Exploring Kansas Highways: K-1 through K-13

K-2

Length: 61.516 miles

Southwest Endpoint:
Junction US 160 in Harper (1937-1962)
Junction US 281 west of Kiowa (1962-present)

Northeast Endpoint:
Junction K-42 in Norwich (1937-1950)
Junction US 54 in Wichita, concurrent with K-42 (1963-1994)
Junction K-42 east of Norwich (1950-1963; 1994-present)

Counties Served:
Barber, Harper, Kingman, Sumner

Historical County Served:
Sedgwick (1963-1994)

History

The second K-2 was designated in a January 7, 1937 highway commission resolution, starting at US 160 near Harper, heading on a northeastward path an new gravel alignment along the south side of the Kansas City, Mexico, and Orient Railroad, then curving north along an existing section-line road to meet K-42 in Norwich. Apparently, the project was not fully completed before World War II broke out, as K-2 was routed east along an existing road on the Kingman/Harper county line before turning north into Norwich, which had degraded into dirt by 1945. In 1950, the uncompleted curve south of Norwich was replaced by an extension of the diagonal route to meet K-42 3 miles east of Norwich, and one mile east of the Sumner/Kingman County Line. The Harper County segment was paved at the same time the new diagonal was completed.

By 1963, K-2 was extended west in an concurrency with K-14 from Harper to US 281 west of Kiowa. By 1963 K-2 had been extended east, concurrent with K-42, all the way to US 54 in Wichita.

In late 1994, the K-2/K-14 and K-2/K-42 dual designations were deemed to serve no purpose, confusing to travelers, and costly in terms of sign maintenance. KDOT elected to remove K-2 from K-42, truncating K-2’s east end back to Norwich; and removed K-14 south of Harper, leaving K-2’s west end at US 281.

Junction Guide

AADT (2021)

K-3

Length: 43.262 miles

South Endpoint:
Junction K-47 6 miles west of Girard

North Endpoint:
K-38 north of Xenia (1926-1932)
K-31 3 miles west of Blue Mound (1932-present)

Counties Served:
Crawford, Bourbon, Linn

History

K-3 was numbered as part of a rough grid pattern of north-south highways. The first three miles of the highway, from the Mission Road south of Brazilton north, was graded and gravelled in 1924. In 1927, the highway was gravelled from Brazilton north to the Crawford-Bourbon County line.

In 1931, the route was gravelled from US 54 at Bronson north to west of Xenia, and a new gravel alignment was constrcted continuing north to K-38 west of Blue Mound. Once the new highway was opened, the old section passing through Xenia was redesignated as K-69.

The segment between K-57 and Hepler was paved by 1950, between Hepler and K-39 by 1953, and the rest was completed by 1957.

Junction Guide

AADT (2023)

K-4 Alternate

Length: 1.027 miles

South Endpoint: K-4 South of Nortonville

Northeast Endpoint: US 59 east of Nortonville, concurrent with US 159

County Served: Jefferson

History

In 1981, KDOT redefined the US 159 designation in Nortonville. The stretch of US 159 from Walnut Street to the southern end of the Nortonville bypass was redesignated as K-4 Alternate, while the alternate route of US 159 on Walnut Street was redesignated as US 159/K-4 Alternate.

Junction Guide

AADT (2023)

K-6

South Endpoint:
Oklahoma state line south of Chetopa (proposed late 1925)
US 59 at Erie (1926-1960)

North Endpoint:
K-7 at Osawatomie (1926-1935)
US 54/K-52 near Welda (1935-1960)

Historic Counties Served:
Labette, Neosho, Allen (1926-1960)
Anderson, Franklin, Miami (1926-1935)

History

In the 1925 highway numbering proposal, the route from Oklahoma State Highway 6 south of Chetopa to K-7 at Osawatomie was initially designated K-9 as part of a “grid pattern” of north-south highways. At some point, the proposed K-6 and K-9 designations were switched to allow route continuity with the Oklahoma highway. Ironically, after the route designations were switched, the Oklahoma segment was re-designated as US 73. The 1926 initial designation of K-6 started from US 73W at Erie.

K-6 was a dirt road from Greeley to Osawatomie, hard surfaced from Elsmore to Mildred, and gravel along the rest of the route. Hard-surfacing had extended from Mildred to Kincaid by 1933. In 1934, US 73W was re-designated as US 59, the segment of K-6 from Moran to Kinkaid was re-designated K-52, the segment between Kincaid was re-designated K-31, and the segment between Garnett and Osawatomie was re-designated K-16.

By 1940, K-6 had been aligned on a new route, with the new K-6 running north from US 59 at Erie to K-39, then east on K-39 to Stark. The segment between K-39 and Stark was paved by 1940, and from Stark to Elsmore by 1945.

By 1950, US 59 had been moved to the north. The segment between Erie and K-39 was re-designed as US 59/K-6 and had been hard-surfaced.

K-6 had been re-designated as US 59 in its entirety by 1962.

K-7

Length: 243.984 miles

South Endpoint:

Oklahoma State Line, north of Picher, Oklahoma (concurrent with US 69 since 1935)

North Endpoint:

Junction US 40 in Bonner Springs (1926-1935)
Nebraska State Line north of White Cloud (1935-present)

Counties Served:
Cherokee, Crawford, Bourbon, Linn, Miami, Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Atchison, Doniphan

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K-8 (Southern Segment)

Length: 1.275 miles

South Endpoint:
OK 8 at the Oklahoma State Line South of Kiowa

North Endpoint:
Junction K-2 in Kiowa

County Served:
Barber

Junction Guide

AADT (2023)

K-9 (1925)

Proposed South Endpoint: Oklahoma state line south of Chetopa

Proposed North Endpoint: Junction K-7 in Osawatomie

Proposed Counties Served:
Labette, Neosho, Allen, Anderson, Franklin, Miami

History

K-10 Spur

West Endpoint:
Junction K-10 at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Merriam Lane

East Endpoint: Junction I-35 and Shawnee Mission Parkway

Historic County Served: Johnson

K-11 (1926-1938)

South Endpoint:
Oklahoma State Line in Elgin (1927-1936)
Oklahoma State Line South of Chautauqua (1936-1938)

North Endpoint:
NE 65 at the Nebraska State Line north of Summerfield

Historic Counties Served:
Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Lyon, Wabaunsee, Pottawatomie, Marshall

K-12

Length: 15.321 miles

Southwest Endpoint:
Junction K-7 north of Olathe (proposed 1965-1983)
Junction K-7 on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee (1984-1987)

Northeast Endpoint:
Junction I-35/I-435 in Lenexa (proposed 1965-1983)
Missouri State Line on Southwest Blvd, Kansas City (1984-1987)

Historic Counties Served: Johnson, Wyandotte

History

K-12 was initially designated in 1965 for a proposed freeway from I-35 and I-435 west to K-7 along 103rd Street to connect with a future extension of K-10.

Although the proposed K-12 was designated first, it was the last part of the Lawrence-Kansas City freeway to begin construction in 1980. Grading was completed by August of 1982 when work on the highway was suspended.

In December of 1983, KDOT switched the designations of K-10 and K-12 east of K-7. A year later, the new freeway between K-7 and I-435 was opened as K-10, and the original K-10 between K-7 and the Missouri line was officially re-designated as K-12

In 1983, only the westernmost 85 feet of K-12 was in rural Johnson County, with the remainder within the city limits of Shawnee, Merriam, and Kansas City. By 1987, Shawnee had annexed out past K-7. With the entire route urbanized, K-12 was turned back to the respective cities and removed from the State Highway system.

K-12 (1925 proposal)

Proposed West Endpoint:
US 40 at Leonardville, concurrent with US 77

Proposed East Endpoint: K-4 at Valley Falls

Proposed Counties Served: Pottawatomie, Jackson, Jefferson

History

In the first draft of the Kansas highway numbering plan, the highway from Leonardville to Valley Falls via Onaga and Holton was to have been designated as highway 12. This designation would have been designated as part of a rough grid of east-west highways.

Changes in the US highway system proposal affected this highway’s final designation. The addition of US 24 and US 36 in Missouri resulted in changes to the Missouri Highway system. Missouri Highway 24 was re-numbered MO 52 and the connecting Kansas Highway was changed from 24 to 56. MO 36 was renumbered MO 12, and the K-12 designation was moved there. The number 24 was backfilled to become the designation of this highway when the Kansas Highway numbering plan was finalized.

K-12 (1940-1950)

Historic West Endpoint:
Junction US 66 in Baxter Springs

Historic East Endpoint:
Missouri State Line East of Baxter Springs

Historic County Served:
Cherokee

History

The K-12 designation was revived for a new highway between US 66 and the State Border in the southeast corner of the state. Starting out as a dirt road, the highway was quickly hard-surfaced. By 1950, Missouri had connected this roadway into Joplin, and the road was re-designated as an extension of US 166.