US Highway 50

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.

The predecessor road, the New Santa Fe Trail, was paved from the Kearney/Finney County line to Garden City, and Southwest Boulevard between Olathe and Merriam was brick paved. By 1932, US 50 was blacktopped across Kearney County, and between Gardner and Olathe. The rest of US 50 in Johnson County would be paved in 1932, Douglas County in 1938, and Hamilton County in 1939.

In 1948, the first part of what is today known as the Shawnee Mission Parkway was built as a new 4-lane roadway between Mission and the Missouri State Line. The original US 50 alignment along Johnson Drive was briefly turned back, then returned to the State Highway system as a new route, K-158. In 1953, a new bypass alignment was built on the South side of Olathe, and a new ‘super 2’ highway with limited access (but with at-grade intersections) was constructed between Olathe and Merriam parallel and across a set of railroad tracks from the original Southwest Boulevard.

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-designated as US 50/56. Soon afterward, construction of I-35 between Ottawa and Kansas City would begin. The ‘Super 2’ between Olathe and Merriam was upgraded to a full four-lane freeway, with the existing at-grade junctions removed, converted to grade separations, or converted to interchanges. By 1960, I-35 had been completed between Kansas City and Ottawa, and on October 7, 1961, AASHO approved moving US 50’s designation from US 59 and US 56 onto I-35. US 50 no longer went through Douglas County, but cut across the northwest corner of Miami County.

In 1978, Kansas and Missouri petitioned AASHTO to move the US 50 designation between Lenexa and Lee’s Summit. AASHTO approved the change at the June 28, 1978 meeting, subject to the completion of the new route in Missouri. I-470 was completed in 1984.

Between 1990 and 2004, US 50 was reconstructed in concrete between Newton and Emporia. US 50 was widened east of Garden City in 2006 and west of Garden City in 2011.

Timeline

• November 1921: Santa Fe Trail concrete paved from 3 miles east of Holcomb to Garden City
• October 1922:
  • Santa Fe Trail graded and graveled from Syracuse to 1/2 mile east of Mayline
  • Santa Fe Trail concrete paved from Kearney/Finney County line to 3 miles east of Holcomb
• February 1923: Jones Street in Garden City concrete paved from the West City Limits to 9^th Street.
• October 1925: Southwest Boulevard graded and brick paved between Olathe and Lenexa
• November 1925: Southwest Boulevard graded and brick paved from Lenexa to south of Shawnee
• May 1928: Graded and brick paved from the Missouri State line west 1 1/2 miles
• July 1928: Graded between the Hamilton/Kearney County Line and Lakin
• February 1929: Graded between Lakin and Deerfield
• September 1929: Graveled across Kearney County
• February 1930: Graded from Gardner to Clare
• August 1930: Graded and concrete paved from Baldwin Junction to Baldwin City.
• December 1930: Graveled from the Douglas/Johnson County line to Edgerton
• July 1931: Graded and graveled at East Sand Creek 1 mile west of the Kearney County Line
• September 1931:
  • New gravel alignment entering Syracuse from the west (moved from Warner Street to Avenue “A”)
  • Graded and graveled at bridges over West Bridge Creek and East Bridge Creek east of Coolidge
• October 1931:
  • Graded and concrete paved from Gardner to southwest corner of Olathe
  • Graded and concrete paved along the north side of Olathe
• September 1932: Blacktopped across Kearney County
• December 1932: Graded and concrete paved from the Douglas-Johnson County line to Gardner
• June 1933: Avenue “A” graded and graveled in Syracuse and US 50 realigned on east side of town.
• November 1933: Graded and graveled completed from Mayline to the Hamilton/Kearney County line.
• May 1934: Kansas Avenue Concrete Paved from Jones Street/Taylor Avenue to Main Street and US 50 moved from Jones Street to Kansas Avenue
• July 1935: Blacktopped from Syracuse to the Hamilton/Kearney County line
• August 1935: Two Curves Northwest of Holcomb realigned in concrete
• July 1937: New concrete-paved alignment on northeast side of Baldwin City.
• October 1937: New gravel alignment from Colorado State Line to Coolidge. Graveled in Coolidge and 7/8 mile east
• October 1937: New paved alignment along south side of Merriam west of railroad.
• January 1938: New paved alignment along south side of Merriam east of railroad.
• August 1938: Concrete Paved from Baldwin City to the Douglas/Johnson County Line (US 50 paved east of Baldwin Junction)
• July 1939: Blacktopped from the Colorado state line to Syracuse (US 50 hard-surfaced from the Colorado State Line to Garden City)
• September 1939: New railroad underpass on Northwest side of Baldwin City
• June 1942: New Concrete alignment from Garden City west
• December 1944: Blacktopped along Park Street from K-7 to Logan Street in Olathe
• October 1945: Brick alignment widened and blacktop overlay from Olathe to Shawnee
• June 1948: New 4-lane alignment from US 69 east, including cloverleaf interchange at US 69.
  • Original US 50 alignment was initially turned back, but was returned to the State Highway system October 13, 1948 as K-158.
• November 1948: Reconstructed to 4 lanes from east end of new 4-lane alignment to Missouri State Line
• July 1949: Reconstructed (blacktop) from the Hamilton/Kearney County line to K-25 in Lakin
• 1953:
  • Reconstructed (blacktop) from Lakin to the Kearney/Finney County Line with new alignment near Deerfield
  • New concrete bypass on south side of Olathe and a new alignment from Olathe to Merriam, with diamond interchanges at Parker Street in Olathe and at 75th Street near Shawnee. “Super 2” east of Santa Fe Railroad overpass in Olathe.
• 1954: US 50/63rd Street junction in Merriam converted to a trumpet interchange.
• 1955:
  • US 50S redesignated US 50
  • US 56 designation added to US 50 from Baldwin Junction to Missouri State Line
  • Grade Seperation at 67th Street in Merriam converted to a diamond interchage.
• 1956: Frontage Road constructed along west side of US 50 between Ridgeview Road and Loula Street in Olathe. At this point, US 50/56 remains a “Super 2” between Olathe and Merriam
• 1957: US 50/56 between Olathe and Merriam is upgraded to a 4-lane freeway, with a diamond interchange at Santa Fe, a Port of Entry with connections to Frontage Roads at 119th, grade seperations at 111th and Pflumm, folded diamonds at 95th and 87th, a reconfigured ramp at the northeast quadrant of the existing diamond interchange at 75th, and a rebuilt diamond interchnge at 67th. It is unknown whether the I-35 designation has been added at this point
• 1958: I-35 extended north from US 50-56. Trumpet interchange at US 50-56 junction is converted to a Cloverleaf.
• 1959: Curve at southeast corner of Olathe converted into a restricted-access interchange.
• 1960: I-35 completed from Gardner to Olathe. I-35 now complete from Ottawa to Kansas City.
• 1961:
  • Reconstructed (blacktop) from Syracuse to the Hamilton/Kearney County line
  • October 7: AASHTO approves designating US 50 along I-35 between Ottawa and Olathe
    • US 50/US 59 from Ottawa to Baldwin Junction redesignated US 59
    • US 50/US 56 from Baldwin Junction to Olathe redesignated US 56
• 1964: New blacktop alignment between Hoover Road and 1st/Meridian in Newton
• 1965: Fulton Street in Garden City reconstructed from Main to 1st Street
• 1966: Blacktop reconstruction of the US 50/K-89 junction
• 1969: Reconstructed from the Colorado state line to Syracuse
• November 20, 1973: I-35 opened to traffic between the Lyon/Coffey County line and Ottawa.
  • US 50 moved to I-35, old US 50 alignment turned back.
  • US 50 between Emporia and the Lyon/Coffey County line signed as US 50/”To I-35″
• 1975:
  • New Concrete alignment from Meridian to Kansas Avenue in Newton. 2 lanes from Meridian to Anderson Avenue, 4 lanes from Anderson Avenue to Kansas Avenue. Tied in to previously constructed ramps to I-35W
    • US 50 added to I-35W/I-135 on East side of Newton
• 1977: I-35 completed between Emporia and the Lyon/Coffey county line
  • US 50 now designated along I-35 between Emporia and Merriam. Old US 50 alignment turned back.  
• 1978: I-35/87th Street interchange reconstructed as a diamond interchange.
• 1984:
  • Garden City Bypass completed from K-156 to US 83, New alignment of US 50 from north end of bypass at US 83 west to Holcomb
    • Old US 50 alignment from Holcomb to Kansas Avenue/Jones Avene/Taylor Avenue in Garden City turned back.
    • Taylor Avenue from the Bypass to Kansas Avenue redesignated from US 83 to US 50B/US 83B
    • Kansas Avenue from Taylor Avenue to Main Street redesignated from US 50/US 83 to US 50B/US 83B
    • Main Street from Kansas Avenue to Fulton Street redesignated from US 50/US 83 to US 50B/US 83B
    • Fulton Street from Main Street to Main Street redesignated from US 50 to US 50B
  • I-470 completed in Missouri
    • US 50 designation added to I-435 from I-35 in Lenexa to Missouri State Line in Leawood
    • US 50 removed from I-35 from I-435 to the Shawnee Mission Parkway
    • Shawnee Mission Parkway redesignated from US 50/US 56 to US 56
• 1989: I-35 Concrete reconstruction from the Miami/Johnson County Line to Olathe
• 1990: Concrete reconstruction from K-177 to the West City Limits of Strong City
• 1991: Port of Entry at 119th Street eliminated and replaced with a diamond interchange for 119th. Widened to 6 lanes from 119th to I-435.
• 1992: Widened to 6 lanes from 119th to Santa Fe in Olathe.
• 1993: Concrete reconstruction from the Chase/Lyon County Line to Emporia.
• 1994: Concrete reconstruction from Saffordville to the Chase/Lyon County Line
• 1995:
  • US 50/83/K-156 junction converted to a diamond interchange
  • US 50/K-89 intersection reconstructed to remove median and slip ramps.
  • US 50/Ridge Road intersection reconstructed.
  • Concrete reconstruction from Walton to Peabody
  • New alignment on north side of Peabody
  • Concrete reconstruction of Florence bypass
• 1996: I-35 concrete reconstruction and widening to 6 lanes between US 169 and Santa Fe in Olathe. Three-Level interchange at US 169 and 151st Street. Loop ramp added between northbound I-35 and westbound Santa Fe.
• 1997:
  • Concrete reconstruction between I-135 and Walton
  • Concrete reconstruction from the Marion/Chase County Line to K-177
• 1998: Concrete reconstruction between Peabody and Florence
• 2000: Spot full-depth reconstruction between the Hamilton/Kearney County Line and Lakin
• 2002: Concrete reconstruction from Florence to the Marion/Chase County line
• 2004: Concrete Reconstruction in Strong City
• 2005: US 50-83/Mary Street intersection converted to extended diamond interchange
• 2006:
  • Widened to 4 lanes from Towns Road to Aerodrome Road east of Garden City; Reconstructed blacktop from Aerodrome Road to the Finney/Grey County Line.
  • Roundabout at the US 50/US 77 junction in Florence
  • Overpass over Emporia-Topeka railroad line east of Emporia replaced.
• 2008: Intersection with Old Main Street in Newton Removed.
• 2011: Widened in concrete to 4 lanes from Big Lowe Road north of Holcomb to 3rd Street in Garden City
• 2014: Anderson Avenue intersection in Newton converted to a diamond roundabout interchange
• 2016: Widened to 4 lanes, undivided blacktop from 1 mile west of Burrton to the West City limits of Burrton
• 2019: Concrete reconstruction from 3rd Street to Fulton Street in Garden City

Junction Guide

County Milepost	State Milepost	Junction
50-38/0.000	0.000	Colorado State Line (concurrent with US 400)
50-38/1.490	1.490	West city limits Coolidge
50-38/2.519	2.519	East city limits Coolidge
50-38/12.879	12.879	Hamilton County Road M
50-38/16.094	16.094	West jct K-27, West city limits Syracuse
50-38/16.624	16.624	East jct K-27
50-38/17.181	17.181	East city limits Syracuse
50-38/18.231	18.231	Road Q
50-38/28.498 50-47/0.000	28.498	Hamilton/Kearny county line
50-47/8.984	37.482	Road J
50-47/14.963	43.461	West city limits Lakin
50-47/15.467	43.965	K-25
50-47/15.913	44.411	East city limits Lakin
50-47/22.778	51.276	West city limits Deerfield
50-47/23.163	51.661	East city limits Deerfield
50-47/25.367 50-28/0.000	53.865	Kearny/Finney County Line
50-28/4.000	57.865	Ritchel Road
50-28/5.983	59.848	Big Lowe Road
50-28/11.983	65.848	US 50B/US 83/US 83B (US 83 joins US 50-US 400)
50-28/15.753	69.618	K-156
50-28/17.291	71.156	US 50B/US 83 (US 83 leaves US 50-US 400)
50-28/18.882	72.747	Farmland Road
50-28/22.730	76.595	Pole Line Road
50-28/26.823	80.688	Garden City Regional Airport
50-28/29.336	83.201	Main Street, Pierceville
50-28/29.975 50-35/0.000	83.840	Finney/Gray County Line
50-35/5.600	89.440	Road 6
50-35/12.337	96.177	Road 13/Main Street, Ingalls
50-35/18.149	101.989	West city limits Cimarron
50-35/18.587	102.427	K-23
50-35/19.108	102.948	East city limits Cimarron
50-35/26.008 50-29/0.000	109.848	Gray/Ford County Line
50-29/6.833	116.681	East junction US 400 (US 400 leaves US 50)
50-29/8.582	118.430	Wyatt Earp Boulevard
50-29/10.768	120.616	West city limits Doge City
50-29/11.273	121.121	14th Avenue
50-29/12.048	121.896	Gary Avenue
50-29/12.430	122.278	East City limits Dodge City
50-29/16.501	126.349	West junction US 56/US 283 (US 56/US 283 joines US 50)
50-29/18.237	128.085	East junction US 283 (US 283 leaves US 50/US 56)
50-29/28.037	137.885	Main Street, Spearville
50-29/38.461 50-24/0.000	148.309	Ford/Edwards county line
50-24/0.274	148.583	West city limits Offerle
50-24/0.789	149.098	East city limits Offerle
50-24/8.108	156.417	East junction US 56 (US 56 leaves US 50)
50-24/8.316	156.625	West City limits Kinsley
50-24/9.054	157.363	US 183
50-24/9.448	157.757	East city limits Kinsley
50-24/17.473	165.782	180th Avenue Sunnyside Drive, Lewis
50-24/26.883	175.192	Junction K-19, Belpre
50-24/31.079 50-93/0.000	179.388	Edwards/Stafford County Line
50-93/2.472	181.860	West city limits Macksville
50-93/3.473	182.861	East city limits Macksville
50-93/15.036	194.424	US 281 (roundabout)
50-93/23.047	202.435	West city limits Stafford
50-93/23.270	202.658	East city limits Stafford
50-93/30.043 50-78/0.000	209.431	Stafford/Reno County Line
50-78/16.831	226.262	Sego Road
50-78/23.520	232.951	West junction K-61 (K-61 joins US 50)
50-78/29.028	238.459	West interchange K-14/K-96, Hutchinson (K-14 joins US 50/K-61)
50-78/30.540	239.971	East interchange K-14/K-96, Hutchinson (K-14 leaves US 50/K-61)
50-78/32.232	241.663	Scott Boulevard/McNew Road
50-78/33.033	242.464	East jct K-61, Hutchinson (K-61 leaves US 50)
50-78/44.067 50-40/0.000	253.498	Reno/Harvey County Line
50-40/11.007	264.505	Junction K-89, north of Halstead
50-40/18.000	271.498	Meridian Road, Newton
50-40/19.956	273.454	K-15/Kansas Avenue, Newton
50-40/20.713 135-40/8.282	274.211	South Junction I-135/US 50 I-135 exit 30
135-40/9.047	274.976	1st Street
135-40/9.553	275.482	Broadway
135-40/10.054	275.983	12th Street
135-40/10.061	275.990	North City Limits Newton
135-40/10.383 50-40/22.814	276.312	North Junction I-135/US 50 I-135 exit 33
50-40/27.869	281.367	West city limits Walton
50-40/28.641	282.139	East city limits Walton
50-40/35.560 50-57/1.886	289.058	Harvey/Marion County Line
50-57/3.907	291.079	West city limits Peabody
50-57/4.669	291.841	East city limits Peabody
50-57/14.890	302.062	West city limits Florence
50-57/15.291	302.463	US 77 (roundabout)
50-57/16.126	303.298	East city limits Florence
50-57/20.995 50-9/0.000	308.167	Marion/Chase County Line
50-9/12.361	320.528	K-150
50-9/19.353	327.520	K-177
50-9/20.103	328.270	West city limits Strong City
50-9/20.640	328.807	East city limits Strong City
50-9/30.272 50-56/0.00	338.439	Chase/Lyon County Line
50-56/6.846	345.285	Junction I-35/I-335/KTA, Emporia (roundabout)
50-56/7.005	345.444	West city limits Emporia
50-56/8.121	346.560	Prairie Street
50-56/9.628	348.067	K-99/Commercial St., Emporia
50-56/11.343	349.782	East city limits Emporia
50-56/11.938 35-56/16.607	350.377	West jct I-35, I-35 exit 133, Emporia
35-56/21.850	355.620	Exit 138: County Road U
35-56/24.872	358.642	Exit 141: K-130
35-56/26.936 35-16/0.000	360.706	Lyon/Coffey County Line
35-16/5.177	365.883	Exit 148: K-131/Lebo
35-16/13.322	374.028	Exit 155: US 75 (BETO Junction)
35-16/13.394 35-70/0.000	374.100	Coffey/Osage County Line
35-70/3.984	378.084	Exit 160: K-31 North/Melvern
35-70/6.011	380.111	Exit 162: K-31 South/Waverly
35-70/11.402 35-30/0.000	385.502	Osage/Franklin County Line
35-30/15.084	400.586	Exit 183: US 59 South/Garnett
35-30/19.407	404.909	Exit 187: K-68
35-30/20.757	406.259	Exit 189: US 59 North/Lawrence
35-30/29.949	415.451	Exit 198: K-33/Wellsville
35-30/31.042 35-61/0.000	416.544	Franklin/Miami County Line
35-61/2.850 35-46/0.000	419.394	Miami/Johnson County Line
35-46/8.872	428.266	Exit 210: US 56 West (US 56 joins I-35/US 50)
35-46/12.110	431.504	South City Limits Olathe
35-46/13.623	433.017	US 169 South/K-7/151st Street (US 169 joins I-35/US 50/US 56)
35-46/19.041	438.435	Olathe/Lenexa City limits
35-46/20.620 435-46/7.686	440.014	I-435 (US 50 leaves I-35/US 56/US 169 amd joins I-435)
435-46/7.335	440.365	Lenexa/Overland Park City Limits
435-46/6.307	441.393	Quivira Road
435-46/5.305	442.395	US 69
435-46/1.748	445.952	Roe Avenue
435-46/1.244	446.456	Overland Park/Leawood City limits
435-46/0.000	447.700	Missouri State Line (concurrent with I-435)