OKRoads -- Interstate 35

If there was ever to be an interstate named after OKRoads, Interstate 35 would have to be it. During the school year, I am either driving or riding on Interstate 35 seven days a week, either going to and from school or going to and from the church bus route that I have the opportunity to serve on. During the first 13 years of my life before they passed on, my grandparents lived in Emporia, Kansas, which meant that about once a month (and even more than that during the last few years of their lives), my family would get in the van and drive Interstate 35 from Oklahoma City to Emporia. I can recall every exit, exit number, and the services located at every exit. I can recall stories of turning around near the turnpike (no, I wasn't the one who did it - this was before I could drive), and other stories about the service areas along the Kansas Turnpike. I recall that we always stopped for dinner in either Perry or Blackwell on the way to Emporia (and sometimes on the way back home too!).

In recent years, I have become familiar with the other half of Interstate 35 in Oklahoma, from south Oklahoma City to Dallas. Five major roadtrips in the past three years have began with a trip down Interstate 35 to Dallas. However, it was not until last August during Summer 2004 Roadtrip #2 that I actually clinched all of Interstate 35 from Laredo, Texas, to Duluth, Minnesota.

Sentimental stories aside, Interstate 35 spans 1,568 miles from Mexico to the tip of Lake Superior. It travels through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota along the way. After spending 504 miles in Texas, Interstate 35 spends about 235 miles in both Oklahoma and Kansas. The interstate splits twice along the way, once in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas, where Interstate 35E serves Dallas and Interstate 35W serves Fort Worth; and the other time in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, where Interstate 35W serves Minneapolis and Interstate 35E goes through St. Paul. And, for the record, I have not driven Interstate 35W in Minnesota, but have driven all of it in Texas. The mileage for the main Interstate 35 route follows Interstate 35E in both cases, and in my book, that means that I have clinched Interstate 35.

Highway Information
States Traveled Through (Mileage in state)	Texas (504.15) Oklahoma (235.96) Kansas (235.51) Missouri (114.74) Iowa (218.33) Minnesota (259.69)
Total Mileage	1,568.38
Cities	Texas: Laredo, Pearsall, San Antonio, Austin, Georgetown, Temple, Waco, Hillsboro, Waxahachie, Dallas, Denton, Gainesville Oklahoma: Ardmore, Pauls Valley, Norman, Oklahoma City, Guthrie, Perry Kansas: Wichita, Emporia, Ottawa, Olathe, Kansas City Missouri: Kansas City Iowa: Des Moines, Ames Minnesota: Albert Lea, Owatonna, Faribault, St. Paul, Duluth
Source	10/31/02 Interstate Route Log & Finder List
OKRoads Coverage
Miles Driven by OKRoads (Percentage)	1,568 (100%)
Southern End of Interstate Driven	U.S. 83
Northern End of Interstate Driven	MN 61

Selected Pictures
For more pictures of Interstate 35 from a particular state, click on the state below.

Texas
	The northbound beginning of Interstate 35 in Laredo as seen from U.S. 83 North. U.S. 59 is also signed here, even though it actually begins two miles to the north. One more stoplight separates U.S. 83 from the beginning of Interstate 35. (Photo taken 10/17/03)
	Interstate 35 North/Interstate 10 West at Exit 156 - Interstate 10 West/U.S. 87 North - El Paso. Only 570 miles separate this interchange from the New Mexico state line. (Photo taken 3/17/05)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 166 - Interstate 410 West/Loop 368 South. Interstate 410 will duplex with Interstate 35 for the next three miles. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 248 - Grand Avenue Parkway. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 303 - Spur 290 - North 3rd St./Industrial Blvd. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 338A - U.S. 84/TO TX 31 - Waco Dr./Bellmead. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 467 - Interstate 35W South - Ft. Worth. The Interstate 35W shield has been missing from this sign for a few years. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
Oklahoma
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 31B - U.S. 70 West - Waurika/Lone Grove. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 South at Exit 113 - U.S. 77 South - Norman. (Photo taken 10/16/03)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 121B - Interstate 240 - Lawton/Ft. Smith. This cloverleaf interchange is scheduled to be reconstructed in the near future. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	Interstate 35 North leaves the mainline and takes a one-lane ramp to merge onto Interstate 40 East. Straight ahead is Interstate 235 North. The interstate shields on the left and right panels were replaced in January 2004. (Top photo taken 8/24/02, bottom photo taken 2/13/04)
	Interstate 35 North/Interstate 44 East at Exit 138A - Interstate 44 East - Tulsa. (Photo taken 5/19/03)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 194A - U.S. 412 East/Cimarron Turnpike - Tulsa. (Photo taken 5/19/03)
Kansas
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 42 - Interstate 135/ Interstate 235/U.S. 81 - Wichita/Salina. Three highways are signed at this exit, but only one of them begins here! U.S. 81 merges with Interstate 135 at Exit 1B, and Interstate 235 begins at I-135's Exit 1C. (Top photo taken 9/28/02, bottom photo taken 8/8/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 127 - Interstate 35/ U.S. 50 - Emporia/Kansas City. The mainline Kansas Turnpike becomes Interstate 335. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 222A - Interstate 435 East. Interstate 435 is Kansas City's outer beltway, covering 83 miles while bypassing the center of the metropolitan area. (Top photo taken 11/30/02, middle photo taken 7/1/03, bottom photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 231A - Interstate 635 North. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
Missouri
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 2U - Interstate 70/ Interstate 670 - Topeka/St. Louis, and Broadway. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 2X - Interstate 70/ U.S. 24 West/U.S. 169 South. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 29/Interstate 35 North at Exit 8B - Interstate 29/U.S. 71 North - KCI Airport/ St. Joseph. The Kansas City International Airport is located about 15 miles to the northwest, while St. Joseph is about 45 miles away. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 12A - Interstate 435 South - St. Louis. Notice the old, faded signs, and the large button copy shield on the exit sign. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 54 - U.S. 36 - Cameron/Hamilton. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
Iowa
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 33 - U.S. 34 - Osceola/Creston. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 68 - IA 5 - West Des Moines/Norwalk. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 72A - Interstate 235 East - West Des Moines/Des Moines. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North/Interstate 80 East at Exit 137A - Interstate 235 West - Des Moines. (Photos taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 111A - U.S. 30 East - Nevada. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 142A - U.S. 20 East - Waterloo. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
Minnesota
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 13A - Interstate 90 East - La Crosse. The city along the Mississippi River lies about 140 miles to the east. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 88A - Interstate 35W - Minneapolis. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 131 - CSAH 2 - Forest Lake. (Photo taken 8/9/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 237 - MN 33 - Cloquet/Iron Range. (Photo taken 8/10/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 255A - 21st Ave. N., and Exit 255B - Interstate 535/U.S. 53 South - Wisconsin. (Photo taken 8/10/04)
	Interstate 35 North at Exit 259 - MN 61 - North Shore. This is the northern end of Interstate 35. And with this exit, this completes our tour of Interstate 35. (Photo taken 8/10/04)