Re-designated K-14 in 2013
Length: 21 miles
South Endpoint:
North Endpoint:
Counties Passed through: Kingman, Reno, McPherson
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.
In the late 1950s, a new diagonal between Hutchinson and McPherson was contemplated to connect to the existing K-61 between Pratt and Hutchinson. In February, 1957, the State Highway Commission approved a resolution re-designating K-17 north of Hutchinson as K-61 to establish route continuity along the Pratt to McPherson corridor.
As part of a deal to widen the K-61 diagonal to four lanes, Reno County agreed to take over K-14 between Arlington and Sterling. The new K-61 was completed in 2012. To avoid excessive route number duplication, in 2013, the Secretary of Transportation elected to re-designate K-17 as K-14 as part of changing the alignment of K-14 around the segment that was turned back.