Interstate 70: Difference between revisions

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| terminus_a = {{jct|country=USA|I|15}} near [[Cove Fort, Utah|Cove Fort, UT]]
| terminus_a = {{jct|country=USA|I|15}} near [[Cove Fort, Utah|Cove Fort, UT]]
| direction_b = East
| direction_b = East
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=MD|I|695|MD|570}} in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn, MD]]
| terminus_b = {{jct|country=USA|I|695|dab1=Maryland}} in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn, MD]]
| junction = <!--
| junction =  
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Major junctions only; Only 10 most major intersections and cities belong here; These junctions were chosen by consensus of editors; please read [[WP:USRD/STDS]] for more info and discuss on talk page before adding any more
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*{{Jct|country=USA|I|25}} in [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|25}} in [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
*{{jct|country=USA|I|29|I|35}} in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City, MO]]
*{{jct|country=USA|I|29|I|35}} in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City, MO]]
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*{{Jct|country=USA|I|75}} in [[Vandalia, Ohio|Vandalia, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|75}} in [[Vandalia, Ohio|Vandalia, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|71}} in [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|71}} in [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus, OH]]
*{{Jct|state=PA|I|76|PATP}} concurrency from [[New Stanton, Pennsylvania|New Stanton, PA]] to [[Breezewood, Pennsylvania|Breezewood, PA]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|76|dab1=Ohio–New Jersey}} concurrency from [[New Stanton, Pennsylvania|New Stanton, PA]] to [[Breezewood, Pennsylvania|Breezewood, PA]]
*{{jct|country=USA|I|81}} in [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown, MD]]
*{{jct|country=USA|I|81}} in [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown, MD]]
| states = [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Ohio]], [[West Virginia]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Maryland]]
| states = [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Ohio]], [[West Virginia]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Maryland]]
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'''Interstate&nbsp;70''' ('''I-70''') is a major east–west [[Interstate Highway]] in the United States that runs from [[Interstate 15|I-15]] near [[Cove Fort, Utah]], to [[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|I-695]] and [[Maryland Route&nbsp;570]] (MD&nbsp;570) in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn]], just outside [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]].  
'''Interstate&nbsp;70''' ('''I-70''') is a major east–west [[Interstate Highway]] in the United States that runs from [[Interstate 15|I-15]] near [[Cove Fort, Utah]], to [[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|I-695]] and [[Maryland Route&nbsp;570]] (MD&nbsp;570) in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn]], just outside [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]].  


I-70 approximately traces the path of [[U.S. Route 40]] (US&nbsp;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|Topeka]], [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[St. Louis]], [[Indianapolis]], [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Pittsburgh]],<!--Does not enter Allegheny County, PA, see [[Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania#Exit list]] --> and [[Baltimore]]. The sections of the Interstate in [[Missouri]] and [[Kansas]] have laid claim to be the first Interstate in the United States.<ref name="first interstate">{{cite web |title=The Interstate Highway System |url=https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/highway.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127073129/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/highway.htm |archive-date=January 27, 2007 |access-date=January 30, 2007 |website=[[The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library]] |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref name="12yearslater">{{cite journal |last1=Stufflebeam Row |first1=Karen |last2=LaDow |first2=Eva |last3=Moler |first3=Steve |date=March–April 2004 |title=Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/marchapril-2004/glenwood-canyon-12-years-later |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=67 |issue=5 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=July 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730145348/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/04mar/04.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>  
I-70 approximately traces the path of [[U.S. Route 40]] (US&nbsp;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|Topeka]], [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[St. Louis]], [[Indianapolis]], [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Pittsburgh]],<!--Does not enter Allegheny County, PA, see [[Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania#Exit list]] --> and [[Baltimore]]. The sections of the Interstate in [[Missouri]] and [[Kansas]] have laid claim to be the first Interstate in the United States.<ref name="first interstate">{{cite web |title=The Interstate Highway System |url=https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/highway.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127073129/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/highway.htm |archive-date=January 27, 2007 |access-date=January 30, 2007 |website=[[The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library]] |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref name="12yearslater">{{cite journal |last1=Stufflebeam Row |first1=Karen |last2=LaDow |first2=Eva |last3=Moler |first3=Steve |date=March–April 2004 |title=Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/marchapril-2004/glenwood-canyon-12-years-later |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=67 |issue=5 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=July 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730145348/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/04mar/04.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref>  


The construction of I-70 in Colorado and [[Utah]] is considered an engineering marvel, as the route passes through the [[Eisenhower Tunnel]], Glenwood Canyon, and the [[San Rafael Swell]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Weingroff |first=Richard F. |date=Summer 1996 |title=Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/dwight-d-eisenhower-system-interstate-and-defense-highways-engineering |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=60 |issue=1 |access-date=November 8, 2018 |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121112312/https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/dwight-d-eisenhower-system-interstate-and-defense-highways-engineering |url-status=live }}</ref> The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of {{convert|11158|ft|m}}.
The construction of I-70 in Colorado and [[Utah]] is considered an engineering marvel, as the route passes through the [[Eisenhower Tunnel]], Glenwood Canyon, and the [[San Rafael Swell]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Weingroff |first=Richard F. |date=Summer 1996 |title=Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/dwight-d-eisenhower-system-interstate-and-defense-highways-engineering |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=60 |issue=1 |access-date=November 8, 2018 |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121112312/https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/dwight-d-eisenhower-system-interstate-and-defense-highways-engineering |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of {{convert|11158|ft|m}}.


==Route description==
==Route description==
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The main entrance to [[Indianapolis International Airport]] was relocated to I-70's exit&nbsp;68 on November 11, 2008. Upon nearing the [[central business district]] of Indiana's capital city, 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 [[Interstate 65|I-65]] have a brief [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] through the eastern side of [[Downtown Indianapolis]]. The junction points of these two major routes are known locally as the "South Split" and "North Split", respectively.
The main entrance to [[Indianapolis International Airport]] was relocated to I-70's exit&nbsp;68 on November 11, 2008. Upon nearing the [[central business district]] of Indiana's capital city, 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 [[Interstate 65|I-65]] have a brief [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] through the eastern side of [[Downtown Indianapolis]]. The junction points of these two major routes are known locally as the "South Split" and "North Split", respectively.
The [[Interstate 465|I-465]] beltway provides access to [[Fishers, Indiana|Fishers]] via [[Interstate 69 in Indiana|Interstate 69]], which is concurrent with I-465 at the eastern interchange with I-70. [[Interstate 74|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 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, Indiana|New Castle]]. Upon reaching the [[Richmond, Indiana|Richmond]] area, [[U.S. Route 35|US&nbsp;35]] joins I-70 just before both routes leave Indiana together and enter Ohio.
After passing through much of the near northeast side of [[Indianapolis]], I-70 again encounters 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, Indiana|New Castle]]. Upon reaching the [[Richmond, Indiana|Richmond]] area, [[U.S. Route 35|US&nbsp;35]] joins I-70 just before both routes leave Indiana together and enter Ohio.
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The {{convert|38|mi|km}} of I-70 between [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]] and [[New Stanton, Pennsylvania|New Stanton]] is a [[Interstate Highway standards|substandard]] section of the highway. This section of I-70 used to be [[Pennsylvania Route&nbsp;71]] (PA&nbsp;71). It 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 is {{convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.
The {{convert|38|mi|km}} of I-70 between [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]] and [[New Stanton, Pennsylvania|New Stanton]] is a [[Interstate Highway standards|substandard]] section of the highway. This section of I-70 used to be [[Pennsylvania Route&nbsp;71]] (PA&nbsp;71). It 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 is {{convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.


At New Stanton, I-70 joins the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] and runs [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey)|I-76]] to [[Breezewood, Pennsylvania|Breezewood]]. This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70, the other being on the [[Kansas Turnpike]] between Topeka and Kansas City.
Between New Stanton and [[Breezewood, Pennsylvania|Breezewood]], I-70 runs [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey)|I-76]] on the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]]. This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70, the other being on the [[Kansas Turnpike]] between Topeka and Kansas City.


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At Breezewood, I-70 leaves the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and travels over part of [[Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike|an old turnpike alignment]] to a trumpet interchange. Here, I-70 travels west for a few blocks on [[U.S. Route 30|US&nbsp;30]] past several [[traffic-light]]s, before heading south on its own alignment.<ref>{{cite news |first= Manuel |last= Roig-Franzia |title= The Town That Stops Traffic: Travelers Encounter Way Station as Way of Life in Breezewood |newspaper= [[Washington Post]] |date= November 22, 2001 |page= B1}}</ref> This stretch of I-70 is one of the few [[List of gaps in Interstate Highways|gaps]] on the Interstate Highway System.
At Breezewood, I-70 leaves the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and travels over part of [[Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike|an old turnpike alignment]] to a [[trumpet interchange]]. Here, I-70 travels west for a few blocks on [[U.S. Route 30|US&nbsp;30]] past several [[traffic-light]]s, before heading south on its own alignment.<ref>{{cite news |first= Manuel |last= Roig-Franzia |title= The Town That Stops Traffic: Travelers Encounter Way Station as Way of Life in Breezewood |newspaper= [[Washington Post]] |date= November 22, 2001 |page= B1}}</ref> This stretch of I-70 is one of the few [[List of gaps in Interstate Highways|gaps]] on the Interstate Highway System.


I-70 continues on almost due south from Breezewood to the Maryland state line. This section is posted at {{convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and is heavily patrolled. After the border, it meets [[Interstate 68|I-68]]'s eastern end and turns east toward Baltimore and [[Washington DC]].
I-70 continues on almost due south from Breezewood to the Maryland state line. This section is posted at {{convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and is heavily patrolled. After the border, it meets [[Interstate 68|I-68]]'s eastern end and turns east toward Baltimore and [[Washington DC]].
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{{Main|Interstate 70 in Maryland}}
{{Main|Interstate 70 in Maryland}}
[[File:I70WBexit1A.jpg|thumb|right|Westbound I-70 in Hancock, Maryland]]
[[File:I70WBexit1A.jpg|thumb|right|Westbound I-70 in Hancock, Maryland]]
In [[Maryland]], I-70 runs from the [[Pennsylvania]] state line near [[Hancock, Maryland|Hancock]] east across the central portion of the state toward [[Baltimore]], following the route of the [[National Road]], now known as [[U.S. Route 40|US&nbsp;40]]. It is a major east–west highway in the state, serving the cities of [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]] and [[Frederick, Maryland|Frederick]] and bypassing [[Ellicott City, Maryland|Ellicott City]]. East of Frederick, the route was originally designated '''Interstate&nbsp;70N''' ('''I-70N'''). The highway serves [[Washington DC]], via [[Interstate 270 (Maryland)|I-270]], which was once designated '''Interstate&nbsp;70S''' ('''I-70S'''). Uniquely, I-70 indirectly serves a branch of the [[Washington Metro]] at [[Shady Grove station]] via [[Interstate 370|I-370]], which only connects to I-270.
In [[Maryland]], I-70 runs from the [[Pennsylvania]] state line near [[Hancock, Maryland|Hancock]] east across the central portion of the state toward [[Baltimore]], following the route of the [[National Road]], now known as [[U.S. Route 40|US&nbsp;40]]. It is a major east–west highway in the state, serving the cities of [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]] and [[Frederick, Maryland|Frederick]] and bypassing [[Ellicott City, Maryland|Ellicott City]]. East of Frederick, the route was originally designated '''Interstate&nbsp;70N''' ('''I-70N'''). The highway serves [[Washington DC]], via [[Interstate 270 (Maryland)|I-270]], which was once designated '''Interstate&nbsp;70S''' ('''I-70S'''). I-70 indirectly serves a branch of the [[Washington Metro]] at [[Shady Grove station]] via [[Interstate 370|I-370]], which only connects to I-270.


I-70 was planned to end at [[Interstate 95|I-95]] in Baltimore, but, due to local opposition, it was only built to [[Maryland Route 122|MD&nbsp;122]]. The section east of [[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|I-695]] is now [[Maryland Route 570|MD&nbsp;570]].<ref name="Baltimore Maryland HLR 2023">{{Maryland  HLR|year=2022|county1=Baltimore|pages1=117|access-date=November 3, 2023}}</ref>
I-70 was planned to end at [[Interstate 95|I-95]] in Baltimore, but, due to local opposition, it was only built to [[Maryland Route 122|MD&nbsp;122]]. The section east of [[Interstate 695 (Maryland)|I-695]] is now [[Maryland Route 570|MD&nbsp;570]].<ref name="Baltimore Maryland HLR 2023">{{Maryland  HLR|year=2022|county1=Baltimore|pages1=117|access-date=November 3, 2023}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Besides being the first Interstate to receive a contract for pavement,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Weingroff |first1=Richard F. |date=Summer 1996 |title=Three States Claim First Interstate Highway |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/three-states-claim-first-interstate-highway |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=60 |issue=1 |access-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-date=October 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010221711/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su18.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref> other oddities happened with I-70 as well.
Besides being the first Interstate to receive a contract for pavement,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Weingroff |first1=Richard F. |date=Summer 1996 |title=Three States Claim First Interstate Highway |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/summer-1996/three-states-claim-first-interstate-highway |journal=Public Roads |language=en-US |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |volume=60 |issue=1 |access-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-date=October 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010221711/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su18.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref> other oddities happened with I-70 as well.


[[File:Western terminus of I-70 at Cove Fort, Utah.jpg|thumb|The western terminus in Utah]]
[[File:Western terminus of I-70 at Cove Fort, Utah.jpg|thumb|The western terminus in Utah]]
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The highway gave its name to the [[I-70 killer]], a [[serial killer]] who committed a string of murders within a few miles of it in several [[Midwestern United States|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]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
The highway gave its name to the [[I-70 killer]], a [[serial killer]] who committed a string of murders within a few miles of it in several [[Midwestern United States|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]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
It also lends its name to the [[I-70 Strangler|I-70 strangler]], who murdered at least twelve boys and young men whose bodies were discovered along I-70. Though officially unsolved, it is believed that deceased businessman [[Herb Baumeister]], a suspect in over a dozen homicides in [[Indiana]], might have been the perpetrator.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hundley |first=Wendy |date=November 10, 1996 |title=The 'gay slayings' mystery |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22001792/dayton-daily-news/ |work=Dayton Daily News |pages=1}}</ref>


[[John Allen Muhammad]] and [[Lee Boyd Malvo]], the duo responsible for the [[DC sniper attacks]], were apprehended at a rest stop on I-70 near [[Myersville, Maryland]], in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beltway Snipers |url=https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/beltway-snipers |access-date=October 10, 2024 |publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation |language=en-us |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923235659/https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/beltway-snipers |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[John Allen Muhammad]] and [[Lee Boyd Malvo]], the duo responsible for the [[DC sniper attacks]], were apprehended at a rest stop on I-70 near [[Myersville, Maryland]], in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beltway Snipers |url=https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/beltway-snipers |access-date=October 10, 2024 |publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation |language=en-us |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923235659/https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/beltway-snipers |url-status=live }}</ref>
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==Junction list==
==Junction list==
[[File:I-70 mileage sign near eastern terminus in Maryland.jpg|thumb|Mileage sign on I-70 west of I-695, [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn, Maryland]]]]
[[File:I-70 mileage sign near eastern terminus in Maryland.jpg|thumb|Mileage sign on I-70 west of I-695, [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn, Maryland]]]]
;Utah
;Utah<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 20-21, 33, 36-37, 40-41, 46-47, 58-59, 80-81, 87, 102-103, 112|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>
: {{jct|country=USA|I|15}} south-southwest of [[Cove Fort]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|15}} south-southwest of [[Cove Fort]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|89}} north-northeast of [[Sevier, Utah|Sevier]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Salina, Utah|Salina]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|89}} north-northeast of [[Sevier, Utah|Sevier]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Salina, Utah|Salina]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|50|US|89}} in Salina. I-70/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to south-southwest of [[Mack, Colorado]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|50|US|89}} in Salina. I-70/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to south-southwest of [[Mack, Colorado]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|191}} west of [[Green River, Utah|Green River]]. I-70/US&nbsp;6 travels concurrently to south-southwest of Mack, Colorado. I-70/US&nbsp;191 travels concurrently to west-southwest of [[Thompson Springs, Utah|Thompson Springs]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|191}} west of [[Green River, Utah|Green River]]. I-70/US&nbsp;6 travels concurrently to south-southwest of Mack, Colorado. I-70/US&nbsp;191 travels concurrently to west-southwest of [[Thompson Springs, Utah|Thompson Springs]].
;Colorado
;Colorado<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|50}} in [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|50}} in [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6}} northeast of [[Palisade, Colorado|Palisade]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Rifle, Colorado|Rifle]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6}} northeast of [[Palisade, Colorado|Palisade]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Rifle, Colorado|Rifle]].
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: {{jct|country=USA|US|385}} in [[Burlington, Colorado|Burlington]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|385}} in [[Burlington, Colorado|Burlington]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|24}} in Burlington. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of [[Levant, Kansas]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|24}} in Burlington. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of [[Levant, Kansas]].
;Kansas
;Kansas<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|83}} north-northwest of [[Oakley, Kansas|Oakley]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|83}} north-northwest of [[Oakley, Kansas|Oakley]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Oakley. The highways travel concurrently to [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Oakley. The highways travel concurrently to [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]].
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: {{jct|country=USA|I|670|dab1=Kansas–Missouri}} in Kansas City
: {{jct|country=USA|I|670|dab1=Kansas–Missouri}} in Kansas City
: {{jct|country=USA|US|69|US|169}} in Kansas City. I-70/US&nbsp;169 travels concurrently to [[Kansas City, Missouri]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|69|US|169}} in Kansas City. I-70/US&nbsp;169 travels concurrently to [[Kansas City, Missouri]].
;Missouri
;Missouri<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35}} in Kansas City. The highways travel concurrently through Kansas City.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35}} in Kansas City. The highways travel concurrently through Kansas City.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|29|I|35|US|24|US|71}} in Kansas City. I-70/US&nbsp;71 travels concurrently through Kansas City.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|29|I|35|US|24|US|71}} in Kansas City. I-70/US&nbsp;71 travels concurrently through Kansas City.
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: {{jct|country=USA|US|65}} south of [[Marshall, Missouri|Marshall]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|65}} south of [[Marshall, Missouri|Marshall]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} west of [[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Wentzville, Missouri|Wentzville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} west of [[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Wentzville, Missouri|Wentzville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|63}} in Columbia
<!-- no direct access with US 63 -->
: {{jct|country=USA|US|54}} in [[Kingdom City, Missouri|Kingdom City]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|54}} in [[Kingdom City, Missouri|Kingdom City]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|64|US|40|US|61}} in Wentzville
: {{jct|country=USA|I|64|US|40|US|61}} in Wentzville
Line 262: Line 258:
: {{jct|country=USA|I|170}} in [[Berkeley, Missouri|Berkeley]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|170}} in [[Berkeley, Missouri|Berkeley]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|44}} in [[St. Louis]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|44}} in [[St. Louis]]
;Illinois
;Illinois<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|I|55|I|64|US|40}} in [[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis]]. I-55/I-70 travels concurrently to northwest of [[Troy, Illinois|Troy]]. I-70/US&nbsp;40 travels concurrently to Troy.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|55|I|64|US|40}} in [[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis]]. I-55/I-70 travels concurrently to northwest of [[Troy, Illinois|Troy]]. I-70/US&nbsp;40 travels concurrently to Troy.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|255}} in [[Collinsville, Illinois|Collinsville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|255}} in [[Collinsville, Illinois|Collinsville]]
Line 274: Line 270:
: {{jct|country=USA|US|45}} in Effingham
: {{jct|country=USA|US|45}} in Effingham
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} east-northeast of [[Marshall, Illinois|Marshall]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Terre Haute, Indiana]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} east-northeast of [[Marshall, Illinois|Marshall]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Terre Haute, Indiana]].
;Indiana
;Indiana<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|41|US|150}} in Terre Haute
: {{jct|country=USA|US|41|US|150}} in Terre Haute
: {{jct|country=USA|US|231}} in [[Cloverdale, Indiana|Cloverdale]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|231}} in [[Cloverdale, Indiana|Cloverdale]]
Line 283: Line 279:
: {{jct|country=USA|US|27}} in Richmond
: {{jct|country=USA|US|27}} in Richmond
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Richmond
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Richmond
;Ohio
;Ohio<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|127}} west-southwest of [[Lewisburg, Ohio|Lewisburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|127}} west-southwest of [[Lewisburg, Ohio|Lewisburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75}} in [[Vandalia, Ohio|Vandalia]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75}} in [[Vandalia, Ohio|Vandalia]]
Line 309: Line 305:
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} east-southeast of St. Clairsville
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} east-southeast of St. Clairsville
: {{jct|country=USA|US|250}} in [[Bridgeport, Ohio|Bridgeport]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|250}} in [[Bridgeport, Ohio|Bridgeport]]
;West Virginia
;West Virginia<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40|US|250}} on [[Wheeling Island]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Wheeling, West Virginia|Wheeling]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40|US|250}} on [[Wheeling Island]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Wheeling, West Virginia|Wheeling]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Wheeling
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Wheeling
Line 315: Line 311:
: {{jct|country=USA|I|470|dab1=Ohio–West Virginia}} in Wheeling
: {{jct|country=USA|I|470|dab1=Ohio–West Virginia}} in Wheeling
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Wheeling
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Wheeling
;Pennsylvania
;Pennsylvania<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} southwest of [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} southwest of [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|79}} north of Washington. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Washington.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|79}} north of Washington. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Washington.
Line 324: Line 320:
: {{jct|country=USA|US|30}} in Breezewood. The highways travel concurrently through Breezewood.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|30}} in Breezewood. The highways travel concurrently through Breezewood.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|522}} north of [[Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania|Warfordsburg]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Hancock, Maryland]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|522}} north of [[Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania|Warfordsburg]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Hancock, Maryland]].
;Maryland
;Maryland<ref name=randmcnally/>
: {{jct|country=USA|I|68|US|40}} north-northwest of Hancock. I-70/US&nbsp;40 travels concurrently to south-southwest of [[Pecktonville, Maryland|Pecktonville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|68|US|40}} north-northwest of Hancock. I-70/US&nbsp;40 travels concurrently to south-southwest of [[Pecktonville, Maryland|Pecktonville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|81}} in [[Halfway, Maryland|Halfway]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|81}} in [[Halfway, Maryland|Halfway]]
Line 333: Line 329:
: {{jct|country=USA|US|29}} in [[Ellicott City, Maryland|Ellicott City]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|29}} in [[Ellicott City, Maryland|Ellicott City]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|695|dab1=Maryland}} in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn]]. Freeway continues as [[Maryland Route 570|MD 570]] to [[Baltimore]] city line.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|695|dab1=Maryland}} in [[Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland|Woodlawn]]. Freeway continues as [[Maryland Route 570|MD 570]] to [[Baltimore]] city line.
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 20-21, 33, 36-37, 40-41, 46-47, 58-59, 80-81, 87, 102-103, 112|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>


==Auxiliary routes==
==Auxiliary routes==

Latest revision as of 16:46, 29 October 2025

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Main otherScript error: No such module "Infobox road/errors".Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main other Interstate 70 (I-70) 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 the Interstate in Missouri and Kansas have laid claim to be the first Interstate in the United States.[1] 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.[2]

The construction of I-70 in Colorado and Utah is considered an engineering marvel, as the route passes through the Eisenhower Tunnel, Glenwood Canyon, and the San Rafael Swell.[3] The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of Template:Convert.

Route description

Lengths
  mi[4] km
UT Template:Convert
CO Template:Convert
KS Template:Convert
MO Template:Convert
IL Template:Convert
IN Template:Convert
OH Template:Convert
WV Template:Convert
PA Template:Convert
MD Template:Convert
Total Template:Convert

Utah

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". 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 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 Template:Convert Salina Summit and then crosses a large geologic formation called the San Rafael Swell.

File:I70 at San Rafael swell-Green River.jpg
I-70 passes through Spotted Wolf Canyon at the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell in Utah.

Prior to the construction of I-70, the swell was inaccessible via paved roads and relatively undiscovered. Once this Template:Convert section 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.[5]Script error: No such module "Unsubst". It also became the longest piece of Interstate Highway to be opened at one time.[6] Although opened in 1970, this section was not formally complete until 1990, when a second steel arch bridge spanning Eagle Canyon 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 the swell near Green River. From Green River to the Colorado state line, I-70 follows the southern edge of the Book Cliffs.

Colorado

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". 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.

File:I-70 Glenwood Canyon-terabass.jpg
I-70 at Glenwood Canyon

The last section of I-70 to be completed was the Template:Convert 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 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 Template:Convert due to the limited sight distance and sharp corners.

File:Eisenhower Tunnel Colorado West Entrance.jpg
I-70 at the portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel. The traffic signal is controlled from a command center and used for incident management.

The Eisenhower Tunnel, the highest vehicular tunnel in North America and the longest tunnel built under the Interstate program, passes through the Continental Divide.

File:I-70-Looking Southeast.jpg
I-70 as it turns north at Copper Mountain, approximately Template:Convert from Vail Pass

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 Template:Convert of steep grade road before reaching 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 Template:Convert, before reaching Limon and resuming its eastward journey toward Kansas.

Kansas

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Coming from Colorado, I-70 enters 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 Template:Convert and passing through most of the state's principal cities in the process.

File:Quality-i70.jpg
I-70 crossing on the Intercity Viaduct over the Kansas River from Kansas to Missouri in Kansas City

In Salina, I-70 intersects with the north terminus of I-135. In Topeka, I-70 intersects I-470, twice. At the eastern intersection, I-70 joins the Kansas Turnpike and becomes a toll road. This is one of only two sections of I-70 that are tolled, the other being I-70's concurrency with I-76 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in southwest Pennsylvania. I-70 carries this designation from Topeka to Kansas City, the eastern terminus of 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 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 Template:Convert 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 Template:Convert across 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 the Kansas River on the Intercity Viaduct into Downtown Kansas City, Missouri.[7]

Missouri

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File:I-70 Western Missouri.jpg
I-70 in Saline County, 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 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 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 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 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 the Missouri River twice (as did the original US 40)—at Rocheport, about Template:Convert west of Columbia, and at St. Charles, about Template:Convert 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.[8] I-70 eventually gets into Greater St. Louis, and US 40 splits to 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.[9] 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 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 the highway passes within sight of both the Royals' Kauffman Stadium and, at the time, the Cardinals' Busch Stadium.

Illinois

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". 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 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.

Indiana

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File:View of downtown Indianapolis from I-70.jpg
I-70 near its junction with I-65, east of Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana

I-70 enters Indiana just to 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, 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 the "South Split" and "North Split", respectively.

After passing through much of the near northeast side of Indianapolis, I-70 again encounters 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.

Ohio

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". I-70 enters Ohio just east of 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 the east side of Dayton. Springfield is the next city, the site of Buck Creek State Park.

File:I-71 I-70 Columbus OH (crop).jpg
I-70 and I-71 intersection in Columbus, Ohio

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 Template:Convert 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 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 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.

West Virginia

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

File:Fort Henry Bridge looking towards Ohio, in Wheeling, West Virginia - 20040706.jpg
Crossing the Ohio River (Fort Henry Bridge) at Wheeling, West Virginia

The portion of I-70 in West Virginia crosses 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 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 Template:Convert from the Ohio River to the Pennsylvania border.

Pennsylvania

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

File:Allegheny Mountain Tunnel.JPG
I-70/I-76 at the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel

I-70 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 Template:Convert.

The Template:Convert 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 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 is Template:Convert.

Between New Stanton and Breezewood, I-70 runs concurrent with I-76 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70, the other being on the Kansas Turnpike between Topeka and Kansas City.

Template:Multiple image

At Breezewood, I-70 leaves the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and travels over part of an old turnpike alignment to a trumpet interchange. Here, I-70 travels west for a few blocks on US 30 past several traffic-lights, before heading south on its own alignment.[10] This stretch of I-70 is one of the few gaps on the Interstate Highway System.

I-70 continues on almost due south from Breezewood to the Maryland state line. This section is posted at Template:Convert and is heavily patrolled. After the border, it meets I-68's eastern end and turns east toward Baltimore and Washington DC.

Maryland

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

File:I70WBexit1A.jpg
Westbound I-70 in Hancock, Maryland

In Maryland, I-70 runs from 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 was once designated Interstate 70S (I-70S). 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.[11]

History

Besides being the first Interstate to receive a contract for pavement,[12] other oddities happened with I-70 as well.

File:Western terminus of I-70 at Cove Fort, Utah.jpg
The western terminus in Utah

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 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).[6]

Completed in 1992, 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.[13]

File:2016-05-12 19 01 10 View east along Interstate 70 just west of its eastern terminus at the border of Baltimore City and Woodlawn, Baltimore County in Maryland.jpg
Eastern terminus of MD 570 (formerly I-70) at a park and ride facility in Maryland near MD 122

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, 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,[14] maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration.[15]

The highway gave its name to 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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

It also lends its name to the I-70 strangler, who murdered at least twelve boys and young men whose bodies were discovered along I-70. Though officially unsolved, it is believed that deceased businessman Herb Baumeister, a suspect in over a dozen homicides in Indiana, might have been the perpetrator.[16]

John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, the duo responsible for the DC sniper attacks, were apprehended at a rest stop on I-70 near Myersville, Maryland, in 2002.[17]

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.[18]

Junction list

File:I-70 mileage sign near eastern terminus in Maryland.jpg
Mileage sign on I-70 west of I-695, Woodlawn, Maryland
Utah[19]
Template:Jct south-southwest of Cove Fort
Template:Jct north-northeast of Sevier. The highways travel concurrently to Salina.
Template:Jct in Salina. I-70/US 50 travels concurrently to south-southwest of Mack, Colorado.
Template:Jct west of Green River. I-70/US 6 travels concurrently to south-southwest of Mack, Colorado. I-70/US 191 travels concurrently to west-southwest of Thompson Springs.
Colorado[19]
Template:Jct in Grand Junction
Template:Jct northeast of Palisade. The highways travel concurrently to Rifle.
Template:Jct in Chacra. The highways travel concurrently to Gypsum.
Template:Jct in Eagle-Vail
Template:Jct northwest of Minturn. I-70/US 6 travels concurrently to Silverthorne.
Template:Jct north-northeast of Keystone. The highways travel concurrently to east of Idaho Springs.
Template:Jct east of Empire. The highways travel concurrently to east of Idaho Springs.
Template:Jct north of Evergreen
Template:Jct north of Evergreen. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Genesee.
Template:Jct on the GoldenWest Pleasant View line
Template:Jct in West Pleasant View
Template:Jct in Arvada
Template:Jct in Denver
Template:Jct in Denver. I-70/US 6/US 85 travels concurrently through Denver.
Template:Jct in Denver. I-70/US 36 travels concurrently to Byers.
Template:Jct on the Denver–Aurora city line
Template:Jct in Aurora. The highways travel concurrently to Limon.
Template:Jct in Limon
Template:Jct east of Limon. I-70/US 24 travels concurrently to Seibert.
Template:Jct in Burlington
Template:Jct in Burlington. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of Levant, Kansas.
Kansas[19]
Template:Jct north-northwest of Oakley
Template:Jct in Oakley. The highways travel concurrently to Topeka.
Template:Jct in WaKeeney
Template:Jct in Hays
Template:Jct south of Russell
Template:Jct northwest of Salina
Template:Jct in Junction City
Template:Jct in Topeka. I-70/US 75 travels concurrently through Topeka.
Template:Jct in Tecumseh
Template:Jct in Lawrence
Template:Jct in Bonner Springs. I-70/US 24/US 40 travels concurrently to Kansas City, Kansas.
Template:Jct on the Edwardsville–Kansas City city line
Template:Jct in Kansas City
Template:Jct in Kansas City.
Template:Jct in Kansas City
Template:Jct in Kansas City. I-70/US 169 travels concurrently to Kansas City, Missouri.
Missouri[19]
Template:Jct in Kansas City. The highways travel concurrently through Kansas City.
Template:Jct in Kansas City. I-70/US 71 travels concurrently through Kansas City.
Template:Jct in Kansas City
Template:Jct on the Kansas City–Independence city line
Template:Jct in Independence
Template:Jct in Grain Valley. The highways travel concurrently to Boonville.
Template:Jct south of Marshall
Template:Jct west of Columbia. The highways travel concurrently to Wentzville.
Template:Jct in Kingdom City
Template:Jct in Wentzville
Template:Jct in Bridgeton
Template:Jct in Bridgeton
Template:Jct in Berkeley
Template:Jct in St. Louis
Illinois[19]
Template:Jct in East St. Louis. I-55/I-70 travels concurrently to northwest of Troy. I-70/US 40 travels concurrently to Troy.
Template:Jct in Collinsville
Template:Jct northwest of Troy
Template:Jct northeast of Highland. The highways travel concurrently to north of Pocahontas.
Template:Jct northeast of Stubblefield
Template:Jct in Vandalia
Template:Jct in Vandalia
Template:Jct southwest of Brownstown
Template:Jct southwest of Effingham. The highways travel concurrently to Effingham.
Template:Jct in Effingham
Template:Jct east-northeast of Marshall. The highways travel concurrently to Terre Haute, Indiana.
Indiana[19]
Template:Jct in Terre Haute
Template:Jct in Cloverdale
Template:Jct in Indianapolis
Template:Jct in Indianapolis. The highways travel concurrently through Indianapolis.
Template:Jct in Indianapolis
Template:Jct in Richmond. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Campbellstown, Ohio.
Template:Jct in Richmond
Template:Jct in Richmond
Ohio[19]
Template:Jct west-southwest of Lewisburg
Template:Jct in Vandalia
Template:Jct northwest of Holiday Valley
Template:Jct southwest of Springfield
Template:Jct east of Springfield
Template:Jct southwest of Gillivan
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus. The highways travel concurrently through Columbus.
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct in Columbus
Template:Jct southwest of Gratiot
Template:Jct west-northwest of Zanesville
Template:Jct west-southwest of Norwich
Template:Jct south-southeast of Cambridge
Template:Jct south of Old Washington. The highways travel concurrently to west-southwest of Morristown.
Template:Jct west-southwest of St. Clairsville
Template:Jct west of St. Clairsville
Template:Jct east-southeast of St. Clairsville
Template:Jct east-southeast of St. Clairsville
Template:Jct in Bridgeport
West Virginia[19]
Template:Jct on Wheeling Island. The highways travel concurrently to Wheeling.
Template:Jct in Wheeling
Template:Jct in Wheeling
Template:Jct in Wheeling
Template:Jct in Wheeling
Pennsylvania[19]
Template:Jct southwest of Washington
Template:Jct north of Washington. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Washington.
Template:Jct northeast of Washington
Template:Jct in New Stanton. The highways travel concurrently to southwest of Breezewood.
Template:Jct in Somerset
Template:Jct north-northwest of Bedford
Template:Jct in Breezewood. The highways travel concurrently through Breezewood.
Template:Jct north of Warfordsburg. The highways travel concurrently to Hancock, Maryland.
Maryland[19]
Template:Jct north-northwest of Hancock. I-70/US 40 travels concurrently to south-southwest of Pecktonville.
Template:Jct in Halfway
Template:Jct south-southeast of Hagerstown
Template:Jct in Braddock Heights
Template:Jct in Ballenger Creek
Template:Jct in Frederick. I-70/US 40 travels concurrently to West Friendship.
Template:Jct in Ellicott City
Template:Jct in Woodlawn. Freeway continues as MD 570 to Baltimore city line.

Auxiliary routes

A breakdown of I-70's auxiliary routes follows:

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References

Template:Reflist

Template:Refbegin

Template:Refend

External links

Template:Attached KML Template:Sister project

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