18th Street Expressway

Road in Kansas, United States March 2025 18th Street Expressway South KS I 35 US 69 south in Kansas City KS K 32 in Kansas City North KS I 70 US 24 US 40 US 69 north in Kansas City The 18th Street Expressway (often shortened to 18th Street in everyday speech) is a freeway in Kansas City, Kansas, United States, that runs from Interstate 35 north to Interstate 70/U.S. Route 24/U.S. Route 40. It carries the U.S. Route 69 designation its entire length. Route description Exit 232B from Interstate 35 is a diamond interchange with traffic lights north of the Johnson County line, just inside Kansas City. This diamond interchange serves as the northern terminus of Roe Boulevard from Roeland Park, as well as the southern terminus of the 18th Street Expressway. US 69 northbound leaves I-35 northbound at this interchange, turning north to travel along the expressway. The expressway bridges the BNSF rail line as well as Merriam Lane, and has a partial diamond interchange with the latter (the ramps from Merriam to southbound 18th Street and from northbound 18th Street to Merriam are omitted due to the proximity of the I-35 interchange). 18th Street continues northward through Kansas City, with exits at Steele Road and Ruby Avenue, a residential street (this second interchange, a parclo interchange, also serves Metropolitan Avenue, a more major arterial.) The freeway then crosses the Kansas River and the east end of the BNSF rail yard on the 18th Street Expressway Bridge. After coming off the bridge, the freeway meets the eastern terminus of K-32, which runs along Kansas Avenue. K-32 is the only other numbered route that 18th Street Expressway intersects aside from those at its termini. The K-32/Kansas Avenue interchange is also of the parclo design. North of the K-32 interchange, 18th Street passes over another rail yard, this one belonging to Union Pacific. On the northern edge of this rail yard lies I-70. 18th Street provides access to this highway via a traditional cloverleaf interchange. This interchange, Exits 420A–B from I-70, also serves as the official eastern terminus of the Kansas Turnpike, though the actual tolled section ends 10 mi km further west. The expressway ends at I-70, with northbound US-69 joining I-70 eastbound in a concurrency. North of this interchange, the mainline drops the word "Expressway" from its title to become 18th Street. It continues north as a typical urban arterial. History The 18th Street Expressway was the result of one of four feasibility studies conducted by the Kansas Turnpike Authority to extend the turnpike by providing easy access to northeast Johnson County. It was the only one of the four studies to be followed upon, with completion of the 18th Street Expressway Bridge over the Kansas River completed in 1959. Lamb Sherry Dr. Theodore A. Wilson Milestones: A History of the Kansas Highway Commission and the Department of Transportation Kansas Department of Transportation December 1986 4–19 to 4–20 It replaced the Argentine Boulevard bridge over the river behind the modern-day BNSF railroad yard. Originally, the highway was part of the original K-58.Texaco H.M. Gousha Kansas 1974 Kansas City Upon completion of the bridge, US 69 was rerouted onto the expressway from Southwest Boulevard (the section of which has since been renamed to Merriam Drive). In 1979,March 2008 the K-58 designation was removed. The section of 18th Street between I-70 and the south end of the Kansas River bridge was tolled at least as late as 1984.Rand McNally Road Atlas and Travel Guide 1984 Kansas City 71 In 2026, the bridge portion of the route was demolished to prepare for construction of a replacement bridge. While the bridge is closed, traffic will be detoured via the 7th Street Trafficway Bridge.Taylor Alecia 2025-03-02 Heads up KCK drivers: The 18th Street bridge is closing for 2 years for major repairs https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article301206679.html 2025-02-17 The Kansas City StarZeman Sofi 2026-02-16 Timber! Down goes KCK’s 18th St. bridge as officials prep for 2027 replacement https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/wyandotte-county/article314690445.html 2026-02-17 The Kansas City Star Exit list KS Wyandotte Kansas City yes 0.00 KS I 35 US 69 south – Des Moines, Wichita Diamond interchange, ramps controlled by traffic signals on 18th Street. Road continues south as Roe Boulevard. 0.00 South end of freeway Merriam Lane incomplete Southbound exit and northbound entrance Steele Road Ruby Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue KS K 32 Kansas Avenue KS I 70 US 24 US 40 US 69 KTA north west – St. Louis, Topeka Road continues as 18th Street incomplete References Category:Transportation in the Kansas City metropolitan area Category:Transportation in Kansas City, Kansas Category:Freeways in the United States Category:U.S. Route 69 Category:Former toll roads in Kansas