^Rounding the bend from eastward to northward, past the exit to Iowa 163 in Des Moines, May 2019.
Interstate 235 is the freeway for accessing downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The Interstate highways in Des Moines form a rectangle that's four miles from north to south and ten miles from west to east; Interstates 35 and 80 extend outward from the northeast and southwest corners of the rectangle. Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 join together to flank the northern and western sides of Des Moines, along the northern and western lines of the rectangle. Interstate 235 forms the southern and eastern lines of the rectangle, serving downtown Des Moines, which sits near the southeast corner of the rectangle. As the rectangle is 10 miles long by 4 miles tall, Interstate 235 is 14 miles long.
A full list of exits with accompanying photos is shown below. First of all, though, here is the photo showing where I got my shield image for Interstate 235. The photo shows signage seen by travelers moving west on the portion of US Route 6 passing through an interchange with the north-south piece of Interstate 235. The first onramp that these travelers can access is off to the right just ahead, and it leads to Interstate 235 north. As this interchange, north of downtown Des Moines, lies just south of Interstates 35 and 80, it's fitting to include a guide sign to those other nearby Interstate highways, too. This photo was taken in September 2019, on the way home from my trip across northern Iowa (the outbound trip went across northern Iowa, and the return trip headed southeast to Des Moines).
A full list of exits with accompanying photos is shown below. First of all, though, here is the photo showing where I got my shield image for Interstate 235. The photo shows signage seen by travelers moving west on the portion of US Route 6 passing through an interchange with the north-south piece of Interstate 235. The first onramp that these travelers can access is off to the right just ahead, and it leads to Interstate 235 north. As this interchange, north of downtown Des Moines, lies just south of Interstates 35 and 80, it's fitting to include a guide sign to those other nearby Interstate highways, too. This photo was taken in September 2019, on the way home from my trip across northern Iowa (the outbound trip went across northern Iowa, and the return trip headed southeast to Des Moines).
Interstate 235's western beginning occurs at the interchange where Interstate 80 joins Interstate 35 north after coming in from the west. The westward continuation of the same pavement used by Interstate 235 carries Interstate 80 west toward Council Bluffs and Omaha, while ramps provide access to Interstate 35. Interstate 35 north leads drivers to Minneapolis and Chicago, because it also carries Interstate 80 east. Interstate 35 south is signed as the way to Kansas City...
Exit 1A is a partial interchange only providing access to/from the east, and it leads to 50th Street...
Exit 1B brings travelers to Valley West Drive:
Exit 2 is for 22nd Street, a road bringing drivers to West Des Moines and Clive:
Exit 3 is for 73rd St. and 8th St., and the sign mentions Windsor Heights and West Des Moines as control cities:
Exit 4 leads to Iowa Highway 28, which runs along 63rd Street. Windsor Heights is accessed via this exit:
Exit 5A is a pair of ramps providing only access to/from the east, and it leads to 56th Street...
Exit 5B is a full interchange leading to 42nd Street and the Des Moines Art Center:
Exit 6 leads to 31st Street and Terrace Hill Historic Site:
Exit 7A provides access to MLK Jr. Blvd. and 19th Street; the DSM Airport is signed as a destination reached via this exit:
Exit 7B leads to Keo Way and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park:
Exit 8A leads to a variety of different streets in Downtown Des Moines; The Iowa Events Center is shown as a destination at this exit:
Exit 8B brings freeway travelers to 6th Street, Penn Street, and the East Village:
Exit 9 connects with 14th Street and 15th Street, the pair of one-way streets that carries US Route 69:
Exit 10A leads to University Avenue and the eastward beginning of Iowa Highway 163; the State Fairgrounds are signed as a destination reached via this exit:
Exit 10B connects to Easton Boulevard and the westbound continuation of University Avenue; a route marker for Iowa Highway 163 is included on the sign, since it can be reached tangentially via this exit ramp:
Exit 11 is an interchange connecting with Guthrie Avenue:
Exit 12 leads to East Euclid Avenue, which carries US Route 6. Grand View University is shown as a destination:
After Exit 12, the next interchange is the one where Interstate 235. Continuing north leads to Interstate 35 north toward Minneapolis. The first ramp leads to Interstate 80 east, signed as the way to Davenport. The second exit toward the west leads to Interstate 80 west, bound for Council Bluffs, and Interstate 35 south toward Kansas City.
