Do I need to explain this again, Greater Des Moines Partnership? I wrote a blog post on the Des Moines beltway back in September 2012, too. Talking with DC officials about making it an interstate is less important than getting advice from and working with the state DOT.
I would love for the beltway to become I-435, but there is a major regulation stopping it. It’s mentioned in the linked story — a minimum speed limit. The east side of the beltway doesn’t have one — that’s what those “VEHICLE SPEED UNDER 40 MPH MUST EXIT” signs at the Hubbell Avenue and US 69 exits are for — because it is a vital bridge for bicycle and tractor traffic.
A minimum speed limit would ban bicycles and farm equipment from using the east beltway and, most importantly, its Des Moines River bridge. The next crossings to the west and east are East 14th Street and IA 316. You can see on the official state map for bicyclists that the freeway is open for them.
If the Partnership wants the beltway to become an interstate, it needs to work with the Iowa DOT on one of two things: Either provide an alternate route for low-speed traffic across the Des Moines River (i.e. build another road from Army Post Road to Vandalia Drive with a bridge), or explain to a bunch of angry farmers and bicyclists that they can’t cross the river there anymore and have to go to Runnells. Conduct a study to see how many people the move would actually affect. If it’s not many, then maybe making I-435 won’t be too much of a problem after all. Otherwise, we’ll just have to live with it not being a pretty interstate-colored line on the map.