Kansas Turnpike - Route Description - Tolled Interstate 70 (east Topeka To Bonner Springs)

Tolled Interstate 70 (east Topeka To Bonner Springs)

Interstate 70 makes up the remainder of the turnpike, running from Topeka to Lawrence and the turnpike's eastern terminus in Kansas City. The only other tolled section of I-70 is on part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

At its opening with the turnpike in 1956, Exit 182 was originally a full trumpet. It initially served a connector road that interchanged with 21st Street, crossed 10th Street and ended at Deer Creek Parkway south of US-40. I-70 utilized this interchange when that road was built west through Topeka, ca. 1965. The new interchange was built ca. 2001.

A service area was formerly located in the median between exits 182 and 183. It closed in May 2002 when the present Topeka Service Area opened.

Exit 183 (East Topeka) is the merge between Interstate 70 and Interstate 470. The toll plaza is located on I-70 west of the merge, east of its junction with U.S. Route 40, K-4, and the exit 182 ramps. It opened August 1, 2001 to replace two of the old exit 182's ramps.

The Topeka Service Area is on the north side of the turnpike, accessed via right-side ramps in both directions, at mile 188. It opened in May 2002 to replace the former service area between exits 182 and 183, and includes a full food court.

Exit 197 (Lecompton) is a folded diamond at the west end of K-10, with two separate toll booths, one in the southwest quadrant and one to the northeast. The road that takes K-10 to the turnpike continues north to end at North 1800 Road. In addition to Lecompton, K-10 serves the west and south parts of Lawrence. The interchange opened November 7, 1996.

Exit 202 (West Lawrence) is a connection to the south/west split of U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 59. The connector—McDonald Drive—intersects 2nd Street and 4th Street at-grade before interchanging with US-40 and US-59. The interchange was one of the original junctions in 1956, and was rebuilt in 2008.

Exit 204 (East Lawrence) connects to the concurrent U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 59 via a trumpet ramp. Just to the north on US-40/US-59 is a junction with U.S. Route 24. The interchange opened in 1956 along with the turnpike, and is being rebuilt during 2009.

The Lawrence Service Area is located in the median at mile 209.

Exit 212 (Tonganoxie/Eudora) is a diamond interchange with Leavenworth County Road 1 (222nd Street) near Tonganoxie. In late March 2006, the Leavenworth County Commission debated whether the interchange should be built since funds could not be established to rebuild of the southern portion of the county road. The northern section was completed in September 2009. The interchange is fully automated, with payment machines to take coins, bills, or credit cards, as well as the ability to contact a turnpike representative remotely. The interchange opened on December 29, 2009

The Eastern Terminal barrier toll is the east end of the toll system, at approximately mile marker 217. It replaced the old Eastern Toll Plaza at mile marker 224 in October 2000 for the construction of Kansas Speedway. The Eastern Terminal is listed as mile 236 (the original terminus, now exit 420) on turnpike literature, and tolls are calculated using that distance. However, all travel east of the toll plaza is free.

Exit 224, old Exit 223 (Bonner Springs) is a trumpet connection to K-7, Westbound US Route 40, Westbound US Route 24 and the Southern Terminus of U.S. Route 73. In addition to heading south to Bonner Springs, K-7 runs north, mostly with U.S. Route 73, to Leavenworth. The interchange opened in 1956 with the turnpike, and had a toll plaza on the trumpet connector until the present barrier toll was built in 2000. The Eastern Terminal toll plaza was located just east of exit 223 until 2000. However, in the mid 1990s the KTA stopped charging a toll for traffic driving between the Eastern Terminal and the Bonner Springs exit. A special lane was added for westbound I-70 traffic to exit to K-7, bypassing the toll plaza. The traffic entering I-70 was directed by a sign to stop for a ticket if westbound, but proceed through if eastbound. Prior to this change, drivers going between the Eastern Terminal and the K-7 interchange (less than a quarter mile) were required to get a ticket and pay a toll. Construction of the Kansas Speedway increased traffic and caused large lines to back up on both freeways. This resulted in the cessation of toll charges and eventually the relocation of the Eastern Terminal altogether. There is still a virtual KTAG toll plaza on this ramp that is just a sign bridge with KTAG readers. KTAG customers entering or exiting at this interchange can still get a discounted toll, as if the East Terminal was still at the old location. This was done to prevent a toll increase for Bonner Springs customers. This interchange is expected to receive a major overhaul, with the extension of the K-7 Freeway to provide a freeway-freeway connection with the turnpike.

Read more about this topic:  Kansas Turnpike, Route Description

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