka is signed I-70). Drivers on I-70 near Breezewood have to leave the freeway and travel a few blocks on US 30 past several traffic-lights before returning to

1620-446: Is a 3-level stack, since the semi-directional ramps are spaced out far enough, so they do not need to cross each other at a single point as in a conventional 4-level stack. Stacks are significantly more expensive than other four-way interchanges are due to the design of the four levels; additionally, they may suffer from objections of local residents because of their height and high visual impact. Large stacks with multiple levels may have

1710-865: Is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah , to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn , just outside Baltimore , Maryland. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 (US 40; the old National Road ) east of the Rocky Mountains . West of the Rocky Mountains, the route of I-70 was derived from multiple sources. The Interstate runs through or near many major U.S. cities, including Denver , Topeka , Kansas City , St. Louis , Indianapolis , Columbus , Pittsburgh , and Baltimore. The sections of

1800-428: Is an alternative four-way directional interchange. The turbine interchange requires fewer levels (usually two or three) while retaining directional ramps throughout. It features right-exit, left-turning ramps that sweep around the center of the interchange in a clockwise spiral . A full turbine interchange features a minimum of 18 overpasses, and requires more land to construct than a four-level stack interchange; however,

1890-592: Is approximately the southern city limits of "City of Kansas" when it was incorporated in 1853. The first two auto bridges in Missouri mark the city's original boundaries with the Buck O'Neil Bridge (US 169) being the west boundary while the Heart of America Bridge ( Route 9 ) is the east boundary. Another intersection of note is the second traverse of I-435 . This is primarily notable because it immediately precedes

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1980-477: Is braided when at least one of the roadways reverses sides. It seeks to make left and right turns equally easy. In a pure braided interchange, each roadway has one right exit, one left exit, one right on-ramp, and one left on-ramp, and both roadways are flipped. The first pure braided interchange was built in Baltimore at Interstate 95 at Interstate 695 ; however, the interchange was reconfigured in 2008 to

2070-426: Is characterized by sharp curves, limited sight distance, narrow shoulders, and lack of merge lanes at interchanges. Traffic on cloverleaf ramps must weave in the right throughlane of traffic due to the lack of a third lane for entering and exiting traffic. Other on- and offramps effectively function as right-in/right-out interchanges, forcing vehicles to weave in and out of the exit lane. The speed limit on this stretch

2160-470: Is more expensive. In a three-level semi-directional T, the two semi-directional ramps from the terminating highway cross the surviving highway at or near a single point, which requires both an overpass and underpass. In a two-level semi-directional T, the two semi-directional ramps from the terminating highway cross each other at a different point than the surviving highway, necessitating longer ramps and often one ramp having two overpasses. Highway 412 has

2250-437: Is present for southbound I-71 traffic as well. The Split is being reconstructed ($ 1.4 billion) and is scheduled to be completed by mid-2026. I-670 connects John Glenn Columbus International Airport with I-270, I-71, and I-70. East of Columbus, I-70 passes through Zanesville and on to Cambridge , where it intersects I-77 . Continuing on toward West Virginia , I-70 intersects I-470 just east of St. Clairsville . I-470

2340-607: Is primarily used for through traffic and to avoid The Winter Festival of Lights traffic during the Christmas season from Oglebay Park . In March 1995, a hole (from a former coal mine) opened up on the eastbound side of I-70 in Guernsey County near Old Washington and caused traffic to be rerouted onto US 40 between Old Washington and Cambridge for several months. The portion of I-70 in West Virginia crosses

2430-458: The I-70 killer , a serial killer who committed a string of murders within a few miles of it in several Midwestern states in the early 1990s. No suspect has ever been apprehended despite the widespread publicity the murders generated, including their being featured several times on the television show America's Most Wanted and Unsolved Mysteries . John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo ,

2520-605: The Kansas River on the Intercity Viaduct into Downtown Kansas City, Missouri . After crossing the Intercity Viaduct , I-70 enters Missouri. It encounters a loop of freeways, called the Downtown Loop , which contains I-70 as well as I-35 , I-670 , US 24 , US 40 , US 71 , and US 169 . In the southern part of this loop, I-670 cuts directly through the downtown while I-70 bypasses

2610-790: The Mississippi River on the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge , connecting with an extension of I-44 , which takes the former I-70 route through Downtown St. Louis to meet I-55 at its connection to the Poplar Street Bridge . The 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals was nicknamed the "I-70 Series" because St. Louis and Kansas City are the two endpoints of I-70 in Missouri , and

2700-461: The Missouri River , at its northern terminus. From I-635 to just past the US ;169 (7th Street) exit, I-70 runs adjacent Union Pacific Railroad 's Armourdale Yard. Here, I-670 (also designated "Alternate 70" on some signs) diverges, providing a more direct route that rejoins I-70 proper a few miles east in Missouri. The highway passes over the former stockyards and railyard when it crosses

2790-587: The Ohio River at Wheeling and runs through the Wheeling Tunnel . I-70 has only one throughlane in each direction at the tunnel. A major interchange was planned but never completed on the east side of the Wheeling Tunnel. Upon merging with I-470, I-70 goes uphill toward Dallas Pike. This part of the road is called "Two Mile Hill", which is known locally for the many accidents at the bottom of

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2880-573: The Pennsylvania state line near Hancock east across the central portion of the state toward Baltimore , following the route of the National Road , now known as US 40 . It is a major east–west highway in the state, serving the cities of Hagerstown and Frederick and bypassing Ellicott City . East of Frederick, the route was originally designated Interstate 70N ( I-70N ). The highway serves Washington DC , via I-270 , which

2970-686: The Truman Sports Complex (home of both Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums) and also because the entrance ramps from I-435 northbound onto I-70 eastbound also serve as the exit ramps from I-70 into the Truman Sports Complex parking lots. This section of the Interstate is marked as the " George Brett Super Highway", named after the Kansas City Royals third-base player who played the entirety of his career (1973–1993) at Kauffman Stadium. The last Interstate intersection in

3060-400: The controlled-access highway , the loop ramps are located in advance of (or approaching ) the crossroad, and thus provide an onramp to the highway. The letter B indicated that the loop ramps are beyond the crossroad, and thus provide an offramp from the highway. These letters can be used together when opposite directions of travel on the controlled-access highway are not symmetrical, thus

3150-502: The "South Split" and "North Split", respectively. The I-465 beltway provides access to Fishers via Interstate 69 , which is concurrent with I-465 at the eastern interchange with I-70. I-74 meets I-70 at the western interchange with I-465, eastern access to I-74 can take place via its concurrency around the southern portion of the I-465 loop. After passing through much of the near northeast side of Indianapolis , I-70 again encounters

3240-403: The "inside" through road (on the same side as the freeway that ends) crossing each other at a three-level bridge. The directional T interchange is preferred to a trumpet interchange because a trumpet requires a loop ramp by which speeds can be reduced, but flyover ramps can handle much faster speeds. The disadvantage of the directional T is that traffic from the terminating road enters and leaves on

3330-602: The Baltimore Beltway. Until November 2014, I-70 ended at a park-and-ride lot at MD 122 as the freeway enters the city of Baltimore at exit 94. Commuters park on the pavement where high-speed freeway lanes were to be. The former freeway from I-695 to MD 122 is being converted into a two-lane parkway to be renamed Cooks Boulevard, maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration . The highway gave its name to

3420-512: The I-465 beltway, which carries a multitude of unsigned U.S. Highways and Indiana state roads. I-70 continues on nearly due east from this point, first traveling through suburban Indianapolis and then transitioning into rural east central Indiana, where it passes just to the south of New Castle . Upon reaching the Richmond area, US 35 joins I-70 just before both routes leave Indiana together and enter Ohio. I-70 enters Ohio just east of

3510-624: The Interstate in Missouri and Kansas have laid claim to be the first Interstate in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has claimed the section of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in Colorado , completed in 1992, to be the last piece of the Interstate Highway System , as originally planned, to open to traffic. The construction of I-70 in Colorado and Utah is considered an engineering marvel, as

3600-445: The Missouri River twice (as did the original US 40)—at Rocheport , about 15 miles (24 km) west of Columbia, and at St. Charles , about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of St. Louis. Most of the highway on this stretch is four lanes. Various proposals have been made to widen it (at an estimated cost of $ 3.5 billion) including turning it into a toll road. I-70 eventually gets into Greater St. Louis , and US 40 splits to

3690-485: The United States opened on July   7, 2009, in Springfield, Missouri , at the junction of Interstate 44 and Missouri Route 13 . A single-point urban interchange (SPUI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI) is a modification of a diamond interchange in which all four ramps to and from a controlled-access highway converge at a single, three-phase traffic light in the middle of an overpass or underpass. While

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3780-401: The bridges are generally short in length. Coupled with reduced maintenance costs, a turbine interchange is a less costly alternative to a stack. A windmill interchange is similar to a turbine interchange, but it has much sharper turns, reducing its size and capacity. The interchange is named for its similar overhead appearance to the blades of a windmill . A variation of the windmill, called

3870-483: The city. A series of signs warns truckers of the steep grade. As I-70 leaves the foothills, it goes through Denver and intersects I-25 , serving as the central east–west artery through the city. Leaving Denver, I-70 levels out and traverses the wide plains through eastern Colorado. East of Denver, I-70 makes a broad turn to the south-southeast for 30 miles (48 km), before reaching Limon and resuming its eastward journey toward Kansas. Coming from Colorado, I-70 enters

3960-576: The closest distances between two distinct auxiliary Interstates with the same child Interstate number. I-470 near Topeka, Kansas , and I-470 on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri , are approximately 72 miles (116 km) apart. This record is surpassed by I-291 around Hartford, Connecticut , and I-291 near Springfield, Massachusetts , which are unrelated but are 23 miles (37 km) apart. A breakdown of I-70's auxiliary routes follows: Interchange (road) Note: The descriptions of interchanges apply to countries where vehicles drive on

4050-507: The compact design is safer, more efficient, and offers increased capacity—with three light phases as opposed to four in a traditional diamond, and two left turn queues on the arterial road instead of four—the significantly wider overpass or underpass structure makes them more costly than most service interchanges. Since single-point urban interchanges can exist in rural areas, such as the interchange of U.S. Route 23 with M-59 in Michigan ;

4140-537: The creation of a new basic road as a service interchange. Trumpet interchanges may be used where one highway terminates at another highway, and are named as such for to their resemblance to trumpets . They are sometimes called jug handles . These interchanges are very common on toll roads , as they concentrate all entering and exiting traffic into a single stretch of roadway, where toll plazas can be installed once to handle all traffic, especially on ticket-based tollways . A double-trumpet interchange can be found where

4230-448: The diverging windmill, increases capacity by altering the direction of traffic flow of the interchanging highways, making the connecting ramps much more direct. There also is a hybrid interchange somewhat like the diverging windmill in which left turn exits merge on the left, but it differs in that the left turn exits use left directional ramps. A braided or diverging interchange is a two-level, four-way interchange. An interchange

4320-628: The duo responsible for the DC sniper attacks , were apprehended at a rest stop on I-70 near Myersville, Maryland , in 2002. The 1985 World Series was a contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals and won by the Royals. As these cities are primarily connected by I-70, the media has often called the series and the two teams' interleague rivalry the I-70 Series. I-70 has one of

4410-621: The east side of Dayton. Springfield is the next city, the site of Buck Creek State Park . I-70 then encounters Columbus . Columbus is bounded by I-270 and is roughly centered on the intersection of I-70 and I-71 , which share the same asphalt through a notoriously congested 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stretch locally known as the "South Innerbelt" or, more commonly, "The Split". This stretch has I-71 concurrent with I-70, where I-71 enters and exits from opposite sides of I-70, causing traffic getting on I-70 from I-71 northbound to have to cross four lanes of I-70 traffic to continue on I-71. A similar issue

4500-522: The fact the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad occupied the south bank, and many temporary construction projects took place to keep US 6 open, at the time the only east–west road in the area. Much of the highway is elevated above the Colorado River . The speed limit in this section is 50 mph (80 km/h) due to the limited sight distance and sharp corners. The Eisenhower Tunnel ,

4590-567: The first interstate highway project (under provisions of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 ) started west of the bridge's present location. A sign commemorating the site of the nation's first interstate project stands next to Interstate 70 just east of the Missouri Route 94 /First Capitol Drive overpass. In 1979, a second span was opened due to the fact that the two laned configuration had become obsolete. The bridge

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4680-473: The first roads to feature grade-separations. Maryland engineer Arthur Hale filed a patent for the design of a cloverleaf interchange on May   24, 1915, though the conceptual roadwork was not realised until a cloverleaf opened on December   15, 1929, in Woodbridge, New Jersey , connecting New Jersey Route 25 and Route 4 (now U.S. Route 1/9 and New Jersey Route 35 ). It

4770-542: The first time, which allows travelers to bypass the downtown traffic via I-435, which encircles the Kansas City metropolitan area . Further down the highway in Kansas City, approximately three miles (4.8 km) before the 18th Street Expressway, I-70 is intersected again by another auxiliary route. This route, I-635 , runs from I-35 at its southern terminus up to I-29 , just about five miles (8.0 km) across

4860-470: The freeway through Glenwood Canyon Colorado was the last major section of freeway on I-70 to be completed and widely heralded as an environmental and engineering success. As a result of freeway revolts in the Baltimore area, I-70 was not completed east of MD 122 to its planned terminus at I-95 within the city of Baltimore, and it now ends at a four-way symmetrical stack interchange with I-695 ,

4950-558: The freeway. This stretch of I-70 is one of the few gaps on the Interstate Highway System. I-70 continues on almost due south to the Maryland border after leaving I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) at Breezewood. This section is posted at 55 mph (89 km/h) and is heavily patrolled. After the border, it meets I-68 's eastern end and turns east toward Baltimore and Washington DC . In Maryland , I-70 runs from

5040-668: The highest vehicular tunnel in North America and the longest tunnel built under the Interstate program, passes through the Continental Divide . Because of the rugged and narrow terrain of the Rocky Mountains , I-70 is one of few roads connecting Colorado's ski resorts with Denver . Descending through the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, one can see the Denver skyline on a clear day. This can fool truckers and other unsuspecting drivers because one must still traverse 10 miles (16 km) of steep grade road before reaching

5130-609: The highway passes within sight of both the Royals' Kauffman Stadium and, at the time, the Cardinals' Busch Stadium . After crossing the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge , I-70 merges with I-55, while I-64 splits off I-55. When the routes intersect I-270, I-55 stays on its own pavement using the mileposts from the Poplar Street Bridge, while I-70 heads east on I-270's pavement using I-270's mileposts. Because of this arrangement, when I-55/I-70 intersects I-270 from

5220-590: The hill. I-70 has brought major development in Ohio County , the only county the route passes through in West Virginia, in the past few years. On the north side of the highway, a former strip mine was developed into a retail area called The Highlands . This stretch of I-70 is the shortest that I-70 is in any state, traveling only 15 miles (24 km) from the Ohio River to the Pennsylvania border. I-70

5310-532: The immediate Kansas City metro area is with I-470 in Independence . After passing Kansas City, I-70 traverses the length of Missouri, west to east. It passes through the largest city between Kansas City and St. Louis, Columbia , which is about halfway between the two major cities and the home of the University of Missouri . The terrain is rolling with some hills and bluffs near rivers. I-70 also crosses

5400-436: The interchange with US 40 at Richmond, Indiana . Immediately to the east of this border, travelers notice a unique teal-blue arch that spans the width of the freeway, with a "Welcome to Ohio" greeting sign above the eastbound lanes. A sign thanking travelers for visiting Ohio is mounted on the other side of the arch for westbound travelers. Continuing eastbound, I-70 intersects I-75 north of Dayton , followed by I-675 on

5490-583: The military, agreed to extend the proposed route of I-70, but not to serve Salt Lake City; the military wanted to better connect Southern California with the Northeastern U.S. This led to I-70's constructed route through the San Rafael Swell terminating at Cove Fort. Many motorists include I-70 as part of their cross-country drives between New York City and Los Angeles (which are accessible to I-70 via other Interstates). Completed in 1992,

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5580-594: The opposite direction of travel and saves one signal phase of traffic lights each. The first DDIs were constructed in the French communities of Versailles ( A13 at D182), Le Perreux-sur-Marne ( A4 at N486) and Seclin ( A1 at D549), in the 1970s. Despite the fact that such interchanges already existed, the idea for the DDI was "reinvented" around 2000, inspired by the freeway-to-freeway interchange between Interstate 95 and I-695 north of Baltimore . The first DDI in

5670-513: The passing lane, so the semi-directional T interchange (see below) is preferred. The interchange of Highway 416 and Highway 417 in Ontario, constructed in the early 1990s, is one of the few directional T interchanges, as most transportation departments had switched to the semi-directional T design. As with a directional T interchange, a semi-directional T interchange uses flyover (overpass) or underpass ramps in all directions at

5760-543: The portmanteau, cloverstack ) is a hybrid of other interchange designs. It uses loop ramps to serve slower or less-occupied traffic flow , and flyover ramps to serve faster and heavier traffic flows. If local and express ways serving the same directions and each roadway is connected righthand to the interchange, extra ramps are installed. The combination interchange design is commonly used to upgrade cloverleaf interchanges to increase their capacity and eliminate weaving. Some turbine-stack hybrids: The turbine interchange

5850-452: The prairie, farmlands, and rolling hills of Kansas. This portion of I-70 was the first segment to start being paved and to be completed in the Interstate Highway System. It is given the nickname "Main Street of Kansas", as the Interstate extends from the western border to the eastern border of the state, covering 424 miles (682 km) and passing through most of the state's principal cities in

5940-467: The problem of weaving, and due to the semi-directional flyover ramps and directional ramps, they are generally safe and efficient at handling high traffic volumes in all directions. A standard stack interchange includes roads on four levels, also known as a 4-level stack, including the two perpendicular highways, and one more additional level for each pair of left-turn ramps. These ramps can be stacked (cross) in various configurations above, below, or between

6030-409: The process. In Salina , I-70 intersects with the north terminus of I-135 . In Topeka , I-70 intersects I-470 , twice. At the eastern intersection, the Kansas Turnpike merges, with I-70 becoming a toll road . This is one of only two sections of I-70 that are tolled. (The other is part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike .) I-70 carries this designation from Topeka to Kansas City, the eastern terminus of

6120-587: The right side of the road. For left-side driving, the layout of junctions is mirrored. Both North American (NA) and British (UK) terminology is included. The concept of the controlled-access highway developed in the 1920s and 1930s in Italy, Germany, the United States, and Canada. Initially, these roads featured at-grade intersections along their length. Interchanges were developed to provide access between these new highways and heavily-travelled surface streets. The Bronx River Parkway and Long Island Motor Parkway were

6210-455: The rightmost lane. After demerging from right-turning traffic, they complete their left turn by crossing both highways on a flyover ramp or underpass. The penultimate step is a merge with the right-turn on-ramp traffic from the opposite quadrant of the interchange. Finally, an on-ramp merges both streams of incoming traffic into the left-bound highway. As there is only one off-ramp and one on-ramp (in that respective order), stacks do not suffer from

6300-421: The road is extended. US 70 and US 17 west of New Bern, North Carolina is an example. A stack interchange is a four-way interchange whereby a semi-directional left turn and a directional right turn are both available. Usually, access to both turns is provided simultaneously by a single off-ramp. Assuming right-handed driving, to cross over incoming traffic and go left, vehicles first exit onto an off-ramp from

6390-662: The route passes through the Eisenhower Tunnel , Glenwood Canyon, and the San Rafael Swell . The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m). I-70 begins at an interchange with I-15 near Cove Fort . Heading east, I-70 crosses between the Tushar and Pahvant ranges via Clear Creek Canyon and descends into the Sevier Valley , where I-70 serves Richfield , one of two towns of more than

6480-432: The south, along with US 61 , which does not have a concurrency with I-70. In late 2009, the intersecting road was upgraded to Interstate standards along with the completion of the overhaul of I-64 . After this interchange, I-70 intersects two auxiliary routes, I-270 and I-170 . After passing several bedroom communities in north St. Louis County , I-70 enters the city limits of St. Louis. It turns east to cross

6570-689: The southeast, the exit number is 20 and, in the opposite direction, it is exit 15. I-70 was rerouted from the Poplar Street Bridge to the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge north of Downtown St. Louis, which opened in February 2014. I-70 passes through numerous county seats in Illinois, among them Vandalia , the state capital from 1818 to 1839. It runs concurrently with I-57 around Effingham and then proceeds east toward Indiana. I-70 enters Indiana just to

6660-624: The swell near Green River . From Green River to the Colorado state line, I-70 follows the southern edge of the Book Cliffs . Entering from Utah, I-70 descends into the Grand Valley , where it meets the Colorado River , which provides its path up the western slope of the Rocky Mountains . Here, I-70 serves the Grand Junction metropolitan area before traversing more mountainous terrain. The last section of I-70 to be completed

6750-617: The taller buildings a few blocks north near the Missouri River . Westbound I-670 is also designated Alternate I-70. Most of the Interstates in this loop are in their second mile, so all exits (no matter which Interstate the road carries) are numbered 2 and suffixed with every letter of the alphabet except for I, O, and Z, leading to the loop's nickname, the Alphabet Loop. The section of I-70 in Downtown Kansas City

6840-623: The turnpike. About halfway between Topeka and Kansas City , I-70 passes through Lawrence (home to the University of Kansas ). The tolled portion of the turnpike ends near Bonner Springs , just west of Kansas City. There is also a third auxiliary route in Topeka, I-335 , which runs from I-470 south to meet up with I-35 in the Flint Hills town of Emporia . Just past the Bonner Springs Toll Plaza, I-70 crosses I-435 for

6930-502: The two interchanging highways. This makes them distinct from turbine interchanges, where pairs of left-turn ramps are separated but at the same level. There are some stacks that could be considered 5-level; however, these remain four-way interchanges, since the fifth level actually consists of dedicated ramps for HOV /bus lanes or frontage roads running through the interchange. The stack interchange between I-10 and I-405 in Los Angeles

7020-498: The visages of Lucas Oil Stadium and the JW Marriott Indianapolis hotel, with the city's skyline as their backdrop, now dominate the view to the north from the freeway. After passing just to the south of the world headquarters for Eli Lilly and Company , I-70 and I-65 have a brief concurrency through the eastern side of Downtown Indianapolis . The junction points of these two major routes are known locally as

7110-503: The west of Terre Haute and then crosses the Wabash River before skirting the city's south side. After passing through miles of gently rolling terrain in rural west-central Indiana, the freeway approaches the major Indianapolis metropolitan area . The main entrance to Indianapolis International Airport was relocated to I-70's exit 68 on November 11, 2008. Upon nearing the central business district of Indiana's capital city,

7200-426: Was completed in 2014. In spring 2020, a repair project began on both bridges, with rehabilitation of the westbound span being completed in fall 2020 and the eastbound bridge in 2022. This article about a bridge in Missouri is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This public art article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Interstate 70 Interstate 70 ( I-70 )

7290-540: Was considered a revolutionary design at the time of its construction. A cloverleaf offers uninterrupted connections between two roads but suffers from weaving issues. Along the mainline, a loop ramp introduces traffic prior to a second loop ramp providing access to the crossroad, between which ingress and egress traffic mixes. For this reason, the cloverleaf interchange has fallen out of favour in place of combination interchanges . Some may be half cloverleaf containing ghost ramps which can be upgraded to full cloverleafs if

7380-436: Was designed by Philadelphia engineering firm Rudolph and Delano, based on a design seen in an Argentinian magazine. A system interchange connects multiple controlled-access highways, involving no at-grade signalised intersections. A cloverleaf interchange is a four-legged junction where left turns across opposing traffic are handled by non-directional loop ramps. It is named for its appearance from above, which resembles

7470-596: Was designed by Philadelphia engineering firm Rudolph and Delano based on a design seen in an Argentinian magazine. The first cloverleaf in Canada opened in 1938 at the junction of Highway 10 and what would become the Queen Elizabeth Way . The first cloverleaf outside of North America opened in Stockholm on October   15, 1935. Nicknamed Slussen , it was referred to as a "traffic carousel" and

7560-476: Was diverted to the freeway's east side, for three narrow lanes in each direction. The westbound bridge's old superstructure was demolished in two explosions, with the first taking place on November 18, 2012. The second and final blast was on December 4, 2012. Construction of the replacement bridge started in spring 2013, and the new bridge opened more than two months ahead of schedule in August 2013. The entire project

7650-542: Was initially envisioned to go through Downtown Pittsburgh but now goes south of it. Its originally planned route was later incorporated into I-376 , as well as parts of I-76 and I-79 . I-70 also overlaps I-79 near the Pittsburgh suburb of Washington for three miles (4.8 km). The 38 miles (61 km) of I-70 between Washington and New Stanton is a substandard section of the highway. This section of I-70 used to be Pennsylvania Route 71 (PA 71). It

7740-469: Was once designated Interstate 70S ( I-70S ). Uniquely, I-70 indirectly serves a branch of the Washington Metro at Shady Grove station via I-370 , which only connects to I-270. I-70 was planned to end at I-95 in Baltimore, but, due to local opposition, it was only built to MD 122 . The section east of I-695 is now MD 570 . Besides being the first Interstate to receive

7830-472: Was opened to traffic in 1970, it became the longest stretch of Interstate Highway with no services and the first highway in the U.S. built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway . It also became the longest piece of Interstate Highway to be opened at one time. Although opened in 1970, this section was not formally complete until 1990, when a second steel arch bridge spanning Eagle Canyon

7920-484: Was opened to traffic. Since I-70's construction, the swell has been noted for its desolate beauty. The swell has since been nominated for national park or national monument status on multiple occasions. If the swell is granted this status, it arguably would be the first time a national park owes its existence to an Interstate Highway. Most of the exits in this span are rest areas, brake check areas, and runaway truck ramps with few traditional freeway exits. I-70 exits

8010-405: Was the 15-mile (24 km) Glenwood Canyon . This stretch was completed in 1992 and was an engineering marvel due to the extremely difficult terrain and narrow space in the canyon , which requires corners that are sharper than normal Interstate standards . Construction was delayed for many years due to environmental concerns. The difficulties in building the road in the canyon were compounded by

8100-416: Was then named for French Canadian fur trader and hunter Louis Blanchette , who founded St. Charles as a post along the Missouri River; the village was the first European settlement along this waterway. Major rehabilitations for the westbound span have been addressed to MoDot in the late 2000s. The project started with the closure of the westbound span on November 4, 2012. During the closure, westbound traffic

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