Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Auxiliary route of I-70 | ||||
Maintained by KDOT and KTA | ||||
Length | 13.72 mi[1] (22.08 km) | |||
Existed | October 21, 1960[2]–present | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | I-70 / US-40 / US-75 / K-4 in Topeka | |||
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East end | I-70 / Kansas Turnpike / US-40 / K-4 in Tecumseh | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Kansas | |||
Counties | Shawnee | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 470 (I-470) is a 13.72-mile (22.08 km) loop highway that bypasses the downtown area of Topeka, Kansas. I-470 begins at an interchange with I-70 in western Topeka and heads generally southeast, running concurrent with U.S. Highway 75 (US-75). The concurrency with US-75 ends 5.74 miles (9.24 km) later at the Burlingame Road interchange. I-470 becomes part of the Kansas Turnpike at its junction with I-335. From there, the highway heads generally northeast through the southeastern sections of Topeka. After traveling 7.03 miles (11.31 km) as the Kansas Turnpike, I-470 reaches its eastern terminus at I-70. The highway has annual average daily traffic (AADT) values as high as 43,000 west of Gage Boulevard to as low as 10,370 near the eastern terminus. As an Interstate Highway, I-470 is a part of the National Highway System. The non-turnpike portions of the highway are maintained by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), while the turnpike portion is maintained by the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA).
The Kansas Turnpike was opened in the 1950s, comprising the eastern portion of the route. In the late 1950s, construction began on the western portion of I-470, and, on October 21, 1960, the western section of I-470 was dedicated and opened to traffic. In 1982, I-470 was designated as "Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway". The routing of I-470 has not changed since the completion of the highway.