Kansas Highways Routelog

History

K-1 originally ran north from Comanche through Greensburg, Kinsley, La Crosse, Hays, Stockton, and Philipsburg before reaching K-22, later US 83, near the Nebraska Border. In the fall of 1938, US 183 was extended south, following K-1 between the junction with US 160 south of Comanche and the junction with US 36 at Phillipsburg. By the fall of 1941, the alignments of US 83 and US 183 were switched north of US 36, and all of K-1 north of US 160 was re-designated as US 183.

In 1932, K-1 was gravel between US 160 at Coldwater and US 54 at Greensburg, between US 50S at Kinsley and US 50N at Rozel, and between K-96 at Rush Center, past US 40S at Hays, to Northern Ellis County. By 1938, K-1 had been gravelled in its entirety, and hard-surfaced between Coldwater and Greensburg, between K-4 at Lacrosse and Hays, and between the Ellis/Rooks County line and K-18 at Plainville. By 1941, only the Kinsley-Rozel segment and the segment between the State Line and US 160 remained gravel.

The surviving segment of K-1 was hard-surfaced by 1953.

History

The second K-2 started out as an route between K-14 near Harper, heading on a northeastward path towards the Harper/Kingman County line, then briefly east along the county line, then north to K-42 near Norwich on an new gravel alignment by 1937. The 1945 State Highway Commission map shows the Kingman County segment as dirt, though previous maps show it as gravel. The Harper County segment was paved by 1950 and the Kingman County segment was realigned, continuing northeast and meeting K-42 in northwest Sumner County 3 miles east of Norwich.

By 1963, K-2 was extended in both directions, duplexing with K-14 from Harper to Kiowa then on K-8 south from Kiowa to the Oklahoma line, and also with K-42 northeast into Wichita. By 1977, K-2 was removed from K-8 south of Kiowa and designated on K-14 from Kiowa west to US 281.

By 1995, the K-2/K-14 duplex was designated as K-2, and the K-2/K-42 duplex was designated as K-42.

History

The original alignment for K-4 east from Herrington was along US 50N to Council Grove, then it stair stepped to the northeast to K-11 at Eskridge, and on to Topeka, entering Topeka on 21st Street, turning north on Gage Blvd, crossing K-10 at 10th Street and following 6th Street east to Topeka Boulevard, where it joins US 75, US 40, and K-10 across the Topeka Boulevard Bridge. K-4 followed US 75 before turning due east to Meriden, then Stair stepped northeast to Valley Falls to K-24 at Valley Falls, followed K-24 east to US 73W, then followed 73W north to Nortonville, then headed northeast to Atchison, where it crossed the Missouri River and became MO 4. It was dirt west of La Crosse and between Council Grove and Eskridge, and hard surfaced between Marquette and Lindsborg, between Hope and Herrington, between Dover and Meriden, and between the south junction with US 73W and Atchison.

By 1936, US 73W south of Nortonville and K-4 between Nortonville and Atchison had been re-designated as US 59, and K-24 was re-designated as K-16. K-4 was duplexed with K-16 and US 59 between Valley Falls and Atchison. The segment between Valley Falls and Nortonville was sealed, and the dirt segment between La Crosse and the Ness/Lane county line had been graveled By 1941, K-4 in Scott and Lane Counties, as well as the Dirt section in Morris County, had been graveled, and K-4 was hard surfaced between McCracken and La Crosse and between Hoisington and Bushton. By 1945, the dirt segment in Wabaunsee County had also been graveled. By 1953, K-4 had been hard-surfaced between the west end at US 83 and US 283 at Ransom, and between the North Junction with US 81 north of Lindsborg and Herrington.

The old Brickyard bridge across the Kansas River in Topeka was destroyed in the 1951 flood, and a new bridge was constructed half a mile to the west. When the new Westgate bridge and adjoining roadway opened in 1955, it received the K-4 designation. From the north end of the Westgate, K-4 followed US 24 east to US 75.

By 1956, the sections from US 283 to McCracken, from Bushton to Crawford, and from Eskridge to Dover were paved. The final gravel sections of K-4 were eliminated by 1957 when the segment between Crawford and Marquette was paved, and the segment between Council Grove and Eskridge was bypassed when K-10 between Herrington and K-99, including a new road east out of Alta Vista, was re-designated as K-4, with K-4 following K-99 from the former K-10/K-99 junction east to Eskridge. By 1962, the Westgate bridge had been designated as Bypass US 75/K-4 and K-4 had been removed from Gage Boulevard and was moved onto I-70 between the Westgate bridge and Auburn Road, then south on Auburn Road to 21st.

In the early 60's, the stair step route between Meriden and Valley Falls was straightened. The south half of new roadway was completed by 1962, along with a new diagonal route between Nortonville and Cummings. The northern half of the diagonal was completed by 1963. By 1965, the diagonal roadway had been extended to US 24 at the Shawnee/Jefferson county line, with K-4 continuing east on US 24 from US 75 to the new roadway.

By 1969, US 59 was shifted onto a new route in northern Jefferson County. K-4 was not shifted onto the new route, and remained on the old US 59 until a new diagonal alignment was completed between Valley Falls and Nortonville by 1978.

When the new Oakland Expressway was completed in 1997, it was designated as K-4, and K-4 through Topeka was moved from US 24 to I-70. Initially, the Oakland Expressway ended at US 40/6th Avenue, and K-4 followed US 40 along 6th Avenue and the Deer Creek Parkway west to I-70. When the new East Topeka interchange opened in 2001, the Oakland Expressway was connected directly to I-70, and K-4 and US 40 were moved onto the new interchange.

The 1929 and 1931 State Highway Commission maps designate K-4 west of La Crosse as K-52 instead. All other maps have shown this as K-4, including a 1927 map, however.

History

K-5 was paved in Wyandotte County by 1932. The Leavenworth County segment was graveled by 1933 and paved by 1941.

The construction of Wyandotte County Lake caused a gap in the original K-5 route. A new alignment around the west side of the lake was posted as "Detour K-5," with the unaffected part of the old alignment maintained by the state. The detour lasted until I-435 was completed in the area by 1987, and K-5 was re-routed on 435 between Wolcott Drive and Leavenworth Road.

I-635 was originally planned to turn east just north of K-5, meet US 69, then turn north and cross into Missouri on the Fairfax. By 1969, the plans were changed so that 635 crossed the Missouri River on a new bridge. To compensate for the relocation of I-635, a spur to the Fairfax District was constructed. The new freeway was completed around 1976, and was subsequently designated as K-5.

History

K-7 initially had its north end US 40 near Bonner Springs. By 1932, K-7 was hard-surfaced from the Bourbon/Crawford County line north to K-38, from the Miami/Linn County line to Paola, from Bonita to Olathe, along the concurrency with K-10, and from Bonner Springs north to US 40. A segment in the southern half of Linn County was also dirt. By 1933, the dirt segment in Linn County was graveled, and the road was hard surfaced in Cherokee and Crawford Counties.

In 1936, US 69 and US 169 were designated in Kansas. US 69 was moved to K-7 south of Fort Scott, and a new diagonal alignment was built southwest from US 69. This stretch was graveled by 1937, and hard-surfaced by 1950. US 169 was designated along K-7 from Osawatomie to Olathe and had been hard-surfaced from Paola north to the junction with K-68. K-7 was also extended north along US 73 to Atchison, then replaced K-16 from Atchison to US 36 at Troy. The former K-16 was hard surfaced.

In 1937, K-7 was extended north from Troy northwest along US 36 along a new alignment, ending at the Nebraska line northwest of White Cloud. The new K-7 north of US 36 was graveled by 1937 and hard surfaced by 1953. The US 169/K-7 segment was paved from K-68 to Spring Hill between 1937 and 1940. K-7 was paved between K-10 and Bonner Springs by 1941. K-7 in Linn County was hard surfaced from south to north between 1953 and 1957

By 1957, a new Kansas River bridge was built at Bonner Springs, an K-7 bypassed Bonner on the east side before meeting the old alignment north of town. Past the new interchange on the Kansas Turnpike (also I-70), K-7 angled northwest, meeting US 24/40/73 at a cloverleaf interchange. By 1971, K-7 had been widened to four lanes along the concurrency with K-10. By 1982, K-7 had been widened from the new K-10 freeway north to the Kansas River bridge, and from I-70 north to the US 24/40/73 interchange. By 1986, K-7 was widened between the Kansas River and I-70. The final stretch of K-7 was widened by 1995.

In 2008, the interchange with US 24/40/73 at State Avenue was closed for reconstruction into a six-ramp partial cloverleaf, with the loop ramps from eastbound State Ave. to northbound K-7, and from westbound State Ave. to southbound K-7 removed. Upon completion of the new interchange in 2009, State Ave. east of K-7 was turned back to the Unified government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City Kansas, and K-7 between State Ave. and I-70 re-designated as US 24/40/73 and K-7.

History

K-8 was initially a continuous highway from Oklahoma to Nebraska. In 1932, most of the road was dirt, with gravel segments between US 50N at Great Bend and K-4 at Hosington and between Osborne and Portis. By 1933, K-8 was gravel between the Oklahoma line and Medicine Lodge, between Saint John and Great Bend, between Waldo and Luray, and between Portis and Smith Center. In addition, the segment between Great Bend and Hosington was hard-surfaced. By 1936, K-8 had been gravelled between Sawyer and Saint John and between Hoisington and Russel, with the Portis-Smith Center segment sealed. By 1937, K-8 had been hard-surfaced between Pratt and Saint John, between the Stafford/Barton county line and Great Bend, and from Osborne to Portis.

Around 1940, K-8 between Smith Center and Kiowa was re-designated as US 281, leaving two segnemts, one in Barber County, the other in Smith County, as K-8. At the time of the change, K-8/US 281 had been hard surfaced between the Barton/Russell County line and Russell, and between Saint John nd the Stafford/Barton county line.

By 1941, the K-8 segment in Barber County had been re-designated as K-11, but was changed back to K-8 by 1962. The Southern K-8 was hard surfaced by 1956, during the time it carried the K-11 designation.

History

K-8 was initially a continuous highway from Oklahoma to Nebraska. In 1932, most of the road was dirt, with gravel segments between US 50N at Great Bend and K-4 at Hosington and between Osborne and Portis. By 1933, K-8 was gravel between the Oklahoma line and Medicine Lodge, between Saint John and Great Bend, between Waldo and Luray, and between Portis and Smith Center. In addition, the segment between Great Bend and Hosington was hard-surfaced. By 1936, K-8 had been gravelled between Sawyer and Saint John and between Hoisington and Russel, with the Portis-Smith Center segment sealed. By 1937, K-8 had been hard-surfaced between Pratt and Saint John, between the Stafford/Barton county line and Great Bend, and from Osborne to Portis.

Around 1940, K-8 between Smith Center and Kiowa was re-designated as US 281, leaving two segnemts, one in Barber County, the other in Smith County, as K-8. At the time of the change, K-8/US 281 had been hard surfaced between the Barton/Russell County line and Russell, and between Saint John nd the Stafford/Barton county line.

Part of the northern segment of K-8, out of Athol, was gravelled by 1941. The remainder of the road remained dirt until the entire northern segment was hard-surfaced by 1950.

History

In 1929, K-10 began at US 50N at Herrington, proceeded north and east through White City, Dwight, Alta Vista, and Alma, and McFarland before turning east at Paxico and entering Topeka on 10th Avenue to US 75, then north across the Kansas River at the Topeka Boulevard bridge. Once across the river, K-10 followed the north bank of the river, and turned east through Grantville, Newman, and Perry before meeting US 73W at Williamstown. K-10 followed US 73W through Lawrence before turning east to Kansas City. By 1932, K-10 had been paved from Kansas City west to the Douglas/Johnson County line, and from Lawrence to Grantville; as well as gravel from the Douglas/Johnson County line to Lawrence, west out of Topeka to Valencia Road, and between Paxico and Alma. In 1936, the road was paved from the Douglas/Johnson County Line to Lawrence and from Topeka to Valencia Road, and graveled from Paxico to Alma as well as Alta Vista to Dwight.

By 1937, US 24 had been extended into Kansas. K-10 between Lawrence and Topeka was re-designated as US 24, and US 40 from Lawrence to Topeka was designated as US 40/K-10. By 1941, the alignment between Valencia Road and Paxico was straightened and graveled, and graveled from Alta Vista to Herrington. By 1954, the entire route was paved between Topeka and Alma and between Alta Vista and Dwight. The part between Dwight and Herrington was paved by 1956. At the same time, a new connection from K-99 between Eskridge and Alma was built west to Alta Vista, bypassing the last unpaved section of K-10 (which had been gravelled). In 1957, K-10 between K-99 and Topeka was re-designated as US 40, and K-10 between Herrington and K-99 was re-designated as K-4, shifting the west end of K-10 to Lawrence.

Prior to 1956, K-10 and US 73W (later US 59) were routed along Massachusetts Street through Downtown Lawrence to US 40. When a new road, today known as Iowa Street, was built on what was then the west side of town, K-10 and US 59 bypass were routed along it to 40.

The K-10 Freeway began construction in 1974. The first section completed was the section from Lexington Avenue in DeSoto to K-7 north of Olathe, which opened to traffic on November 8, 1976. The section from Lawrence to DeSoto opened in 1978. The section from K-7 east to I-435, at first known as K-12, began construction in 1980. In August of 1982, the grading was completed, but work stopped until the beginning of 1984. The last stretch of road was completed December 18, 1984. At the time the freeway was being planned, the highway commission considered re-aligning K-10 to bypass Lawrence. Although the bypass was dropped, it would be revived by Douglas County.

The South Lawrence Trafficway was first proposed by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce in 1985. Douglas County issued $4 million in bonds to entice KDOT to fund the route. A 1987 lawsuit by Les Blevins of rural Lawrence challenged the county's authority to issue the bonds without a public vote. Ultimately, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that Douglas County should have held a vote, initially ordering the bonds suspended pending a vote. Later, the ruling would be revised to indicate that Douglas County's bond issue could proceed without a vote, however, similar issues in the future would require a public vote before the bonds are issued. A referendum on the SLT bonds was held in November of 1990 in favor of the road. Opponents sued again, saying that a explanatory statement was biased. The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that due to the circumstances, the referrendum was advisory, meaning that the county could have legally proceeded on the trafficway if the referrendum was rejected.

The SLT began construction on the western leg in 1994 and completed in late 1996. In 1993, Haskell Indian Nations University complained that the SLT as currently proposed would negatively affect the university, particularly cultural and religious practices held along the south end, near where the trafficway was to be built. The Federal Highway Administration ordered a Supplemental Envorenmental Impact Statement was drafted. The parties could not agree on a final routing, so the Federal Highway Administration attempted to withdraw from the project. A lawsuit by trafficway opponents successfully resulted in an injuction that suspended any construction activity until the SEIS was completed. The lack of consensus remained, and the final SEIS was published with a "no action" decision to remove the court injunctions. Soon afterwards, KDOT started the process on a new EIS, with a 32nd Street alignment, approximately 1/8 mile south of 31st, and relocating 31st off of the Haskell right of way, as well as a more extensive mitigation proposal for the Baker Wetlands than previously discussed. The Final EIS, released in early 2003, approves the 32nd Street alignment. It was subsequently adopted by the Federal Highway administration in February 2008. Opponents to the 32nd Street alignment, led by the Prairie Band Pottawatomie tribe, filed a suit challenging the 2003 EIS. As of January 2010, the lawsuit is pending and no money has been allocated for construction. However, KDOT has purchased part of the land slated to be part of the new mitigation area, and Baker University has completed wetland restoration work in these areas.

History

K-13 originally ran from US 77 near DeGraff through Cassoday, Cottonwood Falls, Council Grove, and Alta Vista to US 40 near Manhattan. Only the section between Matfield Green and Strong City was gravel.

By 1932, the south end was moved from DeGraff to El Dorado. By 1933, the segment between El Dorado and Matfield Green was graveled, and was extended north along a new alignment along the Blue River, crossing the Blue River at Garrison and continuing northeast to K-9 near Barrett. The portion south between Garrison and K-9 was gravel, the remainder remained dirt.

By 1936, K-13 was had been graveled from Council Grove to Alta Vista and from Manhattan to Garrison. The entire route had was gravel by 1945. By 1950, 13 had been hard-surfaced between Strong City and Alta Vista and between Manhattan and Garrison. By 1953, it was hard-surfaced from the new straight shot north to Manhattan. By 1956, the only sections not hard-surfaced were from Strong City north to the Butler/Morris county line, for a short stretch near Alta Vista, and from the junction with K-16 near Randolph to the north end at Barrett.

The filling of the Big Blue River Valley for Tuttle Creek Lake in 1962 flooded K-13 north of Manhattan. As a consequence, K-13 was realigned, heading north from Manhattan, then northeast to K-16 near Fostoria.

By 1965, K-13 south of Manhattan was re-designated as K-177.

History

K-21 was the original designation for what is now US 283. Initially, K-21 had its north end at US 36 in Norton.

US 283 was designated from the Oklahoma line north to US 160 near Englewood, and K-21 was hard surfaced from Minneola to Dodge City, and the remainder of the route was dirt. By 1933, US 283 had been extended north to Dodge City. By 1936, K-21 was gravel from Dodge City north to the Ness/Trego county line and from WaKeeney to Hill City, and had been extended north from US 36 north to the Nebraska line. By 1938, 21 had been graveled from Hill City to the junction with K-9, and had been re-designated US 283 from Dodge City to Norton.

When the remainder of K-21 had been re-designated as US 283 in 1941, 283 had been hard-surfaced from the Oklahoma line to the junction with K-4 in Ness County, and from WaKeeney to Norton.

History

The former K-24 was re-designated as K-16 when US 24 was extended into Kansas by 1936. In 1936, K-16 was hard-surfaced from K-62 south of Soldier to US 75 at Holton, and from Valley Falls to Tonganoxie, and gravel from US 77 at Randolph to Fostoria, and from Wheaton to Onaga, and from Holton to Valley Falls. By 1940, the segments between Fostoria and Wheaton and from Onaga to K-62 were graveled, and the segment from Holton to Valley Falls was hard-surfaced.

Between 1950 and 1953, K-16 was hard-surfaced between K-62 and Onaga. The rest of K-16 was hard surfaced by 1956.

History

In 1929, K-17 ended at US 81 in southern McPherson County. By 1932, K-17 was hard surfaced from Hutchinson to Medora., and gravel along the rest of the route.

By 1936, US 81 was realigned, from Moundridge, the former US 81 from K-17 north to the new US 81 near McPherson was re-designated as K-17. K-17 was also hard-surfaced between Medora and the US 81 junction. The remainder of K-17 was hard-surfaced by 1940.

K-17 north of Hutchinson was re-designated as an extension of K-61 by 1957.

History

In 1929, K-18 ended at K-15, and was gravel between Vesper and Bennington, and dirt along the reat of the route. In 1932, K-18 was gravelled between Vesper and Waldo and hard-surfaced west out of Bennington. By the end of 1935, it was gravelled east out of Plainville and hard-surfaced between Bennington and Vesper. By the end of 1936, 18 had been gravelled from Bennington east to the Saline/Ottawa County line and from Waldo west to Paradise, and hard-surfaced from Vesper west to Sylvan Grove. In addition, K-18 was extended along a new gravel alignment from K-15 east to Junction City. By 1940, K-18 was sealed from Bennington west to Natoma, and was gravelled from Plainville west to Damar. By 1941, K-18 had been hard-surfaced from K-15 to Junction City, and gravelled along the rest of the route.

By 1950, K-18 had been hard-surfaced from K-15 to Bennington. By 1953, K-18 had been extended east from Junction City to K-13 as part of a "straight shot" between Junction City and Topeka, and the remainder of K-18 had been hard-surfaced. By 1956, the "straight shot" had been completed and re-designated as US 40, and the original US 40 beteen Junction City and Manhattan was re-designated as K-18. By 1960, 18 was extended east, replacing K-29.

By 1962, K-18 had been four laned from Manhattan to Ogden. By 1977, a new alignment had been built between Odgen and I-70, bypassing the original US 40 through Fort Riley.

History

K-19 initially existed from Belpre to Larned. By 1932, K-37 between east of Larned had been re-designated as K-19, and the Belpre-Larned segment was gravel. The stretch east of Larned was gravel by 1933.

By 1937, the Belpre-Larned segment had been hard surfaced. Between 1945 and 1950, a new hard surface alignment had been built east of Larned, bypassing the towns of Radium and Seward.

History

History

K-23 originally continued north from Dresden, through Oberlin, to the Nebraska Line North of Ceder Bluffs. The Stretch North of Dresden was re-designated as US 183 in 1930.

In the spring of 1938, US 183 was re-aligned south of Oberlin, shifting its south end from Dresden to Selden. In the fall of 1938, US 183 was re-aligned south of Oberlin. As a consequence, the segment between Selden and Oberlin was once again designated as K-23. To accomodate the new alignment, K-23 followed K-9 west to Selden. The segment between K-9 and Oberlin was re-designated as K-123.

In the fall of 1941, the Selden-Oberlin segment was re-designated as US 83

History

Initally, US 24 ended at Independence, Missouri. In 1936, US 24 was extended into Kansas, following US 40 to Lawrence, replaced K-10 from Lawrence to Topeka, followed 40 again to Manhattan, and replaced US 40N through the rest of Kansas and on to Limon, Colo. The stretch of US 24 between Topeka and Manhattan was re-designated solely as US 24 by 1957, when the "straight shot" between Topeka ans Junction City was completed. The straight shot would become part of I-70

Several bypasses have been built along US 24. By 1968, 24 was relocated around Perry and by '69, 24 was rerouted in Graham county so that it became closer to the town of Nicodemus.

In 2009, State Avenue east of K-7 was turned back to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City. The interchange with K-7 was re-opened January 22, 2009, and reassurance signs started appearing along I-70 in February.

History

History

History

History

K-28 originally continued north along K-14 from Jewell to Mankato, then west along US 36, then north to the Nebraska border. By 1932, the segment between Concordia and Mankato was gravel, and the segment north of US 36 was dirt. The dirt segment was gravelled, and the Concordia-Mankato segment was hard-surfaced, by 1936. The segment between US 36 was hard-surfaced by 1945, and the remainder was hard-surfaced by 1953.

Sometime in 1995, K-28 was trunkated to the junction with K-148 east of Jewell, and the section north of US 36 was redesignated as an extension of K-128

History

K-30 was created as a spur from K-10 into Maple Hill when K-10 was relocated onto a new alignment south of Maple Hill. It was brought in as a gravel road by 1950, and paved by 1953. The realigned K-10 would eventually become part of I-70

History

Initially, K-31 ended in Garnett.  By 1941, 31 followed K-6 to Kincaid, then replaced K-38 to US 69

History

In Leavenworth County, K-32 origionally ran slightly to the south, going through Linwood before turning north at Lenape, then back east towards Bonner. The road was realigned (parrallel to the abandoned Kansas City-Kaw Valley interurban line) around 1957.

K-32 orginally followed Park Drive and Central Avenue to 7th Street. This segment was removed from the system, and the former K-132 east of Kaw Drive was re-designated as K-32.

History

Origionally, K-33 met US 50 at Edgerton, came through Ottawa and journeyed southwest through Homewood, Ransomville, Williamsburg, and Silkville before ending at US 75 west of Waverly. The entire route was gravel, except that the route was being hard-surfaced west out of Ottawa, reaching Williamsburg by 1933.

By 1936, K-33 was realgned to meet US 50 in Douglas County north of Wellsville and the segment west of the junction with K-68 into Ottawa was re-designated as an extension of K-68, with the rest of the route (which had been hard-surfaced all the way to Waverl7) re-designated as US 50S.

K-33 was hard-surfaced north of Wellsville by 1940, and hard-surface in its entirty by 1950.

History

In 1937, the State Highway Commission accepted control of a road in Clark County connecting Oklahoma Highway 34 with US 160, near Sitka and designated it as K-34. In addition, they changed the designation of the road between Protection and Bucklin from K-41 to K-34, while the “old” K-34 in southeast Kansas was re-designated K-37. By 1940, the road between Sitka and the Oklahoma line was designated as US 183. By 1965, a new alignment for K-34 was built between Bucklin and Sitka, bypassing Protection and Comanche County.

History

I-35 was first envisioned to parallel US 50/50S to Newton, then follow US 81 and US 177 south to the Oklahoma border.  By the time the interstate highway act was passed in 1956, the Kansas Turnpike was completed.  An agreement between the Highway Commission and the the Bureu of Public Roads in December 1956 designated the Turnpike as put I-35 along the Turnpike south of Emporia.  The road between Emporia and Newton was removed, but the segment along US 81 north of Wichita was extended north to Salina as I-35W. The First part of I-35 completed was the portion between Shawnee and Ottawa, completed by 1969, as was the segment around Emporia.

History

The original routing for US 36 took it southwest along K-22 from Norton to US 40N near Halford. The former K-2 west of Norton was re-designated US 36 by 1932

All of US 36 was gravel across the state, with hard-surfaced segments between Montrosa and Courtland, between Marysville and Seneca, east out of Hiawatha, and between Troy and St. Joseph, Mo. in 1932. By 1936, US 36 was hard-surfaced from Norton to Belleville, and from Marysville to Highland. By 1940, the segment between Highland and Troy was hard surfaced. By 1945, US 36 was straigtended between Seneca and Fairview, and part of this new alignment east of Seneca was still gravel. This, along with a segment between Belleview east to Cuba, and from Norton west to the Norton-Decatur county line, were the final segments of gravel on US 36 in Kansas. They were hard-surfaced by 1950.

History

Across Kansas, 50 was a split route between Garden City and Baldwin Junction in Douglas County. See the history of US 50N and US 50S for an overview of the history of the individual segments of the split routes.

Outside the splits, by 1932, US 50 was gravel between Syracuse and Kendall, and between Baldwin and Gardner, with the remainder hard-surfaced. The rest of US 50 in Johnson County was hard surfaced by 1933, and in Hamilton and Douglas Counties by 1936.

By 1955, The US 50 N/S split was eliminated with the introduction of US 56 and 156. As a consequence, the Baldwin Junction-Kansas City segment of US 50 was re-desinated as US 50/56. By 1962, I-35 had been completed between Kansas City and Ottawa, and US 50's designation was moved to the new highway, re-designating the old US50S between Ottawa and Baldwin Junction solely as US 59, and the old US 50 east of Baldwin Junction solely as US 56. US 50 no longer went through Douglas County, but cut across the northwest corner of Miami County.

I-35 re-joined the old US 50 alignment at Olathe, and was built on top of it from Olathe to the Shawnee Mission Parkway. US 50 (and US 56) followed the Shawnee Mission Parkway east to the Missouri State Line. By 1984, US 50 was moved from the Shawnee Mission Parkway to I-435.

History

By 1987, a new bypass around the east and north side of Garden City had been completed. Once opened, the new roadway was designated as US 50-83. The old US 50 through Garden City received the US 50B designation.

History

US 59 was in place by 1934, replacing the US 73 and US 73W designations from the Oklahoma Line to Nortonville, and replacing the K-4 designation from Nortonville to the Missouri line at Atchison. US 59 was also concurrant with US 169 between Garnett and Earlton. By 1936, US 59 was hard-surfaced in most places, with only the portion between the Oklahoma line and Oswego, as well as between Welda and Garnett being the only segments that remained gravel. The Welda-Garnett segment was hard-surfaced by 1940, with the segment south of Oswego hard-surfaced by 1941.

By 1950, US 59 had been re-aligned in Neosho County. Instead of turning east at Earlton, 59 turned east at Chanute, being co-designated along K-39 to the junction with K-6, then following K-6 south to Erie. By 1962, 59 had been re-algigned once again, following K-31 from Garnett to Kincaid and following K-6 from Kincaid to Erie. As a result, K-6 was re-designated as US 59.

Meanwhile, in Atchison County, the "stairstep" alignment between Nortonville and Atchison was gradually striaghtened. The first segment was completed by 1950; the second segment, taking the roadway to Cummings, was completed by 1957; and the final segment between Cummings and Nortonville was completed by 1962.

In Douglas County, 73W/59 origionally turned east at what is now 23rd Street, then followed Massachusetts Street through downtown to the Kansas River. By 1956, the present-day Iowa Street was built, and the US 59 designation was moved from 23rd Street and Massachusetts to Iowa Street. At about the same time, US 40 was moved from 7th Street to 6th Street, which also included the US 59 designation. In 1973, US 59 south of Lawrence was widened to four lanes for about 3 miles south of Lawrence, with a new alignment for another 2 miles south that could be expanded to 4 lanes. At the time, it was forseen that US 59 would eventually be upgraded to a full freeway between Lawrence and Ottawa.

Plans to widen US 59 between Lawrence and Ottawa began in earnest in the Early 2000s, by which time the segment of 59 had a significantly higher accident rate than other 2 lane roadways in the state. A draft Environmental Impact Statement, with two alternatives, one parrallel to the current 59, and one a mile east, was released in April 2002. There was significant opposition to the freeway proposal, and particulary to the "mile east" option. In the Final EIS, released in May 2003, the parallel option was selected. Ground was broken on the new 59 project on the Franklin County side in June 2007. The new freeway is scheduled to be opened in two sections. The Franklin County setment will open in late 2009 or early 2010, and the Douglas County segment will be completed in 2012.

History

The first segment of what would become I-70 (excluding the turnpike) was opened on November 14, 1956 — the first project completed under the 1956 — for about 8 miles west of Topeka. This segment was completed as a two-lane project — the other carriageway would be built later. By 1963, the freeway was open from the Polk-Quincy Viaduct in Downtown Topeka to US 81 in Salina as well as between Ogallah and Grainfield. The Segment between Salina and Wilson was completed in 1964, bypassing Ellsworth. K-140 was created to connect Salina to Ellsworth on old US 40. The segment between Levant and Ogallah was opened to traffic in 1965, with the stretch between Grainfield and Wilson opened to traffic in November of 1966 .  The final stretch of I-70 in Kansas, near Goodland, was opened to traffic in August of 1970 (Schirmer 5-10).

I-70 was initially connected to the Kansas Turnpike via a partial interchange with the original US 40 Spur. The original plans called for the interchange to eventually be expanded to a full cloverleaf, and that the freeway would continue east and north as the Deer Creek Expressway. Despite the fact that the Deer Creek expressway had been languishing for many years, the partial interchange configuration remained until at least 1977. By the early 90s, the US 40 spur was abandoned, and I-70 would be realigned to remove the partial interchange completely. In the 1990's, the Deer Creek expressway would be renamed the Oakland Expressway and selected as a KDOT system enhancement project. The Oakland project, combined with the fact that the East Topeka interchange was overburdened, led to a project to rebuild the East Topeka interchange. Construction of the new interchange, with new flyover connections between I-70, the Turnpike, and the Oakland Expressway, was built between 1999 and 2001.

The Kansas Turnpike between East Topeka and K-10 at Lecompton was widened from 4 to six lanes between 2004 and 2006. The bridges over the Kansas River at Lawrence are scheduled to be replaced by 2012, and the Turnpike/I-70 will be widened to six lanes between the Lecompton and East Lawrence interchanges.

History

When US 154 was re-designated as K-154 in 1982, the US 154 Spur was re-designated as K-129. In February 1997, a new bypass around the southeastern part of Dodge City was completed, connecting to K-129. The new bypass was given the designation of US 56-283, and K-129 was re-designated as US 56-283-400.

History

K-123 was created from a orphaned segment of K-23 between K-9 and Oberlin in 1938 as a consequence of US 183's southward extension.

History

US 183 first appeared in 1930 as a re-designation of K-23 between US 83 near Dresden north to the Nebraska border near Cedar Bluffs. By 1936, 183 had been graveled from the border to where the original road turned east south of Oberlin. The road was re-aligned straight to the south from Oberlin by the beginning of 1938, shifting the endpoint from Dresden to Selden.

In the fall of 1938, US 183 extended south to Texas. From Oberlin, US 183 followed US 36 east to Phillipsburg, K-1 from Phillipsburg south to Coldwater, US 160 from Coldwater west to Sitka, and K-34 from Sitka south to the Oklahoma Border.

In the fall of 1941, US 183 was moved to the old US 83 alignment Near Wodruff. K-1 between Phillipsburg and the junction with the former US 83 was designated as US 183, as was the entire K-1/US 183 concurrency.