Interstate 29, US 71, and Missouri 291 in Kansas City

Kansas City airport exit from Interstate 29
Photo courtesy of Michael Summa

If you were to take a photo of this exit today, the signs would look different. In 1975, when Michael Summa took this photo, Interstate 435 had been extended to meet Interstate 29 near Kansas City International Airport (you can barely see the second exit ramp for I-435 in the background), but the main sign off I-29 instead indicated an exit for Missouri 291, which parallels I-435 through north Kansas City.

That point of confusion has since been rectified and, while Missouri 291 still exists, it's now better known as L.P. Cookingham Drive, named after a longtime Kansas City city manager.

Also note that Missouri 291, which is really an east-west route in this part of Kansas City, still had "north" and "south" cardinal direction designations.