Interstate 435 - History

History

I-435 in Kansas City was built piece by piece starting in the mid 1960-s and not finished until 1987.

In 1966, The first segment of Interstate 435 was built and opened between I-35 and US-69/ Metcalf Avenue near Overland Park, Kansas. A second segment was opened the same year between I-70 and US-50 in Eastern Kansas City, Missouri, but the two were not connected.

By 1968, the eastern segment of I-435 was extended south to Gregory Boulevard and north past 23rd Street/ MO-78.

By 1969, I-435 was fully built between these two segments, through southern and eastern Kansas city.

By 1971, the freeway was extended from 23rd Street/ MO-78 to US-24.

In 1973, I-435 was extended north from the former terminus of US-24 across the Missouri River to I-35 in Claycomo, MO. It now extended halfway around the city.

In 1983, a small segment was opened on the outskirts of Kansas City North between US-169 and MO-291 near KCI Airport.

By 1985, this small segment was connected with the rest of the freeway. A segment was built heading almost due north from I-35 in Claycomo to MO-291/ Cookingham Drive at N. Reinking, curving due west from there to US-169. In this year, the southwest end was also extended to K-10.

In 1987, the freeway was opened all the way around the city. The northwest end was signed on I-29 for eight miles northwest, then exited, near Platte City and bore south on the west side of KCI. It crossed several small highways before crossing the Missouri River into Wyandotte County, Kansas. It continued generally south or southwest, crossed several state highways and I-70, then the Kaw River, before connecting with the former southwest end at K-10.