Interstate 70

"I-70" redirects here. For the track, see I-70 Motorsports Park. For the submarine, see Japanese submarine I-70.

Interstate 70 marker
Interstate 70
Map
Route information
Length2,171.71 mi[1] (3,495.03 km)
Existed1956–present
HistoryCompleted in 1992
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-15 near Cove Fort, UT
Major intersections
East end I-695 / MD 570 in Woodlawn, MD
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesUtah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland
Highway system

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.[2] 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.[3]

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.[4] The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m).

  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Interstate Highway System". The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library. Archived from the original on January 27, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
  3. ^ Stufflebeam Row, Karen; LaDow, Eva; Moler, Steve (March–April 2004). "Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later". Public Roads. 67 (5). Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  4. ^ Weingroff, Richard F. (Summer 1996). "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels". Public Roads. 60 (1). Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2018.